Any Gypsies Out There?

[halltribe]

Hi there - we have just bought ourselves a bus. We need to kit it out yet for us all to fit in . Any ideas, expereinces, tips, etc would be great, and please don't tell me I'm crazy!

[Phteven]

Are you just using it for holidays or are you planning to be on the road until further notice?
How do you deal with education?

[halltribe]

Sorry Brontide for not answering sooner. We have been down in Brisbane for surgery with my oldest DS. The bus...we are going to be living in it while we are down here for the next 3/4 months while DS has to be near hospital for daily appointments. I have a feeling we will be in it indefinitley (more surgery pending). We cannot find cheap accommodation for our large family for such a long period of time or nearish the hospital (we are eligable to stay at hsopital accommodation like Ronald McDonald house but we are too many). A bus is the only way we can really work it but hey it will be an adventure! And our family will be together! That is the best part. I homeschool my kids anyway so that isn't an issue and we are hoping between operations we will travel a bit at least back to our friends in our hometown. We have been living in different temporary accommodation for the past 7 weeks and I am actually looking forward to getting to the bus so I can have a least my own 4 walls around me. I don't have to be so worried about the kids wrecking something of someone elses. My DH is doing a wonderful job of outfitting the bus and it is amazing how much room there is and how each kid has their own personal space. [I] even have a door to my room and my own space!!

I think we will become very close in the next few months!!!!

[Isadora]

halltribe, all I can say is AWESOME! Take me take me!

My parents took us around Aus with a caravan in 1995 & we were on the road for the whole year. It was such an amazing experience. As for schooling, we did none. My parents did start us on distance education but it tied us down a bit, ie we had to tell them where we would be in 2 wks time so we could collect school work. In the end, they decided that we were learning enough just from going around seeing different sights & meeting different people from all walks of life. We all fitted back into the next year of school perfectly, as if we hadnt even missed that year. All the best, your kids will have a ball & its something they will never forget.

[Caramello]

My Aunt told me recently about a family that hooked wireless internet to the bus they were using to tour Australia so that they could educate the kids via Distance education.

Just thinking it might work for for you too particularly if you need to link into the curriculum for your state.

Sorry to hear about your son - hopefully his stay in hospital is a short one.

[halltribe]

Thanks Girls, we are thinking about the interenet thing but we don't really need it for the schooling side just to keep in touch with everybody. The distance Ed school I work thru is really good as long as I am in the Qld once every six months or so for them to sight the work, etc they are happy. I do my own curriculum so thats cool, its just working out that I have all the resourses I need for a 6 month stint and the places to fit them. It is fun so far........