Well we have travelled over 7500km since leaving tassie on jan 27,  the van would have been in tow for at least 5500km but not an exact number. The maintaince in the van has been to replace 6 rivets out of different window mechanisams (not bad for a 30 year old van), also had to replace a couple of wheel trims. The old discovery hasnt faired quite so well though. Replaced the turbo intercooler with a larger after market one, change engine oil and filter and replace flex couple in the exhaust. Intercooler being the most expensive spend to date at a cost of $550. So check out our blog if you havnt done and read about our journey so far. Loving the life style but do find it hard to do nothing after working for the last 35 years (hoping for a biy of work here), most times it has been a harmonius time but has had its moments in the heat at times. Takes a while to settle in to routines and not having on hand what I have had for 35 years (like paying for someone to change my oil), there is lots to learn. We did set off to free camp most of the time, seemed ok for most while travelling to be able to free camp but I dont think its as easy for longer stays.
so thats it for now.
For any one thinking about it
Just do it (what ever IT is for you)
cheers
blaze

Good to hear all is going well for you guys - I know it is hard to realise you are not a----whatever your job was..............anymore - my husband was a boilermaker - and after four and half months had stopped saying I am a boilermaker - as time goes on you will probably find yourselves staying in one place longer and longer - our friends have been on the road for about 4 years - and they rushed places to start with - now they sit in one place for months at a time - anyway enjoy - both of you -

jules47 wrote:

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Good to hear all is going well for you guys - I know it is hard to realise you are not a----whatever your job was..............anymore - my husband was a boilermaker - and after four and half months had stopped saying I am a boilermaker - as time goes on you will probably find yourselves staying in one place longer and longer - our friends have been on the road for about 4 years - and they rushed places to start with - now they sit in one place for months at a time - anyway enjoy - both of you -

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My trade is a deisel fitter and I have been saying to all I HAVE NO TOOLS so any thing else will be fine but they all want to place me in a postion of my trade. Something will come up
cheers
blaze

I must be strange- I like working on my old hilux, and I am or used to be a boilerbasher.Here,s a good one. ITS AN ADD a friend wrote for me-Bill the boilermaker want work- old boilers fixed for nothing!I would dearly love to just travel, but can,t afford it yet.........Just think what it would cost to fix a new tug- you don,t feel so bad.I get about 3 months a year off, so its not too bad.

bill12 wrote:

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I must be strange- I like working on my old hilux, and I am or used to be a boilerbasher.Here,s a good one. ITS AN ADD a friend wrote for me-Bill the boilermaker want work- old boilers fixed for nothing!I would dearly love to just travel, but can,t afford it yet.........Just think what it would cost to fix a new tug- you don,t feel so bad.I get about 3 months a year off, so its not too bad.

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Dont mind too much working on my old disco and have enough tools to probable do a clutch but CP's dont like you dropping the oil on the grass so its probable easier to pay someone else to do it. Have always travelled with this amount of tools as I do a fair bit of remote travel and if I can help it I dont intend on paying $10000 to recovered from somewhere like the Simpson Desert.
cheers
blaze
ps
for the last 5 years I worked 9 months a year and 4 x 6 hr days, that was great

Nice one guys, it is hard to slow down isn't it.

Pete has been retired for three months now, and we still are going at 100mph, what with two new grandchildren from one end of the country to the other, but hopefully we will get to 'relax' when we get on board the Spirit of Tasmania around June/July!!