Life in an RV year round

2020-06-03 07:01:06江麗

瘋狂英語·新讀寫 2020年4期

難詞探意

1. transition /tr?n?z??n/ v. 轉變；過渡

2. initially /??n???li/ adv. 最初；開始

3. trail /tre?l/ n. 小徑；痕跡

My husband Wes and our two dogs have spent several years living in an RV and driving it all around the United States. More recently,wetransitionedto an even smaller van-type RV,where we plan to live during much of the hurricane season, then spend the rest of the time living on a sailboat. Here's exactly what it's like to live and work in an RV.

Wes and I had just sold our house outside of St. Louis, Missouri and moved to a town in Colorado where we knew no one. Though we enjoyed our new state, especially all the outdoor activities it had offered, we were traveling back home for visits pretty often. Soinitiallythe RV was intended for traveling in comfort. We could save money on hotels, travel at a more relaxed pace, avoid packing and unpacking, not overstay our welcome at the homes of family and friends,and be able to take our dogs with us. Plus, my husband had always wanted one.

We bought the first RV in July 2015 and by September of that year we were already considering living in it full time. Wes and I love traveling and being “location independent”, and our jobs allow us to work anywhere. At first it did seem like a scary thing to get rid of a “normal” home and live on the road. And many people told us we were crazy, but once we officially made the leap, in February 2016, we never looked back.

Living together in a small space can be challenging, and finding things to do on your own can be great for your mindset. I like to go on hikes by myself or take the dogs out on long walks. When the weather was bad and we had to stay inside, we passed the time reading, watching Netflix, organizing, and so on—everything you do in a regular home. Then there were all the little home repair tasks； things do break when you're always rattling down the road.We both spend a good deal of time working.Luckily we have jobs that can be done anywhere. There are so many jobs available today that make living in an RV before retirement definitely doable. Most the people we've met while RVing still work, and earn great income doing so. I run a website, Making Sense of Cents, and tend to do all my work at the dining table.

I absolutely love RVing, so my list of“pros” is long. I love being able to bring my home everywhere with me. There are never any worries about having left something important behind. I love being able to park my home right next to the best hiking and bikingtrails, being able to change the view from the windows, follow the good weather, and explore different destinations.

The biggest “con” is the planning that's necessary. You do have to plan ahead where you are going to park because sometimes places are full—for example, national parks during the summer. As a full-time traveler, there is a lot of planning, moving, and trying new things. So once you arrive somewhere, it's nice to stay a while and just sit still. That's why I recommend that RVers park their RV every once in a while(like for winter), or move a little slower.

Reading

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1. Why did the couple buy an RV at first?

A. To enjoy the driving time. B. To get more freedom.

C. To save the living costs. D. To travel comfortably.

2. What does the underlined part refer to in paragraph 3?

A. Living on the road. B. Making great progress in work.

C. Breaking away from the crowds. D. Being independent from parents.

3. What does the author do to make a living?

A. She writes articles. B. She runs a website.

C. She manages an online store. D. She drives for passengers.

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