Conversion Planning

I’ve decided to jump to the VW Caddy Maxi LWB conversion plan to my best ability and then stopped having an awesome realisation that if for some reason my Dad decides to leave me alone to get the van and to insure it meaning I will borrow a little more money the plan of converting will not hurt my pocket as bad as I previously thought.

Also I am planning with the most expensive way and moderate so before I put everything into plan, I can go out get the parts I need accordingly by looking for the best price so I know I will always have enough. so the basic plan overall is

• Borrow £7,000  (few hundred more than I need and not to touch it unless it’s an emergency) to purchase the van and insure it.
• I get paid every two weeks which is roughly between £400-£450 depending on hours and time of day (always can do over time)  I throw 125 or more aside with my savings I already have so I can pay off what I borrow every month.
• Conversion Step 1: Buying Insulation, flooring and wall + ceiling. which will roughly cost me £156 give or take. possibly £200.

Step 2: More money aside and increased to pay back whats needed.  I will hook up a leisure battery up that will also charge as  I drive with an on/off connection for lighting and charging my phone and laptop up. (Minimal to start with) i will also buy L.E.D battery lights as a backup or a dimmer light setting.

As step 3 arrives My first month of returning the borrowed money i not far and depending how my constant income goes depends how much I will throw in and this will tell me how fast or slow the third step will be  (There will be an agreed minimum of payment but if I can throw more in I will)

Step three will be the most expensive part on time and possibly money depending on materials and  if I mess up. I will make a bed/sofa/container so I can sleep and store my clothes and other bits as separate sections under the bed  The “kitchen” will be a basic counter with a sunk in sink with a hand pump tap (possibly)  with draws for food, a bin water waste and water.  I will have a camp style gas stove at first but decent enough to cook good real food. (reminder: Carbon Dioxide alarm needed)  So I can use this to eat on, work on and to cook on, the sunk in sink idea is so I can have a cover over if I need some extra room. (may stick with it may not)

A second Camper: I’ve decided if someone else wants to join me and my trips in the camper all  I will need to do is make a second bed, a “extension” which will be a basic piece of wood which then can be placed away out of sight, this might be the divider of the container under the bed.

(Flip up sofa/bed? to enter container?? mock model needed)

Step 4: Add the fun bits in! Bed covers, pillows, cutlery, plates, cups, mugs, whatever I need to live a keep myself occupied.. (maybe a small bookshelf)

The idea is to spend little time inside the camper and more time exploring taking high quality pictures and video clips but any time I need to spend an entire day inside I can without cabin fever.

security: The vehicle will have one anyway however for the backdoor I might buy an extra one so no one can shimmy the back doors open with me inside which I can lock and unlock from the inside. (a little expensive maybe but optional depending how I feel)

Below is the vehicle size of choice.

 

 

 

The Plan to Unlocking my Adventurer achievement

During my childhood, throughout my teenage life and early years of being an adult I have travelled around the world visiting new lands in luxury hotels and a handful of camping spots however I never have seen  an amazing view of the hills  overlooking the green of England,  hiking up the mountain in Europe camping and going further up to see what it is like living in the clouds.  Its a need a desire and a challenge I crave for.

I’m Edward Born  1990 in England and I want to learn more about England but I have a condition if I sit in a history class I fall asleep!!! How Insane! (Yes I am kidding.) I love history but I hate sitting in a classroom and looking at pictures when it is out there for me to see with my own eyes, also  you will never know what else you will discover.

 

The Planning so far

• Funding: Quitting my job whiles I go exploring is not an option, I would love to work a full year and then go out exploring however I do want to work between trips so the idea is I will book off my days off  according when I want to go and work will see my days off as the usual time off  and the further out I go the more time I will need off but I can plan it as my holiday time (holiday pay) and if I have run out of holiday time If wanted to, I could take it as extra time off  that I am able to do.
• Locations: Where will I go, how will I find places I don’t know ?  Thankfully we live in the age of the internet times so it is easier to hear about cool things, magazines, friends and family that has travelled already and getting advice from travel agents and any new people I meet during my travels.
• Transportation and sleeping I have a full car driving licence so I will be driving to places most of the time, I enjoy driving long miles seeing new sights along the way, but first I need to replace my car I currently drive a Ford Focus, It is slowly falling apart and starting it is like flipping the coin, if heads it starts if tales the car won’t, I can’t have this if I decide to go far as…. Scotland so I am looking at new vehicles for the long-term, currently writing this I am looking at Jeeps (I love off road driving.)           Sleeping, I will always travel with a tent and camping gear, looking up camp sites and hotels to stay in, if the worst comes then a night in the vehicle might happen.
• emergency In a case of an emergency I will always have someone knowing where I am and anyone I know If I am traveling near I will contact that person so if my vehicle breaks down for a simple reason and need help I could call, if its a medical thing, I have someone familliar around.
• Travel buddy or solo: Well Both! If someone wants to come then fine they can if able but sometimes i know I will want to travel solo which puts me out there having to talk to the public if I get lost or even wanting to know any good areas than the chance of going to my friend “Look this up” which I feel cheats the idea of traveling

 

There is probably many more points to mention but you’ll get the idea and maybe I will think of more.

 

I want to document my travels to the world, not to show off a “amazing life style” but to share my experience to my friends, family and other people with the same idea, to prove to the world that having a Job that only provides a low income and or just a job that seems to take up most of your life, if you plan and keep to it you will do somthing and this blog and soon vlogs will be a form of motivation to keep going as I love to create things to show other to inspire people in ways others has inspired me.

 

What do I expect?  I have no idea, everything and anything from car break downs and having to fix myself, getting lost, enjoying a moment I lose track of time,  a new life style, making friends, getting mad at times…. the works!