Plans are supposed to be fluid.... aren't they?

Soooooo, the ORIGINAL plan mentioned in my last two posts, I got a fever and Doing this my whole life, was to be patient. To wait a couple more months, keep an eye on van/camper van prices, and when I've withdrawn my 20K Superannuation, THEN buy a van.... I was guestimating around the 15K mark.

Yeah well, I kinda jumped the gun and pulled the trigger on the new van a few months early.

Butt fuck it! She's a bargain at 12.5K and drives like a dream.

In a few days, Great Spirit willing, I'll have my hands on a sweet 2001 Toyota HiAce Commuter Super LWB. High roof, 192000 ks on the clock, auto, compliance plated as a camper, sliding side windows with fly screens, custom black-out curtains, decked out with double bed and HUGE-ASSED sliding drawer (although I'll be stripping it out, remodeling, refitting and utilising what I can). Sure, she's got a few small issues, but nothing not easily fixed. A bit of a rattle in the exhaust, a few scratches down the side,  few small tears in the roof lining.... like I said....nothing huge.

Side View, as she is now

Back view, as she is now

Ideally over the next few months, me and my 10 yr old Jess are going to have bulk quality time together refitting it out. Storage boxes down the sides to cover the wheel wells, a removable slat bed that converts from a bench to a double bed, kitchen/stove storage with sliding drawers, fairy lights all over the ceiling.... it's gonna be soooooo pretty.

"Why re-do what's already done?", I hear you cry? Well, for starters, I didn't do it.... it's not 'MINE'. 

Secondly, with the mattress sitting so high it restricts visibility out the back. 

And thirdly, my design lowers the center of gravity significantly and allows for more headroom and potential light-weight storage up higher.

Kinda something along these lines

And the best part? In a couple of months I'll have ANOTHER 10K to spend on 'catching up' on other things that have fallen by the wayside these last 12-24 months plus get some extra hardware for the van such as a decent stereo, bull bar, maybe a CB radio as well. 

Life, although she's a bitch at times, can be pretty sweet as well.

Stay tuned all you 'Saints and Sinners', this is the pointy edge of the wedge.... the looking glass is coming back into focus.