On Tour With Jack Vintage
Welcome to On Tour With Jack Vintage, following our trip around Australia in a 1973 VW Camper Van. Over the next few months you will hopefully witness the realisation of one of our ambitions.
Why?
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We fancy taking 6 - 12 months off work
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We're moving to Australia after 10 years together in the UK and Middle East
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If we don't do this trip now before Jack goes to school, Andrew will have to wait until he is 65 before we can do it again!
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We want to see all of Australia
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Have a laugh
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Not have to set the alarm clock
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We are MAD!!!
Please see quotes from family members and close friends below to spur us on!
The Bennett Family
Andrew - Degree Qualified Engineer and former Partner of a large built asset consultancy firm. Current status unemployed and in charge of transport, logistics and cooking on tour.
Karen - Degree in Arts / Commerce (or two degrees as we are informed frequently) and former senior manager in a large London NHS Trust. Current status unemployed and in charge of childcare, map reading and local customs, as the only 'Real Aussie' on the tour.
Jack Vintage - 2 years nursery experience. Current status unemployed and in charge of toy cars, lego and sleeping arrangements.
The tour has been in the planning stage for 10 months. To date the majority of this time was spent going through the Australian visa process to secure Andrew's residency.
Having searched extensively for a suitable VW camper via the internet for 2 months we eventually purchased the van on the 12th November 2014 from
a dealer in Melbourne. There is an unwritten rule in the motor trade world about never buying a second hand vehicle in the dark or rain. We forgot to read that rule as we purchased the van via email correspondence whilst living in Qatar. Both you and us will only find out whether this was a wise decision after the 20th March 2015 when we finally arrive in Australia. Wish us luck!!
The van is not roadworthy, however we do have plates:
JVB 007
No prizes for guessing the inspiration behind the number plate!!
Tour Status as of the 14th February 2015.......
The VW has now had a 1/3 respray as the dent in the rear driver side quarter panel has been repaired. Can't post a picture though as we still have not seen the van!........T minus 12 days until we leave Qatar and head back to the UK.
'I wouldn't put a dog in that campervan'
You'll last 3 weeks
I'll give you 3 days max'
It's going to need a new set of curtains and theres no cutlery tray'
You'll get divorced'