Meet Ash and Hayden, the couple behind the Instagram account Kunu the Bus. The duo, currently based in Tasmania, are living and traveling throughout Australia full time in their self-converted 1997 Nissan Civilian bus.
Outdoorsy: Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where are you from and where are you going?
Ash: “Hayden is a carpenter who loves to surf and I was in administration before leaving to travel Australia. We are from the Central Coast NSW and are planning on doing a lap of Australia. We are currently in Tasmania and have yet to book a return ticket back to the mainland. We plan on spending a few months here and have family meeting us early in the year.”
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A post shared by A s h & H a y d e n (@kunuthebus) on Nov 10, 2018 at 8:56pm PST
O: How long have you been on the road?
A: “Just over three weeks.”
O: What made Kunu, your 1997 Nissan Civilian, the perfect adventure mobile for you?
A: “When we started saving for a bus/van, we were tossing up between a Toyota Coaster or a Sprinter van when Kunu came up for sale on Facebook—of all places. We had never heard of a Nissan Civilian nor knew anything about them. We took one look at the bus and we knew that we had to have it. After getting a mechanic who specializes in Nissans to take a look, he gave us the all clear and we purchased the bus the next day.”
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A post shared by A s h & H a y d e n (@kunuthebus) on Sep 14, 2018 at 5:06pm PDT
O: How long did it take you to renovate the bus? Did you do it all by yourself?
A: “We took our time and renovated the bus over a 12 month period. We worked on the bus every weekend and, since Hayden is a carpenter, he was able to do all of the work, which saved us money. We watched lots of YouTube videos about the electrical work and I was in charge of painting and decorating.”
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A post shared by A s h & H a y d e n (@kunuthebus) on Dec 25, 2018 at 5:25pm PST
O: You ventured out for shorter trips before taking off on your big trip around Australia. What did those mini trips teach you?
A: “Mainly storage issues that we had. It helped us figure out what was practical and what wasn’t. It also helped us realize what we did and didn’t need.”
O: Do you have certain “van roles”? (For example, one usually drives and one navigates or one cooks and one sets up camp/does dishes.)
A: “Hayden is the driver, however I do take over if he needs a break. Hayden tends to cook while I tidy up the inside of the bus, make the bed, and we both take turns washing up.”
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A post shared by A s h & H a y d e n (@kunuthebus) on Dec 15, 2018 at 4:40pm PST
O: What’s one suggestion you would give other couples thinking about traveling via van/RV?
A: “Stop just thinking about it and do it! This has been the best decision we have made. It’s a lot of work, but the outcome is worth it and we couldn’t be happier.”
O: Do you feel Australia is easy to explore by van?
A: “Yes, we are yet to have any issues accessing places.”
O: If you could revisit one place you’ve already been to, where would you go?
A: “Kangaroo Valley. We both love wombats and this was the first time we were able to see them in the wild. We stayed at a free camp spot called Bendeela Reserve, and were surrounded by hundreds of wombats.”
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A post shared by A s h & H a y d e n (@kunuthebus) on Jan 5, 2019 at 10:15pm PST
O: What are your 5 must have items for van life?
A: “Fridge, stove, comfy bed, water, and someone to share it with.”
O: What’s surprised you most about life on the road? What have you learned about yourself in the process?
A: “How easily we have adjusted to this new lifestyle and we are learning to live more minimally.”
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A post shared by A s h & H a y d e n (@kunuthebus) on Jan 7, 2019 at 11:27pm PST
Rapid Fire Q&A
Favorite record in your van?
“Creedence Clearwater Revival: Greatest Hits.”
Beer or wine?
“Beer”
Sunrise or sunset?
“Sunset”
Dogs or cats?
“Dogs”
Ocean or mountains?
“Both”
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A post shared by A s h & H a y d e n (@kunuthebus) on Jan 3, 2019 at 10:00pm PST
