Where I am at

[Romana-S]

Well this week I had to drop out of uni because I just can not afford to go any more. The bus fare, extra costs of going were too much. I had to work to do some part time work. The problem with that is that because of my learning disability I got behind with my studies. I mean I put a LOT of time in to study, but worry and stress plus the lack of tutors meant I got to the point where I was just not going to pass. So I have dropped out. I'll do the paperwork soon. <br><br>I am somewhat pissed off at uni because I explained very clearly that I had a learning disability and asked for tutors. I'm eligable for a program for extra tutoring but I didn't get my first tutor till week 4 of classes, and my next one didn't come till week 6. By then I was already behind and pretty much stuffed. I realise the person's role it was to organise the tutors was new, but I am very pissed off that due to a total lack of role sharing, no one else took up the slack. <br><br>So, anyway, my car rego has run out so I am using public transport, which in Canberra, Australia's capital city, is pretty crap. Out to the rural sorrounds where I live, it is slightly worse than crap. It is not frequent, and it is expensive.<br><br>Then there is my rent going up. That's the biggest issue. It is going up to $180 a week. So, I get $606 a fortnight. $360 of that will go on rent. About $100 a fortnight on food. $74 a fortnight on bus fares. It leaves $72 a fortnight for bills, clothing, car insurance and registration, fuel, maintainace and everything else. Needless to say, the car was not affordable to drive.<br><br>So, I really have to sell either my camervan or old bus. I am still in two minds about which one. The campervan http://www.vandwellers.org/forsale.html is roadworthy so I could register it and live in it easily. But it would be kind of small. I have lived it in before though and found it cosy. I have been analysing my flat usage habits and have found I mostly sit in my bed, use my desk and occasionaly use the shower, toilet and kitchen. I figure I could live in a small space like this.<br><br>My other choice is to live in my old big bus http://www.vandwellers.org/bigbus/<br>It is now almost fitted out to livable standard. But it is big, has no power steering and well, I've never been a fan of it. It would be large, and comfy and I could move around in it, but I am not sure. The biggest advantages of it though are that it has a fiberglass roof and stainless steel / aluminium body so it will not rust. My small bus has a roof leak somewhere, and is steel so it can rust. The big bus also runs on LPG which is about 88 cents a litre, as compared to $1.54 for Diesel which the smaller bus runs on. Plus the big bus has plentry of room for 9 litre LPG tanks for the hot water and stove. <br><br>I will probably go with the smaller bus, as it is familiar, comfy enough, easy to drive, easy to park. It is like an old friend. The main reson the big bus would be good, is that I could put an extra bunk in it for friends to come travelling in it. The issue with that is that I just don't have many friends, and not many of them are into road trips any more.<br><br>So, I am looking for full time work. I at least have some good skills, experience and qualifications. I have a temp job now that will give me enoug to pay my car or the small bus'es rego. I guess I need to get the guts to sell one of the buses, and soon.<br>

 

[dragonflyinthesky]

So you had so many curve balls thrown at you all at once. Is a fortnight a month?&nbsp; I'm glad you have a bit of a backup plan.&nbsp; <br>Good luck and success in you new life plans, forced though they are.<br>

 

[MrWright]

It's 2 weeks.

Nothing like a vehicl you can actually trust - go with the little bus.

 

[Simran]

For many reasons,some of which you mentioned in your post, I would go with the smaller bus.<br>Good luck; it is decisions like these that only make us stronger.<br><br>gus<br><br>