How is covid affecting your exploring
never die wondering 
I have to severely change my lifestyle and live on a very strict budget. Like super strict. I usually spend less than $150 a week. That covers my fuel, storage costs back in Melbourne, ice, some food, gas bottle refills, showers and phone/internet. I access charities for most of my food. Because I'm an NZ citizen and a permanent resident, I don't get government handouts here, despite paying taxes for over 10 years and being a PR.
I'm adapting to the van life. It's different for sure. I really miss having access to running water, hot water that does not take a stove to make it warm, and space. I went from living in a share house to living in a van. I had my own room and bathroom. Now I have a small van, and had to sell almost all of my furniture at a loss apart from some sentimental things that have been put in storage. There's a little storage in the van for clothing, my laptop, some chef's tools and a uniform from my last job which they let me keep, bedding, cookware, a 2 burner stove, gas bottle, sink, portable toilet, a small TV which I brought second hand after I sold my old big screen TV, a fold up chair, toiletries and towel. There's not much else because I don't have much room.
My daily routine includes waking up when the sun comes up, shining through windows despite me cutting up some window heat shields to fit the windows. Light always gets in. Cold does too. I have some blankets and bedding and wear a beanie, but it is still cold. If I'm camping, which I usually am, I'll heat up some water to shave, usually recycling water from my hot water bottle. I generally have a flannel wash and a shave, dry off, get dressed. I have to change underwear daily because otherwise I get a bit on the nose. I read the news, check jobs, check Facebook, check here, read and send emails, usually job applications. I'll eat breakfast while doing that. After the sun has been up a bit it is usually warm enough for a walk. Generally I'll walk down to the beach or river, depending on where I am camped. There's a few regular spots I'll go.
There's a few of us around, campers, not Kiwis. There's not really a Kiwi community in Australia, oh there is, but we're essentially Aussies so we don't have that sort of enclave mentality some people have. Another couple of friends from work have come up here as well. We usually camp together and find a bit of safety in numbers.
Because we have Victorian plates on our vans we do find we get stopped a lot. Five times already since I started this and I've not been up here that long. The police do get it though. They ask where we live and when I explained I live in the van and why the first time the local copper actually told me of some nice spots I can camp for free. The third time it was the same cop and he was checking how we were doing at one of the free camping areas. He told us he'd seen us there for more than the 3 days allowed but he wasn't concerned, but the council might be. The council said normally they'd move us on, but the council worker said as long as we were tidy and quiet he didn't have the heart to move us along.
Every week we drive up the coast to a food bank to get food. That is what keeps me going. It is a godsend. Without that my entire budget would be blown out on food. It's basics, it's rejects, it's often random, but boy it keeps us alive.
I get down from time to time, but I also count my blessings. Seriously, I am lucky. I've seen people here camping in the bush, camping in cars, living in tents. I've seen teenagers who had to give up their studies because their universities are just so disorganized and they can't run some classes because it's hands on work. I've seen a lot of migrants far worse off than me. I at least have savings and am getting my spending down low. I've also got 250 watts of solar power and a good battery so I can run lights, recharge my laptop and phone and my battery has still been recharged even on cloudy days. I would kill for a microwave or fridge. I only have a chilli bin at the moment. That's an Esky to you Aussies. Keeping food cold is costing me about $10 a week for ice. I'm usually recharging friends phones because most of them don't have solar. I had to jumpstart a few cars too.
So after a walk I check for jobs again, write a few applications, check email and then have lunch. The afternoon is usually spent on walking or on the beach. I've tried fishing. No luck there. I usually watch self help and educational youtube videos on things like car servicing and how solar power works so I can manage things if they go wrong. I've got a kindle on my iPad so I read or listen to books as well.
Dinner depends on what we have to cook. I try go to sleep when the sun goes down, or no later than 9. Sometimes we get annoying visitors in the campground because it is free, but usually a polite "Hey, do you mind keeping the noise down" works. Sometimes not. The noise drives me insane. Not the bush noise, because that's usually quiet, but people noises! Yeah, and idiot campers who shine their torches into my windows. Some of them don't have a clue. Until you don't have brick walls around you, you take them for granted. They keep heat in, noise out and the outsides out.
I have enough savings for maybe 6 and a half months if I can keep my spending down, if nothing goes wrong, and if the van runs okay. The registration is due in December. I've already put money aside for that.
As for exploring, I do a little of that. Not much because I don't have the fuel, and there's nothing much to explore here. Actually, there's no abandos, no drains, nothing really. I explore the bush and that's it. I have found some cool spots to camp and nice beaches, some national parks, river spots and rest stops. I can't really move around much.
So yeah, Covid has affected my hobby and life a lot. A lot. I'll be glad when things return to the way they were and I can get a job. At least my boss has given me a super reference for new work.
Your first tip is asking for locations wont get any replies. Urban exploration. Not urban tourism. - Echo
ps, regarding ur fridge situation, maybe you've already looked into it but incase u didn't, u can get a small portable fridge the size of a small chest esky for round $800? maybe cheaper 2nd hand n can always on sell it later, DYOR
something like the one in the link
https://www.bcf.com.au/p/dometic-cff45- ... 60885.html
Your first tip is asking for locations wont get any replies. Urban exploration. Not urban tourism. - Echo
Your first tip is asking for locations wont get any replies. Urban exploration. Not urban tourism. - Echo
Cant get centerlink, jobkeeper/seeker mate? Heading back to NZ as opposed to (hopefully not) killing yourself?JustAKiwiInOz wrote: ↑17 Feb 2021, 4:34 pmSituation is getting real s***. No job, no income, no money, no hope. Time for that last great adventure.
Nahh, I'm a pussy. I couldn't kill myself if I tried.
I got a little work, got some money for fuel and hooked into a couple of food banks. So I'm surviving. I'm not eligible for centerlink, or so they keep telling me. Can't get back to NZ because I can't swim that far and airfares are beyond my reach. I read about some guy who paddled there in a fancy canoe once. Might be worth a try.
I had a funny incident the other day. I was parked in a quiet side street away from houses, just doing my own thing. This bloke walks up and asks what I am doing there. So I figure, well screw it, I couldn't be bothered lying, or getting smart at him. So I say I'm living in my van and just parking there because it's closest to the food bank, and let him know he didn't need to worry about me because I wouldn't cause trouble and I wasn't a drunk or druggie. He told me he was going to report me to the police, but figured I was okay, and went and got me some cans of food. Best of all, he works at Bunnings and offered to fill my gas bottle for free. That was a huge win because my bottle has been empty for weeks and I had no way of cooking or heating water. Life is miserable if you can't wash yourself with warm water. He told me I could park out the front of his place now and then if I wanted, and as long as I didn't cause problems.
Small wins are still wins.
Your first tip is asking for locations wont get any replies. Urban exploration. Not urban tourism. - Echo