It was a 5 year plan, but that was almost 7 years ago! During that time we have 'stuck to the programme', both of us keen as ever to get back out on the road. 'Nonny' the bus was sold
and replaced with a vehicle we hope will reliably take us off the beaten track for as long as we want to. The Nissan Patrol ute with a canopy is fitted out for self sufficient bush camping. I initially set it up with a rooftop tent, but that has now gone, & instead we tow a Tvan camper trailer. We believe that our set up will allow us to go 3 to 4 weeks between re-supplying, possibly longer if there are freshwater supplies. So the plan has been slowly coming together as we always knew it would. The farm was sold & we bought a house with a couple of acres where I have pottered along transforming part of a bare paddock into our 'bolt hole'. This is now almost complete & ready to move into. (Then tarting up the house for renting begins). We are on schedule to be 'back out there' & heading somewhere north for the coming winter.
In another thread Dot asked me to show what I've been building. Before adding any pics I should say that I have no background in either building trades or project management & intially expectations were for a very basic & 'rustic' dwelling. However as time passed the dwelling became a little fancier than intially imagined & overall I’m quite pleased with my work, particularly as I needed to learn as I went along. I've done everything myself except for the initial earth moving & shed erection, plastering the walls, & installing the gas (needed a certificate). Electrical install (also certified) was done by my sparkie neighbour with me helping. MrsTea has provided a second pair of hands where needed & the necessary moral support in my more anxious moments.
I'll try to pick a few photos that show the process over time. May need a few posts.
After earthmoving & trench digging the shed construction is underway.
Northern wall. Establishing my workshop was the first priority.
Big empty space (southern wall).
This should fill some of it up. From left - laundry area, bathroom/toilet, kitchen/living room, bedroom. Guests will have to bring their own accomodation or sleep in the Tvan.
Stud frame construction - not connected to the shed frame in any meaningful way.
Started looking a bit more solid when insulation was added. Batts in walls & ceilings. Reflective sarking on outside of frame with a 60mm gap between it & shed wall. This has proven highly successful. Few days ago shed temps were in the mid 40’s, temp in the dwelling never rose above 26 deg.C.
Plaster on the walls made it start to look like a building.
Side entry into laundry, looking up corridor past bathroom to living room
Our future Kitchen
Hope this isn’t too tedious - to be continued in my next post
Hoping to move in bit by bit over the next 2 or 3 weeks.
