The End of a Chapter
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (342175)
Rockingham, Australia
January 8, 2017 5:42pm CST
I wrote recently about having to fix the window in the new-to-us 4WD car. This was when we got to see what an intact air-bag looks like. After Vince fixed it once, it failed again so we had to buy a part through Ebay. It was surprisingly cheap, Vince was able to replace the part himself and it's all good again. Another problem was trying to reprogram the computerised system but with the help of tutorials on YouTube that has been done now.
Shortly we'll take the vehicle into Donnybrook to have an electric brake controller fitted. This is because we have decided to sell our dear old bus/motor-home and we've purchased a second-hand caravan. The bus is great to live in but hard to park if you just want to pick up a few supplies. And it's not much use for getting off-road and exploring our beaches and bush tracks whereas with the caravan, we'll be able to leave it parked somewhere and go off in the 4WD.
As Vince will be 70 next April, he feels it won't be long and it would be wise to stop driving the bus with its crash gear-box and immense length.
We're advertising the bus today. The other car has already gone to new owners north of Perth as that's all good. I don't usually get attached to vehicles but we've had some great times in the bus, not least of which was fitting it out completely ourselves.
19 people like this
17 responses
@Happy2BeMe (99380)
• Canada
9 Jan 17
It hard sometimes to let go of something that holds so many memories but whoever buys it will make memories of their own.
2 people like this
@Happy2BeMe (99380)
• Canada
9 Jan 17
@JudyEv yes time will tell. I hope you find a buyer and get the price you want for it
2 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
10 Jan 17
that is both understandable and sad!
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
12 Jan 17
@JudyEv I think you will miss it yes, BUT have tons of fun with the new phase of things and the caravan, I wanna see pics!
2 people like this
@JudyEv (342175)
• Rockingham, Australia
13 Jan 17
@Jessicalynnt We are picking it up tomorrow and already planning our first trip.
2 people like this
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
9 Jan 17
I wish I lived near you, I'd love that bus! I want to travel more and take more vacations.. and getting a hotel is so expensive.. and since I'm a family of 6 I usually have to book 2 rooms if everyone comes with. This past summer we were able to tent camp at a few places and that helped to make it cheaper. I've been saying that I would love an RV or something.. that would allow us to travel more and still do it cheaply!
1 person likes this
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
10 Jan 17
@JudyEv Yes I'm sure it's a huge cost saver! I do wish I could afford to get an RV right now, but probably not for a few more years... first we need to work on the house.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (342175)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Jan 17
It is certainly very convenient. Just stopping for a coffee somewhere can be quite expensive particular twice a day for a week but with the bus we just pull up somewhere nice and make our own. That's probably where we save the most money but we also make our own meals.
@JudyEv (342175)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Jan 17
@katsmeow1213 Having said that we could have bought a lot of coffees with what we paid for the bus - but we wouldn't have had the same flexibility.
@BelleStarr (61101)
• United States
9 Jan 17
There is however, a lot to b said for being able to leave the home behind to run around and see things, But I am big on sentiment too, It will be sad but now on to new adventures.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61101)
• United States
10 Jan 17
@JudyEv We had always had that dream but with my hubs getting Parkinson's , we had to readjust our expectations
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (342175)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Jan 17
@BelleStarr We are a bit anxious now to do the things we want to before they become beyond our capabilities.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
9 Jan 17
@JudyEv surprise. I may have seen a photo or two along the way,but it never really registered.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (342175)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Jan 17
@Morleyhunt I should bore you all to tears with a slideshow. 
1 person likes this
Who needs to be practical? I can't believe you haven't seen it before. It's a great bus.
@PainsOnSlate (21852)
• Canada
9 Jan 17
I've wanted and camper for a while but not really, I often thought it would be fun as age makes pitching a tent a chore. But my husband doesn't like camping and I do it with my sister and my children. I drive a car we would have called a station wagon but now its called a mini van. If we needed too we could sleep in it, the back seats can disappear...
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21852)
• Canada
9 Jan 17
@JudyEv you made me look it up, it never crossed my brain what 4WD meant. I think of it as a jeep, and yours is big enough to have a bathroom and sleeping quarters? So the photo is your new ride? I'm confused... and yes we sleep in a tent but in our old age we now have a portable potty that is the size of a hassock, Its made by a camping company. easy to use, a liner (plastic bag) inside with kitty litter so no smells.We still go out to pee at night when when its not raining....
but it saves us a hike in the dark if we have to do more than that...
but it saves us a hike in the dark if we have to do more than that...1 person likes this
@JudyEv (342175)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Jan 17
@PainsOnSlate Sorry - I have completely led you up the garden path. We are replacing the bus/motor-home (pictured) with a 4WD which looks and acts likes a standard car and we'll tow a caravan. We can drop off the caravan in a caravan park and go off exploring in the 4WD.
We have Porta-Pottis here which as very useful but it has a liquid which breaks down the solids. Haven't heard of one with kitty litter stuff.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (342175)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Jan 17
So that's all good. I've read about your camping trips with relish. Vince isn't one for too much 'hardship' (and I know you camp in great style) and now we're older the toilet in particular is very convenient if we need to get up in the middle of the night. We are hoping this new configuration will give us more flexibility - 4WD to get out into slightly more rugged areas but a comfortable place at night.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (137822)
• India
9 Jan 17
Parting with something that was a part of you for so many years is difficult but many a time practicality takes over as in your case.
1 person likes this
@PatZAnthony (14749)
• Charlotte, North Carolina
9 Jan 17
That is a large vehicle! Don't think I have driven something quite that large!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (342175)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Jan 17
It weighs 12 ton and is 40 foot long so it is quite large.
@teamfreak16 (43418)
• Denver, Colorado
9 Jan 17
Sounds like you guys had a lot of fun on that bus!
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40243)
• United States
9 Jan 17
I hope you find a buyer for the bus...sounds like Vince is pretty handy
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40243)
• United States
9 Jan 17
@JudyEv It's a good skill set to have
1 person likes this
@StacyRich (61)
• Jamaica
9 Jan 17
I have never been in anyone of those before. Must be adventurous
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160978)
• United States
8 Jan 17
It is so odd to tuck things away and change our routes and paths. I wish you luck in all of it.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (342175)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Jan 17
Thanks very much. Nothing stays the same for too long.
@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
9 Jan 17
We have let go of so many things that are filled with memories. You can't remove the memories. They stay with us.
1 person likes this
