I've spent a week in this venerable old lady. And she is very comfy and well fitted out.
I've decided on two major expenditures - first to have gas struts fixed which will cost roughly $400 and secondly to have a new poptop skirt which i had a discounted quote for $900. Both quotes are very reasonable and while not absolutely essential will make life easier.
With regards to the poptop skirt, I geared myself up to a major cleaning job, an act of total trauma for me, and spotted a couple of very tiny holes and also some damage to one of the zips. The obvious answer was do not clean. just replace the whole kit and caboodle.
While the poptop skirt would easily last several years with a bit of patching, seeing I am working and have the funds to replace it, why not do it now as it is 30 years old. And one year from now I will be totally broke.
Anyway i am very happy with my purchase. I got the van from a wonderful couple in their 80's and they looked after it really well and their happy vibes are in here too.
I lie in the bed and look to the other end and think what a massive huge amount of space there is. When the crazy hoon dogs join me and take the other bed probably the space will not be too diminished.
I am currently in Karrinyup Waters CP and there are lots and lots of vans. Mine stands out. I heard a group of people passing saying look at that one - there's a classic. I reckon the white, yellow and green look fantastic.
There's lots of storage and also I'm kitting the ute out with a canopy and extra solar/12v system thanks to the brilliant advice of Mr Blaze.
Come March me and the Grand Madame will be hitting the road indefinitely.
Another long post and apologies but geeze I am excited.
Well now i've heard everything, what some people will do to get out of a bit of cleaning, HaHa, it all sounds like it is coming together and I can feel your excitement building Elle, now all we need are some pics........
Just had a couple of wonderful meals with Ellen, we barbaqued a couple of times and my better half cooked the other. Could have spent many an hour talking to Ellen, thanks for your company. The van is a nice tidy van and by the time Ellen leaves for adventures and destinations unknown it will be a very homely place to retire to. Enjoy your next week up in the pilbara (be a tough job having to head up there to earn a dollar) Cheers blaze
Sounds great Elle, the changes your are going to do will make things a lot easier all round I'm sure. I am gearing up rapidly for my 6 week adventure In April and getting very itchy feet already. Have fun out there, hope we meet on the road sometime.
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Live Life On Your Terms
DOUGChief One Feather (Losing feathers with age)
TUG.......2014 Holden LT Colorado Twin Cab Ute with Canopy
DEN....... 2014 "Chief" Arrow CV (with some changes)
So great to hear your new lifestyle is working out. You're an inspiration to me. (Sorry I haven't chatted to you for a while - been busy with getting my life sorted so I can move on to grey nomading) Cheers - Sue
Hey all thanks for your interest. Sue I hope things are falling into place for you. Pauline I will go to huge lengths to avoid cleaning - it is an unnatural activity for a woman and damaging to the psyche. Then again I do intend to take everything out of the van and polish up every nook and cranny before I hit the road.... once all of the electrical work etc has been done.
Names for the van... Peter, maybe Ms Snazzy has a ring to it.
Dougwe I would love to meet up with you. I have a vague plan to go to Townsville in March next year.
It's really great that now some actual timelines and travel plans ae starting to come together. I think I will leave Denmark in April, take a slow trip up north as far as Broome or a little further, and back again for roughly 4 months, go back down south and head over the Nullabor via Esperance and spend some time in South Australia. After that it starts to feel too structured to plan anymore. But I do have a really good mate in Townsville who I have to see out of the wet season so there's time enough to think about that later on.
Hi Elle. Plans are for breaking. You will find that after a while on the road you will leave the days planning till after your brecky. Get that out the road then decide IF you will move and then that is decided the next is WHEN 1 hour 3 hours and then the biggy WHICH WAY.
Never go past a good site when you are full time as it may take years to get back and then you might forget, OOOHHH NO, grey nomads don't forget do we?
Often around the fire someone will tell you about a great sight or attraction just BACK a little bit (don't worry all the good ones will be in the direction you just came from) so if interested go back and check it out. At least you know a good site if you need to return after the day as you are sitting in it.
Get out there and enjoy as we have a beautiful country and we are the lucky ones as we may be the last generation that will have the opportunity to see it as we can. Between the greenies and the CP lobby it is not going to last long.
Great news that you are happy with you accommodation as it helps a lot. I changed buses as I wanted just that bit more and I decided I wanted to use the money and not the kids. I consider I now have a MOTOR HOME not a motor refuge. The difference is I can now live the same on the road as I did in a house without the scenery restrictions.
Hope to meet you on the road somewhere, though I tend to stick to the east coast and have no interest in the centre etc.
Regards Brian
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11 Mtr house Boat based at Mannum hoping to travel up the Murray as far as I can get then drift back again
