Hi, we’re Chris and Bec from Salt and Charcoal. We've been travelling Australia since 2020, since then our 4wd setup has transformed from a Nissan Patrol to a 4wd Toyota Coaster Bus!
We share the ups and downs of the van life lifestyle in our Instagram, while teaching others how to use online work to leave their 9-to-5s (in a smart and safe way), to become full-time travellers like us!
Since hitting the road in 2020, our Aussie adventures have evolved from a rugged Nissan Patrol with a rooftop tent—our home for nine unforgettable months—to a fully transformed 1993 4WD Toyota Coaster Bus we call Bunji. Living full-time in Bunji has been a game changer, with a dream setup designed for ultimate comfort and freedom on the road. Dive into our journey below and explore the key upgrades that turned our bus into the perfect mobile home for exploring Australia.
In 2020, we were set to travel the world full-time, funded by our online business. We had sold everything and booked flights to Bali… until the pandemic hit. With international travel off the table, we explored Australia instead, living in our newly purchased Nissan Patrol with a rooftop tent for 9 months, from the humid north to the chilly south.
Falling in love with the lifestyle but needing an upgrade for remote work, we found a 1993 Toyota Coaster on Gumtree. She had everything we needed but required a full renovation. Over nine months, with help from Chriso’s family, we transformed it into our off-grid home on wheels — a challenging but incredibly rewarding project we now share on Instagram, alongside tips for others to leave the 9-to-5 and embrace van life safely.
Our biggest learning is that it takes three times longer than you think it will. And it is a transformative experience of mind, body and soul! No exaggeration.
Working in a small space means you really need to think things through. You need to communicate well with your other half and all trades. Every centimetre is valuable, so putting one thing in means leaving one thing out.
Our best purchase is the Truma Combi D6 diesel hot water and heater system. It runs on diesel, perfect for our bus’s large tanks and off-grid travel.
Compact and lightweight, it saves space while offering multiple functions. And even works in unison with our Truma Underbunk Aircon, and can even be operated via an app, so we return to a warm bus after a day of exploring.
Building our first bus has been a huge learning experience. One thing we’ve realised is that you don’t need as many windows as you think! The windows look great, but they let ALL the Aussie sunlight in, and it also means you have no walls in your house. No matter how good your aircon is, you'll feel that aussie heat coming in your tin can home.
So, design the space carefully. Consider blocking off some windows to make the bus cooler under the Aussie sun - you’ll have to use the aircon a lot less.
One that really stands out is the Gibb River Road. It’s a 660 km road between Derby and Kununurra, in the Kimberleys, Western Australia. It is so underrated. It has the most amazing outback camping, surrounded by incredible gorges, and plenty of freshwater swimming. You do need a 4WD drive to travel it, which is another adventure in itself.
Another favourite is Wharton Beach, in Esperance, Western Australia. This is our favourite beach in ALL of Australia. It has crystal clear blue water, white sands, and you can 4WD onto the beach. The surfing is superb and there are dolphins, too! It’s absolutely stunning.
What sets Caravan RV Camping apart from everyone else is the customer support. They have helped us more times than we can count. For example, when we purchased the Truma Combi D6, we chose the wrong length of ducting. But the team helped us right away and sent the right one in the post with no delays. We could’ve avoided this entirely just by messaging them through their live chat, asking which size would be best for our vehicle.
We also had queries when installing the product, but we reached out and they got back to us almost immediately. They are knowledgeable and attentive, which is rare in online customer service.
With Caravan RV Camping it feels like they genuinely want to help you. That feeling is unmatched! We appreciate it.
