Sounds like a plan stan...
Couple of thoughts on the RV idea. Frist of all skip the thousand trails thing....its a bit like a time share program. Yeah you can resell it but you will get pennies on the dollar for it. Also most of the parks you can stay at are private RV parks that are for the most part concrete slabs , 10 foot away from another RV. They will have hook-ups , a pool and a expensive store. Forget about that and hit the road . Just use state parks ..Oregon for one has thousands of them and are cheap and beautiful all the time except in the winter.
2 . What kind of RV ? My advice is a 5th wheel and a truck. It's much more reliable and flexiable .All in one RV are a pain in the ass when you want to drive to store or go to a movie. U have to unhook even thing and drive into town, find a place to park the monster , then go back , park , hook up, and level it....or hop in the truck.
3. New or used....I'd go used ...a lot of people but one thinking it's a good idea , using it every weekend for a couple of months, then the next year for a couple of weeks twice a year and by the 4th or 5th year its parked next to the house unused. Unwanted and alot cheaper. Maybe needs a new awning, clean it up, and tires (from sitting) and it's as good as new. Oh yeah check the generator and make sure it's a inverter generator. They are much quieter and uses less fuel.
4. Storage...check costs and security if you are going to store it at a storage place...it can be alot more then you expect.
5. You guys better love each other alot lol cause a month in a RV, that seemed big , is alot smaller then it looks.
That's my 2 cents
1. There's also the National Park pass which is only $80 for life, once hitting 62 (which I have). That's a pretty good deal which I plan to get on my next NP visit.
2. For the RV, we've been thinking about a new Class C 27', or a slightly used Class A 40'. Either way, we'd have a small tow vehicle. I've looked at trailers like the Airstream with a truck, but I'm a total klutz when it comes to pulling something big.
3. New or used? The class C I'm looking at is made-to-order unit out of California (called Lazy Daze). They have very high resale value, and are probably the highest quality units I've ever seen for a decent price. The Class A would definitely be used - maybe a 1-2 year old with low miles. I'd get a diesel pusher, and that would be a pretty good setup for the TT parks.
4. They have some excellent storage facilities in the Houston area. One place I'm looking at is a bit pricey, but the RV is kept in a large temperature controlled massive building with security everywhere. They have a valet service that will check all your fluids, start your vehicle and generator while your gone, and will wash, wax and have it ready once you touch down from Indonesia.
5. Yes, we do like each other's company in close quarters, but the RV setup may put that to the test. When my wife sees these 43 foot diesel pushers with washing machine/dryer, king size bed, marble floors, granite counters, and dishwasher, that seems like it wouldn't be so bad. For me, sleeping to the sound of a river going by, or waking up in the middle of a desert 20 miles from the nearest town in a down-to-earth rig is more my style. My wife also likes some of those deep country adventures, but always wants to get back to tall buildings and malls before long.
Right now, the vote for an RV is mostly coming from me, and not so much the wife. She seems to like it, since I'm so gung-ho on the concept - so time will tell. We're still looking at several other ideas, like condos or renting in Texas as well. At one point we were looking at the MM2H program in Malaysia, as kind of a radical alternative. The key issue we're concerned with overall, are income taxes. If Indonesia started enforcing their tax laws on retirees, we would get hit pretty hard. I've actually built all the Indonesian tax calculations into excel, and it's not a pretty picture. By policy, Malaysia doesn't look at your worldwide income for their taxes. The other thing that Malaysia may be better for is healthcare - which has been a nagging concern from what I've seen over the years in Solo. Several of my wife's well-off relatives have often gone to either Singapore or Penang to get treatment - and suggested the same for me if I ever lived in Indonesia. The one thing I can say about Malaysia, is the plane trip is much shorter from Penang-Solo, than Houston-Solo.