USA to Australia VW Bus Travel Series

[HastaAlaska]

Ah ha, you beat me to it. Thanks you for posting it.

Yes we were very lucky to spend that time in “Skinner’s Paradise” he’s a legend for sure!
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Around The World in a VW - Follow the Docuseries
2011 - PRESENT
Hasta Alaska Series - https://kombilife.com/hasta-alaska/
World Overland Series - https://kombilife.com/world-overland-travel-series/
Latest Adventures - https://www.youtube.com/@kombilife

[Xevin]

Notchboy, you and I have given Ben a ton of shit over the years. Mostly do to his poor decisions in regards to his bus and help offered on his bus. However his new travel video stuff is getting pretty good. It went from “Girls Gone Wild”
To a pretty well produced Travel show. I like travel shows that showcase culture of other lands. Dare I say, it actually looks like work
I watched all his latest videos last night. Not bad. Worth a look. I watched a show on Alaska him and Leah did (No bus stuff) and it was quality.
So nice job Ben. Shoot, you might actually have some of us rooting for you not to breakdown But seriously Ben nice job.
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Keep on Busin'

[TomWesty]

Hi Ben,
I’ll bet you’re glad you got schooled on which side of the road to drive on.
Best of luck and I’m glad your skin is getting thicker to the Samba Arseholes. I’m embarrassed by some of my fellow countrymen.
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If you haven't bled on them, you haven't worked on them.
Visit: www.tomcoryell.com and check out my music!

[GenXer]

Even with all the prep, this is going to be so much harder. Traveling from Chili to Alaska had the advantage of always being in and around the lands of VDub fanatics. You have the experience and the prep that you didn’t have but you are going to lose the local support that you received many times along the way. I still think you will make it but this will be a very different journey.

PS. Love the blue. Guessing some interior work is next.

[Zed999]

I feel sorry young people who try this kind of trip in this day and age. 40 years ago one could largely blunder about the middle east and not get into serious trouble and I met many Americans doing exactly this, cursing in Cairo because there was no burger bar etc and these were people who thought of themselves as travellers. I hope you guys are more educated nowadays because back then Yanks abroad were cringeworthy and wouldn't last 5 minutes now. The only Americans I met who blended in were by in large screwed up Vietnam veterans who now couldn't face the reverse culture shock of going home.
I haven't had time to watch your videos yet so take the above as a generalisation, no offense meant! No offense meant to citizens of the USA either, it's not your fault that you're isolated from the rest of the world or that your culture is so kind of new in historical terms.

On a brighter note I have a UK friend who is doing the same trip overland to Australia. She is 5ft 2", buys a cheap Toyota 4WD and off she goes, solo. She never gets into serious scrapes (so far). She's driven UK to Timbuktu solo to donate a 4WD to a womans charity there and loads of stuff like that. What she has in her favour is 40 years of experience starting, like myself, 40 odd years ago. She started when you could make more mistakes and as things have become more tense around the world it's been a gradual journey for her and she's kept pace with the ever changing dangers. I wouldn't dream of driving though say Afghanistan because I got married and lost touch with world events on the ground, but she's done it a few times, "knows the way(s)" and wouldn't hesitate. One thing she would not do is sleep in a vehicle - too dangerous - and she laughs at my T2. She also built a house single handed with two kids under three on site, no outside help or child minding. I hope you get the picture, she's tough!

And having said all of that...most people around the world were ordinary nice people just keeping their heads down, bringing up their families, welcoming strangers blah, blah last time I looked.

Safe travels to you.

[JR_76BayMicro]

I watched most of your last series & will be following this one too , have you guy's watched or have you heard of "Long Way Round" & "Long Way Down" ? , Ewen McGregor and Charley Boorman traveled from England to the USA and from England to South Africa on BMW offroad motorbikes , it may give you some insights . I think you will make it and will be happy to buy you a beer when you reach my town

John Re

Melbourne Australia

[Fish]

Bumfuzzle (on this site) did it their 59 panel.
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Prosit!

.·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·..><((((º>
.·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·..><((((º>

# 303 and #156

Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

[CarlosZ]

I was just messing with you. Study up on the “pet peeves” of the locals (so you know what not to do as well as good gestures) along your route and you’ll be fine. Street smarts is crucial. Safe travels dude!

[GoBigEmma]

[HastaAlaska]

Thanks for the kind words about the videos guys.

We're just doing route planning at the moment, it's a very long and complicated process for a bus, a dog and 2 people from different nationalities. "bad stuff" will likely happen, but we're preparing as best as we can to not mess up the cultural experience as much as possible. As for lack of VW people enroute, you are right of course. This will be the other major challenge of this trip. It's going to be costly getting parts shipped in. Hopefully we don't get ourselves into an impossible situation, only time will tell

I'm back to Kombi restoration by the end of the month. Still lots to do to turn every bolt. If any of you fancy flying in to the UK to lend a hand let me know

A bonus video this week. This kind of vid is never going to do well on YouTube, but i made it for the "airheads" so hopefully you guys will enjoy hanging out with us and Skinner.


Link

_________________
Around The World in a VW - Follow the Docuseries
2011 - PRESENT
Hasta Alaska Series - https://kombilife.com/hasta-alaska/
World Overland Series - https://kombilife.com/world-overland-travel-series/
Latest Adventures - https://www.youtube.com/@kombilife

[Hikelite]

[HastaAlaska]

Episode 6 - Big improvements of the Kombi with the help of Wolfsburg West and Rancho Transaxles

Extremely nice people and we are very fortunate to have these legends getting behind our series.

Hope you enjoy the episode and thanks for watching.


Link

_________________
Around The World in a VW - Follow the Docuseries
2011 - PRESENT
Hasta Alaska Series - https://kombilife.com/hasta-alaska/
World Overland Series - https://kombilife.com/world-overland-travel-series/
Latest Adventures - https://www.youtube.com/@kombilife

[Terriers 2121]

[notchboy]

[Xevin]

[HastaAlaska]

[GenXer]

Ben,
How far behind are we on the videos to what's happening with Kombilife today? Three months? six months? Not asking for any spoilers just curious.


Thanks,
Paul

[HastaAlaska]

I post the video dates in the description box of the video on youtube.

This one was filmed in March 2018. Today I'm still building the bus, hope to have it finished by May 2019.

It all takes a lot of work, so that's why it's behind real time, but the upside is it's a better quality production, which I think is more enjoyable for everyone, and certainly unique.
_________________
Around The World in a VW - Follow the Docuseries
2011 - PRESENT
Hasta Alaska Series - https://kombilife.com/hasta-alaska/
World Overland Series - https://kombilife.com/world-overland-travel-series/
Latest Adventures - https://www.youtube.com/@kombilife

[notchboy]

[wcfvw69]