Going solo

The ‘RV lifestyle’ for many Aussies conjures up images of happy couples or families enjoying the road and great outdoors, but there are a surprising number of solo travellers out there enjoying RVs too.

The popularity of ‘going solo’ has got to the point where Australia’s biggest RV club, the Campervan and Motorhome Club of Australia, has its own ‘Solo’s Network’ with almost 800 members and growing.

In the interest of full disclosure, I am not a full time soloist (most of my motorhome adventures involve the family) but my work takes me away from home for extended periods and my trusty RV becomes my home away from home during my travels.

When I travel solo, I do have the option to stay with friends and family but there is something to be said about sleeping in your own bed and eating and relaxing to your own schedule.

I love the freedom of being able to cook what I want, when I want it and read and walk and watch TV and watch the channel I want to watch. Can you tell I have children? They are adorable, but my 'time out' time is sacred.

The other great thing about living in a a motorhome is that you get to keep everything that is important to you close to hand. We all like our toys and creature comforts and the weight capacity of most motorhomes is more than sufficient to make room for plenty of gear.

The other great factor driving the ‘solo’ RV revolution is that today’s technology means you’re never truly alone unless you want to be.

With mobile wi-fi and satellite phones, gone are the days of being disconnected the moment you move away from a landline. Mobile phones and mobile internet are ubiquitous in Australia and are as cheap or cheaper than the fixed line connections of old.

Meanwhile, prices of solar power have fallen so far and lighting in particular has become so efficient, that a single 200w panel will provide enough power for all but the most power hungry of appliances.

But what about statistics that say married people have the potential to live longer? Well, I say spending any amount of time on the road is good for your mental and well as physical health.

You can park in a natural setting that motivates you to exercise and gives you access to fresh local food. Camping near the beach, a picturesque trail or outside your favourite gym or swimming complex are all possibilities for the solo RV traveller, as are visiting grower’s markets and accessing farm gate produce.

Then there’s the argument that living full-time in an RV is cheaper than a house, especially if there’s just one of you, as is often the case with many widowers or divorcees.

While the up-front cost of buying an RV can be high, these tiny houses are efficient, affordable living spaces when compared to a normal house and for many individuals, an RV offers the perfect mix of adventure and affordability.

Let’s face it – one person doesn’t require all that much room to live. The space we crave in our homes is often only from a desire to provide everyone a little buffer zone from each other.

When you live alone, more space simply means more places to clean, maintain and pay for.

It was on a recent trip away that I had cause to calculate the cost of living for people living solo and I came to realise just how large a burden essential utilities like electricity, rent/home repayments, food and insurance must be when living alone full time.

Housing is expensive when the cost is shared but when you’re approaching it solo, housing in Australia can be cost prohibitive.

Enter life in an RV and the often hostile world for singles transforms into a cocoon of comfortable living space tailored and tuned for one. In an RV, everything has its place and when you live alone, it will be exactly where you left it when you next go looking for it. Bliss!

Some people would say that the up-front costs for an RV can be expensive, but cost is relative. For example, motorhomes are usually more expensive than a similar sized caravan however they’re infinitely more flexible when it comes to options like freedom camping which could potentially save you the cost difference (and more) in the long term.

Potentially living rent free is not the only attraction on offer to single people willing to take up residence in a motorhome. There are some good arguments that the added mobility of a motorhome is good for both your

mental and physical health
in that it offers easier access to adventure and excitement and increased stimulation of this kind is good for singles.

That’s not to say you need to live in your motorhome full time to reap the benefits.

For golfers, canoeists, fisher folk, photographers, walkers and surfers (to name but a few), an RV affords a single life that is positively luxurious compared to what the same money will buy living in a more traditional bricks and mortar home.

If you’re solo and thinking of buying an RV for holidays or even permanent living, I can’t recommend doing so more highly.