Tag Archives: wander

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Dear diary. It’s been a while since we posted an update. After our two week holiday and ‘test run’ in the bus, we returned home and came crashing back to reality. I hadn’t realised just how burnt out I was until we took a holiday and I actually stopped still (or at least slowed down for a little bit). I had been working on the bus every day and every night for many months, whilst juggling full-time parenting and domestic responsibilities. Despite things being unfinished in the bus, the holiday was wonderful. It gave us all an awesome taste of bus life. We loved it so much that it was hard to return to our normal life and routine in Brisbane. My mind was already on the road and dreaming of our next destination. Having also exhausted our bus funds, the project needed to slow down anyway! For a couple of weeks, I hardly went near the bus. But gradually my motivation and energy has returned. I’ve jumped back into the project over the past couple of weeks, completing the kitchen cabinets, pantry cupboards and drawers. And I’m now tackling the huge task of 24v wiring throughout the bus. I’m working at a much more manageable pace and leaving time for other interests (adventures with the kids, hanging out with @littleearthstories, reading books, and our new hobby of kayaking). It’s all about balance! I have a long list of jobs to complete in the bus (I’ll save that list for another post) but am feeling confident that we can have the bus ready (to a ‘livable in caravan parks’ standard) within a few months. Stay tuned! ~ Keiran

#busconversion #buslife #bus #tinyhouse #skoolie #skoolieconversion #vanlife #offgrid #busbuild #rvlife #busnut #busrollwithit #livesmaller #nomad #happycamper #wander #wanderlust #homeiswhereyouparkit #ontheroad #buslifeaustralia #buslifeau

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Our maiden voyage! We hit the road yesterday for our first road trip and family adventure in Bronte the bus! The bus travelled well, with everything staying in its designated place! We’ve all been battling a serious case of the flu for the past two weeks, so the bus isn’t quite finished. I’ve still got heaps of cabinet work to finish in the kitchen. And stacks of 24v wiring. But for now, it is so wonderful to be living in the bus and enjoying a break. This afternoon the boys and I bid farewell to @littleearthstories. Sam is off to help crew the @bellalunaboat to New Caledonia. And tomorrow the boys and I are off to explore the Tweed Coast for a week. We can hardly wait!

#busconversion #buslife #bus #tinyhouse #skoolie #skoolieconversion #vanlife #offgrid #busbuild #rvlife #busnut #busrollwithit #livesmaller #nomad #happycamper #wander #wanderlust #homeiswhereyouparkit #ontheroad #buslifeaustralia #buslifeau

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This beautiful woman is setting sail to New Caledonia next week! An opportunity has come up to join the crew of the @bellalunaboat (the floating home of her cousin @miaowthecat and her awesome family) on their first international sailing adventure. Sam was initially reluctant to leave us for a whole fortnight but I managed to convince her that we’d survive (just) without her! Amazing opportunities like this don’t come along every day! In her former life (pre-kids and before our time), Sam was crazy about sailing and enjoyed many a long haul sailing adventure in Australian waters. In our current life, Sam has worked long hours as the sole breadwinner of the family – to keep us afloat financially and to allow us the chance to pursue the dream of bus life. I’m thrilled to see Sam join the crew for this awesome sailing adventure and deserved opportunity!

Meanwhile… the boys and I are busy hatching our very own plans, to take Bronte the bus on a ‘test run’ and a much needed holiday by the sea. The details are not yet finalised, but I’ve been working around the clock to get the bus ready for its maiden voyage. It won’t be completely finished, but good enough for us to enjoy our new house on wheels and take a break. The boys have told me that they would like to go somewhere quiet by the beach to do some fishing! And I am so ready for that.

#busconversion #buslife #bus #tinyhouse #skoolie #skoolieconversion #vanlife #offgrid #busbuild #rvlife #busnut #busrollwithit #livesmaller #nomad #happycamper #wander #wanderlust #homeiswhereyouparkit #ontheroad #buslifeaustralia #buslifeau

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The kitchen and living areas are coming along now. We’ve lightened up the brown cork floor tiles with a liming white floor finish. The dining table/spare bed is done. And the kitchen cupboards and drawers are nearing completion. We’re racing towards an ever-changing deadline to have the bus ready for a much needed mini-break and holiday by the beach somewhere. Stay tuned for more soon!

#busconversion #buslife #bus #tinyhouse #skoolie #skoolieconversion #vanlife #offgrid #busbuild #rvlife #busnut #busrollwithit #livesmaller #nomad #happycamper #wander #wanderlust #homeiswhereyouparkit #ontheroad #buslifeaustralia #buslifeau

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The kitchen and living areas of the bus. The second shot shows this same space with the block-out roller blinds lowered. All windows in the bus including the passenger and driver side windows (but excluding all the top hopper windows) are now fitted with these reasonably priced blinds (sourced from Ikea). A special thank you to @littleearthstories for juggling multiple other tasks and deadlines to cut all of the blinds to size prior to installation. We have chosen black blinds throughout and we think that they look great!

