Van Life Build: Epic Final Day Rush to Hit the Road!

Welcome back to episode 19 of our van life conversion journey! Can you believe we're already on episode 19?

Time has absolutely flown by, but don't let those hyperlapses fool you - each episode represents 2-3 days of solid work condensed into just 10 minutes of footage. Some of those seven-hour work sessions you see zipping by in seconds took everything we had!

Today marks our FINAL full day at this house sit, and we're under serious pressure to get critical work done before we have to leave tomorrow morning.
We've got just six weeks to complete this entire van conversion, and the clock is ticking louder than ever. Tomorrow we're heading out for a photo shoot (which we'll definitely be taking you along for!), so today is absolutely make-or-break time.

We're tackling some essential structural work today, starting with filling those annoying gaps around the drawer mechanism on both sides. These spaces need to become functional storage on the passenger side and house our electrical components on the driver's side - no wasted space in van life! We'll also be installing our brilliant IKEA bed base solution that cost us about 200 bucks. This metal frame with bamboo slats is perfect for airflow under the mattress, which is absolutely crucial for moisture management in van conversions.

Speaking of moisture, we learned so much from the van life community about preventing condensation issues, especially around sleeping areas. The fridge and solar setup underneath will actually provide some welcome warmth during those cold nights - though one of us sleeps under two duvets with a heater on while the other is constantly overheating!

We're also covering the roof insulation with plastic today to prevent anymore insulation bits falling on us during the final build phases. It's those little quality-of-life improvements that make all the difference when you're working in cramped quarters on a 15-degree incline driveway!

The location has been absolutely perfect for this build - Bunnings is literally two minutes away, Coles down the road, and we even discovered Uncle Dan's liquor store where we met some fantastic local gin distillers. We're already planning to feature them in a future episode about craft gin making!

Looking ahead, we're incredibly excited about our plans for next year. Instead of spending another winter in Queensland, we're planning an epic journey north through the heart of Australia. We'll be hitting Uluru, Kings Canyon, Devil's Marbles, and making our way to Darwin by mid-May to early June. Having lived in Darwin before, we can't wait to share more of that incredible region with you and catch up with old friends.

The van is really starting to come together now, and seeing it take shape after just two months of work feels incredible. Some people take two years for their conversions, but our house sit deadline has kept us moving at lightning pace. Every day brings new challenges and solutions, and we're documenting it all for you to follow along with our journey from empty van to mobile home.

Timestamps
0:00 Van Life Build: Epic Final Day Rush to Hit the Road!
0:55 The Illusion of Hyperlapse
1:54 Our Last Day on the House Sit
3:03 The Only Dan Worth Seeing - The Other One Not So Much
3:52 What We Need to do on Our Last Day
4:38 Why We went for an Ikea Bed Base
5:50 Future Plans for The Top End
9:13 "Turn The Wheel (Dil Se Namaaz)" by Anahata Source
12:06 "Mirror In The Flame" by Anahata Source
16:01 "Above The Line" by Anahata Source
16:25 Custom Brackets and Wrapping Up

Special thanks to @AnahataSource for the chilled music!

Previous Episodes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsQqAskealc&list=PLPtLTepoxwRm3LOsGsqaz194hX6QBw8Vk

#vanlife #campervanconversion #hiace

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