Solitude...

I’ve been asked “Doesn’t it get lonely, being on the road by yourself?” Well, yes, it can… but only occasionally. Once a month, on average, I may have a day when I feel unsettled, rootless, just plain pissed off… but the only amazing thing is that this doesn’t happen more often!

I’ve lost the concept of going home… or, rather, I have many homes. The vehicle itself is home, in the sense that’s it’s where I go back to, at some point, every day. When I pull up the blinds, the Romahome feels like a very private space… even if I’m parked on some busy street in town! But other places can feel like home too, if only for a few hours or days. Visiting family and friends creates more opportunities for feeling at home. Home really can be wherever you hang your hat (on those once-a-month gloomy days, on the other hand, home is just where you hang your head).

Instead of home, in the sense that we usually think of it, I get to see different places every day. They may not always be beautiful, or dramatic places, but they give me strong impressions, when I keep my eyes and ears open, of what life is like in the year 2015… even though it’s still only a very partial view. When I got the Romahome I imagined being mobile for maybe five years. But, apart from poor health, I'm not sure what set of circumstances would make me want to give up the nomadic life and stay in one place.

I’ve had bouts of mental ill-health over many years; now that is what loneliness looks like to me…

Semerwater and ruined barn, Wensleydale…