- While maintenance of a bus takes a minimal amount of time and money compared to a house it can be difficult to execute. So far we have only had to do preventative maintenance but even then we had to carefully plan when it could be done and have a planned place for the dogs to hang out for the day. I imagine any last minute mechanical problems could be a nightmare requiring a few nights stay at a hotel that allows pets. Thankfully that hasn't happened but I do see the potential for problems in the future.
- Now that the weather has changed we all spend more time inside and the bus seems to have shrunk! Especially at meal times or when I am making the bed. I'm sure this space would be the perfect size if we didn't have two big dogs (or if a certain person would pick up after himself) but now that it's cold outside it feels like just a bit too much togetherness! This might not be an actual problem and I can probably adjust to it but I thought I'd mention it as it could easily be a problem for someone else.
- We haven't had a problem finding public washrooms or places to shower yet and have found several places where we can fill up our water containers. However, we have had a few water related problems and all of them have involved the dogs. Our dogs seem to like skunks and in the summer this wasn't an issue because we could sent them to the lake to rinse off but now that it's cold out it is a little more difficult. I'm sure a hot water on demand system would eliminate this problem but last night I had to rinse off my dog in freezing cold water and today I will have to use the rest of our water sparingly because I'd like to refill at a natural spring out of town tonight rather than refill with town water. Again, not the end of the world or anything but I can foresee a few frustrating incidents ahead.
- When you move into a house there are usually one or two things you might have done differently if you were the one building it but for the most part you are usually happy with what you get. Although I am very proud of what we have designed in the bus after living in it I would like to change almost everything! I'm not complaining, I'm just pointing out the importance of a great design especially in a tiny space. Some of the great ideas we had just don't hold up to the extra wear and tear that is required when it is used all the time. Again, this isn't a deal breaker for us and we are having fun planning out our next bus!
- Finally, and as usual nothing has really gone as planned. We wanted to be adventuring around the country by now. I know you can't compare this to living in a house but when your purpose of moving into a bus is to travel around it is a little disheartening to still be near "home." I don't really mind this it has become an adventure on its own but I really hope the bus doesn't die before we get to travel the continent. In a house this isn't even a thought.
I hope this has given you a good idea of bus life and the differences between living in a traditional house. If you have any questions or comments send me a message and I will do my best to answer them.