Last week I boldly declared that we were nearing the completion of Stage One. And whilst it’s true that we are, there is still much work to do before we reach that goal. I’ve spent the past week sealing the cork tile floor (with a liming white floor finish), plumbing, wiring, and working on the battery/power room underneath the bus. It’s been a big week with many late nights again. We also discovered to our dismay that one half of our windscreen has cracked this week (from a pre-existing stone chip). I’m guessing that all my work on the front door frame last week probably triggered the cracking. So next week we’ll seek some quotes and aim to get that glass replaced (if not too expensive). This weekend I’m planning to (finally) complete the kitchen cupboards and countless little ‘finishing jobs’ that I’ve been avoiding around the bus.
#busconversion #buslife #bus #tinyhouse #skoolie #skoolieconversion #vanlife #offgrid #busbuild #rvlife #busnut #busrollwithit #livesmaller #nomad #happycamper #wander #wanderlust #homeiswhereyouparkit #ontheroad #buslifeaustralia #buslifeau

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A timelapse video of our dining table and spare bed area in the bus. Featuring some talented acting by an up-and-coming local bloke. Happy Friday everyone!

#busconversion #buslife #bus #tinyhouse #skoolie #skoolieconversion #vanlife #offgrid #busbuild #rvlife #busnut #busrollwithit #livesmaller #nomad #happycamper #wander #wanderlust #homeiswhereyouparkit #ontheroad #buslifeaustralia #buslifeau

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Another big week in our bus conversion project. Stage One is nearing completion, which is rather timely as we have this week exhausted the last of our project funds on a new front door (gulp). Stage One is to have the bus to a ‘livable in caravan parks’ standard, so that we can sell the house, move into the bus and start planning for Stage Two (the full off-grid and self contained set up). I’ve been avoiding the front door for six months now. Our existing bus door did not meet the specifications for motorhome registration (door must open outwards). The door was difficult for the children to manually open/close and it has also never locked. My original plan was to build our own door (or buy a security screen and adapt it) but in the end we went took the plunge and bought a proper RV door. It wasn’t cheap but it seems very solid and secure, it’s a good height for tall people and it has a secondary flyscreen door on the inside. The existing door opening on the bus was a strange shape and size (with lots of merging angles) but we managed to build a solid door frame (with H3 structural pine, sealed and painted black) in the space to properly accommodate the new RV door. We completed the sheeting around the door frame with some leftover black aluminium composite panel pieces. We’re stoked with the outcome! The door looks a million bucks and Bronte the bus now feels like a limousine for rock stars!

#busconversion #buslife #bus #tinyhouse #skoolie #skoolieconversion #vanlife #offgrid #busbuild #rvlife #busnut #busrollwithit #livesmaller #nomad #happycamper #wander #wanderlust #homeiswhereyouparkit #ontheroad #buslifeaustralia #buslifeau

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Wrap up for the week. We’ve been working flat out this week (Sam earning the dollars and me spending it on the bus). The boys and I managed a nice little outing to Tinchi Tamba Wetlands on Monday for sunset and we saw loads of kangaroos! Other than that, I’ve been working day and night in the bus. The ‘sanding and varnishing show’ continues daily on the walls, benches and furniture. And I’ve started work on the ‘power room’ under the bus, where all things electrical will live. A big hole was cut in the side of the bus and I managed to install a nice big access hatch for the ‘power room’ (a section of the nearside luggage bins with no existing door). We’ve got big plans for the long weekend ahead (plumbing, wiring, kitchen cupboards and a new front door). And then… some crazy plans are brewing for a much needed break in the coming fortnight. Stay tuned for more soon!

#busconversion #buslife #bus #tinyhouse #skoolie #skoolieconversion #vanlife #offgrid #busbuild #rvlife #busnut #busrollwithit #livesmaller #nomad #happycamper #wander #wanderlust #homeiswhereyouparkit #ontheroad #buslifeaustralia #buslifeau

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Weekend progress in our #tinyhouse on wheels. We finally built the ‘window bar’ and also finished the dinette table. The window bar extends the bench space beyond the kitchen, providing an additional and highly functional area for work, play, meals and Sam’s morning coffees! We’ll use a couple of bar stools in this space. The dinette converts easily into a day bed, visitor bed or flat play space for the kids. The table has a folding leg and attaches to an aluminum rail on the wall. I was doubtful about whether the table idea would work or not, but I shouldn’t have worried. It’s surprisingly stable, looks great and has enough room for our whole family to eat meals together. Another big weekend working in the bus! And a few steps closer to finishing the project! ~ Keiran

#busconversion #buslife #bus #skoolie #skoolieconversion #vanlife #offgrid #busbuild #rvlife #busnut #busrollwithit #livesmaller #nomad #happycamper #wander #wanderlust #homeiswhereyouparkit #ontheroad #buslifeaustralia #buslifeau

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Second kitchen bench is in! 🛠️ In the second and third photos, we’re playing with an extension of the kitchen bench which will be a breakfast bar / desk / extra bench space (you can never have enough bench space, right?) K is holding the extended bench up in these pics… we’re thinking we’ll drop the height slightly though as it’s visually quite imposing (we added height to our benches because we be tall). Also some good progress with the boys’ bunks, and more wall framing for the bathroom. In other news, our energy efficient fridge and stove are in and it’s really starting to look a bit like home!
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#busconversion #buslife #bus #tinyhouse #skoolie #skoolieconversion #vanlife #offgrid #busbuild #rvlife #busnut #busrollwithit #livesmaller #nomad #happycamper #wander #wanderlust #homeiswhereyouparkit #ontheroad #buslifeaustralia #buslifeau

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