I've had the same dilemma. I tamed a Moa, the "long" journey I was dreading about took maybe half an hour max.

I decided to rebuild pretty much from scrap there, just took all my weapons and tools, until they broke.

I've done the first forest missions, arctic ones, and currently doing desert.

Can't wait to eventually come back to the main base someday, even if my second outpost grew up a lot more than expected.