I have a secret hidden desire. I’ve only told my husband about it. I want to buy an RV and travel around the entire USA. Alas, this is but a dream…
However! I have hope! It seems Carol and Phil White have the planning COMPLETELY done for me. All I need to do is read their book, Live Your Road Trip Dream, with pen and paper in hand. They write with wit and creativity, including everything from cost planning sheets for both the big time spender and the budget conscious to supply lists, sample itineraries and RV buying advice. They remind me of things like renting out my home vs. selling it, medical expenses, bill paying, storage options, including a thorough emergency chapter too.

My favorite part of Live Your Road Trip Dream was their ideas for personal themes. They’re golf enthusiasts and sport stadium aficionados, but my theme would be Nascar tracks and flea markets. I’d join them in their love of visiting all the National Parks though. Another cute idea was the sponsoring a classroom idea (which happened serendipitously for them). This would be an easy task for me (as a teacher, myself). Their insight on planning the route around the changing seasons and various events/festivals, such as Mardi Gras, was inspired.

I was so hyped up after finishing Live Your Road Trip Dream, poor hubby had to hear about it for two days. He said we’d kill each other, being trapped in an RV for months. Not to worry… I handed over the book with that section dog-eared just for him :-)

Review first published on Many A Quaint & Curious Volume ( )

Part one covers every detail that needs to be considered before leaving for an extended trip. Bills, family obligations, cars, health plans, etc. The White provide valuable tips and suggestions to make the transition easier, from selling the house, to renting or just leasing the house for the duration of the trip. Most high school graduates usually don’t have major expenses of obligations and will not need to take extensive measures for their trip, but parents and/or grandparents will have more to consider. Other valuable tips include budgeting strategies as well as vehicle selection (the Whites chose a modest 19 foot RV for their travels).

At the end of the book there is a Traveler’s Resource List which provides websites as well as worksheets for budgeting, itineraries and other maintenance issues. My boyfriend’s parents travel a lot in their RV, they go on weekend long trips and sometimes month long trips, and I think this book would be a perfect addition to their collection of resources. The advice is practical and universal whatever your specific trip purpose may be.

More at: http://thenovelworld.com ( )

Carol and Phil White were retirees with a dream: to travel around the country on their own, for a year, without running out of money or energy. They planned, they budgetted, they kissed their children and grandchildren farewell, and they headed out.
This newly revised manual and travelogue tells how they did it, both in practical and human terms. They provide budget plans, recommendations on transportation choices, insights into travel decisions, and suggestions for websites (including their own) which provide more information and tools. The first half of the book provides the planning tools and suggestions; the second is the diary from their own travels.
Anyone interested in long travel, RV use, or travelogues should consider this readable, useful volume. ( )