Motorhomes Caravans & Destinations
Get Away Everyday from the
FLYING SOLO
Vince Gardner is well-versed in RV living. He began travelling with his parents from the age of 12 in the family campervan, and then moved out of home and into a caravan at the age of 18. Now 37, Vince lives in a bright yellow 1977 J3 Bedford bus that he bought in 2005.
As a pilot, Vince travels around the country to wherever his career takes him, from flying skydivers over Fox Glacier to following whales around Kaikōura. “I love the freedom to move, to follow my flying career around. I’ve had 15 flying jobs in 18 years, none of which pay a lot, so motorhome living makes my lifestyle affordable with low wages by keeping costs down.”
Vince says his old school bus can move at a fair clip, taking around 10 seconds to reach 90km/ hr. “It was hard working driving up hills and long distances with the old worn-out engine. So I installed a big 2008 Chev turbo-diesel V8 and a six-speed transmission.”
The bus is pretty comfy over winter too, thanks to a potbelly fire, sheep wool insulation batts and heavy curtains. “The fire is a godsend in the deep south. The ambiance and romance of having a fire just can’t be beat by a diesel heater. And the wood-fired marshmallows are divine!”
Although Vince has no desire to go back to living in a house, he admits the one thing he does miss is having long hot showers.
“But not having to do lawns and housework, or pay the rent and power bills makes up for that!”