Hiace Hobo 2.0 | Bodywork repairs

Amazing news today.. My van will be ready to collect by friday! The repairs are all but finished and its looking really good. These pics were sent through to me today...

Mitsubishi L200 4WD Overland Expedition Camper | Demountable Camper Body

While I'm washed up here, waiting to get back on the road again, hopefully soon, what better thing to post about than another interesting camper conversion project. I'm always interested in different ways to set up a camper for travel and living. So, here's another amazing 4WD warrior for you.

Hiace Camper bodywork repair pictures | Update on work in Portugal

Hi folks,

I got these photos of my van sent through from the mechanic today. I'm still waiting for the repairs to be completed and asked for some photos. It seems that the main bodywork repairs are done - it just needs painting and assembly now. The first picture shows the drivers side door. It was not closing properly after the accident as the hinges were all crushed in and the door was bent. Looks straightened out ok now. It also looks like he's fixing a small area where there was a bit of rust behind the drivers door around the air intake, that was not caused in the crash..

'Summer of (Family) Love' - A Film by Kirsten Dirksen

You may have come across Kirsten Dirksen before on Youtube, especially if you are regularly taking a look at the latest van living videos. Her posts on the 'tiny house movement' often come up alongside them because of the crossover with living in a smaller space, and the ties with simplicity and sustainability. Well her latest feature length documentary is well worth watching. Kirsten and her partner Nicholas Boullosa have filmed their experiences travelling and living in a 1981 VW Westfalia camper van for a summer with their three children. Here's the trailer:

Thoughts on the New Year..

2014 is here.. I've had several conversations over the holidays about how the turn of the year is a time when people start over, really think deeply about their lives, and sometimes make huge personal decisions and actions that will change their future..

In the philosophy of van life, making the decision to live on the road, takes us beyond this once a year 'taking stock' and releases us into a new world where this is almost a perpetual state of being. Life can be reinvented month to month, week to week, and on a trip, day by day..

It's from this perspective that I'll share with you some recent events in my own life that though challenging, lead me into the new year with anticipation, optimism and a new appreciation of my chosen lifestyle..


You may wonder why the blog has been relatively quiet, yet I'm in a new world, with many beautiful things to experience & camping spots to enjoy. Well, quite some time ago this happened:

Iain McKell - 'The New Gypsies' photography

While we are all spending time upgrading and preparing our camper vans for the next trip, there are some who have decided to abandon their motorised homes on wheels for a much more old fashioned or you might say 'traditional' way of living on the road.

A while ago I posted about new age travellers in the 90's and shared a video of an old 'World in Action' documentary about their lifestyle, and the conflicts taking place between travellers, local residents, and the police in England at that time.

Well, photographer Iain McKell has been putting together a project on a group of new age travellers, who have made the choice of 'returning' to the horse drawn gypsy caravan as their dwelling place. This smaller group are somehow managing to live in todays world in this old and simple way. Take a look at the photos – I'm sure you'll agree that Iain has captured some of the magic and beauty of that simple way of living.