Well, the long vacation is coming to an end and it has been great. Already we are planning 2013 and will probably do ~5 months here, but next time rent a holiday home for a month at a time in 3 different locations and stay with relatives in between. (We have relatives scattered across the country from Scotland to Devon).
This coming week we'll be going away to the Vale of Eden for 3 days with some friends, then I have to pick up a hire van on Saturday morning and spend the weekend transporting sofas, chairs, beds, washing machine etc etc. We fly back next week.
Renting the unfurnished house has cost an average of $480/week and that includes all the costs of furniture, council taxes, TV and cable etc.
Total cost of the whole 7 months including rental cars, air fares, food, other travel costs (including a week in Ireland and a week in Madeira) is ~$35k.
For our hiking we carry a hand held GPS which we reset before each trip and log the mileage. We have hiked 625 miles so far and have no idea how far we have walked, but it is a lot. (We have no car here so walk everywhere including shops. - It is 0.75 miles to the town center).tor or
We stayed healthy (so far) and didn't need to visit the doctor or dentist, so I'm pleased to say that I can't report on how easy or difficult it was to get treatment and claim back the costs
(Our US insurance covers us here and I have a number to call in case of insurance issues while in the UK)
We have enjoyed entertaining lots of visitors including 3 sets of visitors from the USA, pleased to escape the heat and drought of Texas and Louisiana.
It has been said once or twice before on this site, but I need to say it again - we love being RE'ed