tumbleweed the extended australia trip

[crabmeat thompson]

Wow Digger. Epic adventure. Takes a brass set of donkeys to take this on.

We travelled from Kingy to tassie, took the long way 'round and stopped everywhere & surfed. So in a small way I can relate to what you're about to do.

Go. For. It.

Keep us all updated, this will be my favourite thread on the interwebs.

[diggerdickson]

will do mate, we will stop at yandina for a bit and probably not really hit the road till late jan or early feb, need to put feet up and work out what is really needed in bus and what is excess luggage so to say. Then the real adventure will begin, thinking of getting go pro for surfboard as well.

[crabmeat thompson]

Unless go Pro want to give him one for free .. in return they get a few stickers on the bus and get some footage.

go pro are flush with money. Worth a try at least

[otway1949]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ob9w9F12 ... re=related

[diggerdickson]

Sorry kids...no food today it all went off in the heat

But dad caught a close out and u can watch via his new go pro

Digger....reality

Its within grasp....reach out

Like he said digger ... he's a prick, but, makes sense ....right?

yer, can be a prick, but a funny one at that, lol. Hate it when he makes sence, lol. Bugger, never thought of that stuff, no go pro for this little duck.......... At least at certian spots, got better things to get at this stage anyways.

Slept in the bus last night and completing repairs on the coolant system today, then off to yandina for some r@r.......... Using a mates computer so updates will now be very rate until things sorted. Thanks for all the help fong and crew, really appreciated................ Once at yandina going to paint the roof in thermosheild, as the bus is quite hot.

[diggerdickson]

off they go....ready or not

digs asked me post some the final photos.

i've given him directions too the very last secret qld point break in central qld

{ i've said too much}

pretty sure he'll settle there for cyclone season....no internet connection up there

i'm sure he'll be back with a update his own one day

bus looks great!!!!

That spot will defiantely remain a secret, and yes, might just camp there for the cyclone season, who knows, no destination in mind though really want to get to kempsey, have half mums side of the family there, aint seen em in 20 years. It seems that all things are pointing towards kempsey at this stage.

[swvic]

Bus is looking more than liveable digger. Hope you all have a great time of it. Keep us posted when you can. The good and the bad. That way, when (if) I ever get around to doing it, I'll know all the pitfalls. Good to have a guinea pig

[diggerdickson]

Been a few days now, my lifestyle has changed dramitically and the differences it has made is really interesting, this journey is now turning into a very interesting social study on my kids.

LIfe in the bus is great, its a bit of a mess inside the bus as we sort out some more on stuff we dont need and chuck stuff out that is not neccessary for survival and living. We dont plan ever to have power though we are hooked up to a power site at the present time, that will change in six weeks as I need power for my cpap machine with sleeping.

Due to fongs genoures donation ( sorry bout the spelling ) of a generator we are pulling it apart and have another generator to use as spares, with this we will get a self contained battery, use the generator during the day to power the battery then run my cpap machine off the battery at night.

The advantages of not having power, its simple, no tv, no lights at night, when its dark, you go to sleep, when its light you get up, so im asleep at 7.30 or 8.00 and up at 4.40. We play board games with the kids then crash as everyone is buggered, dont need to worry ever about daylight savings. Its much healthier, no fights with the kids over tv, no crap influences of the tv anymore on my kids, and no fights at bedtime

During the days we are swimming in the pool at yandina caravan park, cooking snags on the bbq and reading, im spending much more time with my children and much more time with my missus. Noahs anxiety issues and lessened dramitically, I cant believe it Just yesterday for the first time in his life he went off out of our sight to play for 2 hours with other kids, just unbeliveable the differences it has made.

Im much more relaxed, we still have a few odds and ends to tidy up our last life but hopefully that will be completed today. Im so happy compared to my last life its like life has just started for me as a dad, im finding time to help tracy more with the house tasks and she is loving it. My insomia has just dissapeared totally.

I have found I am going to need to purchase a gas fridge, as we have lent one to use but have to give it back soon, this is a must becuase we dont want to use electricity at all, no need for it to have a fulfilling life, in fact for our family its a hinderance for us.

We also need to get some special paint for the roof of the bus as we have found during this heatwave that its uncomfortable and its a must also

Not sure how much I will be surfing till we are propably set up as Im not near the coast and intend to sell the car in the next six weeks and then rely on getting to places by foot.

it certainly is a better lifestyle, I feel free and intend to stay that way.

Now to chase up some important stuff with autismn australia

[diggerdickson]

If anyone wants my contact number please message me as im happy to give it out.

[gabsouy]

hey digger , before you go and spend dollars on the special roof paint have you thought about installing 2 or 3 whirly type ventilators, the small marine ones pretty cheap these days - whitworths or whitfields ? ? the marine supplies have a good range wind driven and solar, they give you the airflow cfm ,keeps a healthy airflow and will drop the temp a bit , most of the time cooling is all about airflow.

[alakaboo]

What he said, digger.
Paint will do a little, ventilation is your friend.
Or irrigation water pipes to give you hot water. Be warned, it will be VERY hot.

[Rustt]

I Had a couple of wind up vents in in the roof in my old bus, got them from a caravan spares place and had vents in the floor so all the cool air from underneath got pulled through the bus.

[gabsouy]

the black poly pipe gets hot ...hot enough to scold ! a long length laid out in full summer sun can hit 60 deg very quickly - pretty sure it can harbour bacteria too. edit..< sorry digger went back a few pages, you already have some good size vents in the bus roof...are they what you siliconed up ? or are they still in working order.? and your M.P.G figures ...just over 2 mpg ??? u sure.......? i think 8mpg on average maybe 12 on a windless flat road, a good tip- crossing the nullabor try and wait for a tail wind the rear of that bus is a big sail.......the tail wind really helps.

[diggerdickson]

the black poly pipe gets hot ...hot enough to scold ! a long length laid out in full summer sun can hit 60 deg very quickly - pretty sure it can harbour bacteria too. edit..< sorry digger went back a few pages, you already have some good size vents in the bus roof...are they what you siliconed up ? or are they still in working order.? and your M.P.G figures ...just over 2 mpg ??? u sure.......? i think 8mpg on average maybe 12 on a windless flat road, a good tip- crossing the nullabor try and wait for a tail wind the rear of that bus is a big sail.......the tail wind really helps.

Hey mate, what I've been told its 2 mil, but will put that to test soon I sealed the edges to stop leaks when it rains mate. We have got some alfoil for windows and it made a difference, huge difference. Putting some hooks in side of bus for tarp to make outside covered area early next week. We have good ventilation but I recognize this is a very hot week, will let things settle before next decision on roof, just thinking at moment

[diggerdickson]

What he said, digger.
Paint will do a little, ventilation is your friend.
Or irrigation water pipes to give you hot water. Be warned, it will be VERY hot.

Talked to some bus owners and they have said massive difference But cost is high so I'm not sold, won't let emotion make my decision and will weigh up all thoughts

[crabmeat thompson]

Interesting about the changes and how much more relaxed everyone is Digger. So far, so good, huh?

[diggerdickson]

Yer maye, my stay at yandina was interesting, aftwr mweting some locals there it made me relose how lucky I am and jow hard it is to find rentals, meet a maori lady who came with husband who was tongan and tjere four kids. As soon as they got to australia his parents and church told him to leave his wife cause they werent tongan, I just hate religion, gave her our vacum cleaner, some tables and other stuff to help out. Im a lucky man to be in my position

[crabmeat thompson]

Where are you now, still in yandina?

What's the plan for xmas, Kempsey with the extended family?