Publicado: 08.07.2023
What's going on here? Nothing is happening here anymore. Maybe I just lacked the travel air for writing. Maybe I just had other things on my mind, maybe I didn't feel like it, and honestly, what can I say about my stopover in Germany. It was nice!
Guys, we have been in constant motion the last few months. To be more precise, we traveled around the globe once. Doesn't that sound crazy? Yes, it's crazy. You have to realize that. We have experienced so much, seen a lot, and felt a lot. And yet time passes so quickly that I can hardly believe it. 5 months go by so fast and yet they were the best 5 months of my life so far.
The last 3 weeks we spent at home with our families. It's nice to be able to hug people you like. It's nice to be back in the familiar, to be able to drive on familiar streets. To be able to talk to people you know, it's just nice to be back here. And yet I miss the distance, the unknown, and the sea air. And I realize that you don't have to arrive to feel at home. Or that home doesn't necessarily have to be a place.
In the last 3 weeks, I had time to process everything that happened in the last months. Sometimes you are so caught up in traveling that you forget to process or that there is no time to process because the next thing is already waiting for you.
In any case, we had an amazing trip. A time that I will always look back on with pleasure and can say to myself, 'I did it and it was damn awesome!'
I am really happy to tell you today that we started the second part of our journey exactly today. So guys, here we go again! I hope you're with us again!
So we get in Bob, our camper, and just drive off. I can hardly believe that we are going on another adventure, into the distance, into the unknown. And all of this for an indefinite period of time. But guys, I'm so excited!
Our adventure is not over yet!
By the way, let me introduce you to Bob directly.
Bob is 12 years old, comes from the Ford Transit family, and used to serve as a transportation for stoves.
Since December 2019, he has been in our hands and no longer has to carry heavy stoves, but he has to master long distances together with us.
In early 2020, we started converting Bob into a camper. We had the goal of turning him into a camper. And just look at him for yourself. The result is pretty impressive, right?
But you can't imagine how much time, sweat, love, and even despair we invested into it. Not to mention that we also put some money into it. But all of this was worth it, because it has already brought us a lot of joy. I would like to give a big shoutout to my dear David for this, because he did an amazing job! Since he is the technically gifted one among us, he put a lot of work into Bob. He did everything himself, whether it was the bed, the brakes, or the electrical system. David is simply a jack of all trades and can be really proud of himself. So the bus is a true handmade van.
At first, the conversion was exhausting for both of us, as there were still many other things to do that had nothing to do with the conversion itself. For example, a huge rust hole had to be straightened out first. After further repairs and some cleaning, we were finally able to get started. First, the whole bus was insulated, from head to toe. Mostly with self-adhesive Armaflex. Let me tell you, guys, I can't stand this material anymore. It really pushed me to my limits. A job that seemed endless at the beginning and also felt endless for a long time. When I cut and stuck the last piece into place, I could have screamed with joy. After that, we had a glass of wine as a reward. Well, maybe we had a few in between, after all, you have to motivate yourself somehow. Unfortunately, it is the case that the technically inept person has to take on the tedious work. No, everything is fine. I'm glad that David took care of the rest, otherwise, a lot more would have gone wrong. Me, installing a skylight in the car? Forget it.
In any case, we were able to check off the insulation, the floor was already in, so we could focus on the wall and ceiling cladding. After that, we worked on the interior and the electronics. Bob consists of an extendable bed, which can also be converted into a sofa. When the bed is pushed together, there are two seating areas with a table, and there is storage space underneath. There is also storage space under the bed, and there is a shelf and a kitchen with everything you need. Our wardrobe is above the kitchen.
We supply ourselves with our own solar system. With it, we have enough power for light and a cooler box. We can also charge our electronic devices and wash our hands under running water.
A few additional gadgets make camping with Bob even more enjoyable. For example, he has a awning, a fold-out board with wind protection for cooking, and a few other small things.
I can only say that it really looks fantastic! Our Bob has become a true gem. One huge advantage is that we can stand up in Bob. We often longed for that in the camper in New Zealand! We also longed to travel in our own camper, without having to be back on day A. Just drive off whenever you feel like it and come back whenever you feel like it. Drift, feel life, be able to allow yourself freedoms, and discover the beautiful world.
So there it is, in front of us. Our baby. We get in and drive off. Bob, you are our home.