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Encouraging Wanderlust
Since 2011
If the journey is just as important to you as the destination, you've come to the right place. Here at Interstellar Orchard (IO), you'll find:
- Informational articles on how to travel full-time by RV and plane
- Travelogues of my adventures to inspire future nomads and armchair travelers alike
- Philosophical posts on how to live a happier, more fulfilling life
Ready to get started?
Enjoy the Journey
My name is Becky and from 2012 to 2020 I traveled full-time and wrote about my experiences and created guides to help others pursue an unconventional life. This website is mostly dormant now, but here's a list of the best of IO to help you future nomads. 🙂
The Best of IO
Full-time RVing
- Top 10 Things to Know About Full-timing – Is full-time RVing right for you?
- Full-time RVing Won’t Change Who You Are – The number #1 thing I wish I would have known before hitting the road.
- An Open Letter to New/Prospective Full-timers About Fear – Yes, going full-timing is scary.
- Downsizing – A few tips on downsizing to an RV.
- Mobile Internet – How I stay connected on the road.
- Five Pieces of Advice for Aspiring Female Solos – Ladies, here are some tips just for you.
- What About Retirement? – Most people don’t go full-timing until they have a nest egg saved up, here’s my solution.
Deliberate Living
- Remembering How to Dream – The first IO post, a five-part series on figuring out what your dreams are, and how to make them a reality.
- You Must Be Crazy – You aren’t crazy for wanting to do something big and unconventional with your life.
- Don’t Listen to Naysayers – The various ways people might react to your decision to follow your dreams, and what you can do about it.
- Give Yourself Permission – Ultimately, your future is in your own hands. Give yourself permission to be great.
- Thankfulness – Being thankful for what you have shouldn’t be limited to just one day a year.
- Fluid Decision Making – It’s okay to change your mind! The world is not static and neither are you.
- Beach Visits and Opportunity Costs – For every dream, there is a cost. If you want the dream badly enough, the cost will be worth it.
- An Ode to Diversity – If you can be nothing else, be kind. Embrace the differences of others.
- The Importance of Contribution – Deep down, we all not only want to be happy and successful, we also want to make a difference in the world.
- It’s Not What You Own, It’s What You Do – American society prizes consumerism, but if you’re looking for happiness, collect experiences instead of possessions.
Other
- An Introduction to Travel Blogging – A two-part series on how to start, maintain, and make money from a travel blog.
- An Introduction to Travel Photography – Some suggestions for taking better pictures, for those without fancy cameras.
All About The Money
- RVing and Taxes – Handling taxes for working-age full-timers.
- Comparing Work Options for RVers – A look at the four basic ways to earn money on the road in handy chart format with positives and negatives listed.
- Six Benefits of Seasonal Jobs – How do I pay for my travels? I started as a work-camper and actually enjoyed it more than expected.
- Working at National Parks for RVers – A two-part series that covers working for the NPS and for concessionaires.
- Three Ordinary Work Days – What a typical day of work is like at a National Park, Amazon, and volunteering as a camp host.
- About Amazon’s CamperForce – People say this is the most comprehensive collection of information about CamperForce in existence. The main article explains a lot, the links at the bottom cover everything else.
General RVing
- How to Choose the Best Type of RV – How to decide which type of RV will be best for you.
- Why go Small RVing – The advantages to choosing a smaller RV for full-timing.
- RV Payments – Why you should think twice about going into debt to buy your RV.
- RVing in Adverse Weather Conditions – Heat, cold, humidity, wind, precipitation? Find out how to handle these situations while RVing.
- Finding Good Campgrounds – Knowing your goal and priorities is key to choosing a great camp.
- Boondocking Answers – Cut your camping fees drastically. This is everything I know about camping for free on public lands.
Inspirational
- Never Settle – When your life is starting to look pretty good, that’s the perfect time to reach for the next big dream.
- Having Enough – Throw off the mantle of scarcity and choose abundance.
- The Pie Is Unlimited – Everyone has something unique to offer the world.
- Facing Down Obstacles – It isn’t easy, being the kind of person who won’t settle for mediocre.
- Words of Encouragement – Motivational quotes have really helped me achieve my dreams.
- Little Moments – Contentment resides in the little things just as much as the big ones.
The Guides
If you're serious about turning your dreams into reality or becoming a full-time RVer, consider my two books, available in paperback and for Kindle. Cut through fear and uncertainty and get clarity on the steps you need to take to change your life, delivered in an easy to implement format without the fluff.
The Little Guide To Dreaming Big
A practical book that walks you through the six major steps needed to achieve your dreams around work, travel, and life. Also includes solutions to eight common obstacles that people face along the way. Can be applied to a wide variety of dreams, but is perfect for the big, scary ones.
Solo Full-time RVing On A Budget
A condensed guide designed to get you on the road as a full-time RVer sooner rather than later. Tailored specifically to the challenges faced by singles who are still working aged. Comes with ten pages of worksheets to make the process less overwhelming. The resource I wish I would have had.
IO On YouTube
If a picture is worth 1,000 words, what does that make a video? Subscribe to IO on YouTube and watch my travels from Day 1 as a nomad, plus learn more tips and tricks about the RV lifestyle.