working part time while fulltiming

[Cathy Smith]

A couple questions. My husband and I are hoping to become full timers for a year or two. Probably try it for 2-3 months before jumping in for a year. Several barriers / solutions we are thinking about:

health insurance - other than waiting for Medicare or going without, what options do folks use?

home rental - we will probably rent our home for a year at a time. I think that between a major hospital with residents, etc looking for housing and nearby private schools that need rentals for new/guest teachers we can probably do this. Anyone tried it?

part time work while traveling - I am a registered nurse in a "compact" state. Any traveling nurses who have worked occasionally while living in a travel trailer?

Our plan has been to buy a 17 ft Casita, probably used. We have been waiting for a Hybrid Honda Odyssey to come on the market, now with gas prices soaring we are reconsidering both the vehicle and the trailer. I googled top towing vehicles and was shocked to find that a Hyundai Elantra and a Subaru Forester (may have been another Subaru) can tow a lot with the correct brake package. Something like 3000#.

Any thoughts on how life in the 13 ft trailers compares to life in the 17-20 ft ones?
We are tent campers. AGES ago spent the first year of our marriage in a pup tent traveling Europe from a little two seater. We tend to travel light. Even on regular vacations we each just take a back pack. I am just feeling a little to old and creaky for extended tent camping. We camped in a 3 man tent in the Caribbean about 2 years back and I got a bad cold. I was miserable-just don't have what it takes anymore. Generally intend to off road camp, coming to campgrounds to clean up. We will have 2 kayaks and 2 bikes.

Thanks for any thoughts or suggestions.

[theresa p]

hi cathy...funny that you should send this query..as it is exactly what my husband and i are hoping to do! we have a 13 ft outback by trillium and just returned from 6 weeks in it touring the southern states...we managed just fine as long as the weather was nice...but it sure was "iffy" when it wasn't...not very much maneouvering space, hahahah.
i, too, am a nurse looking to do travel assignments and for us to keep on the move.
unfortunately, i haven't got any words of wisdom to offer, but i just want to ask if you could keep me informed of any great ideas you do hear of...
good luck!!