2 minute read
ALL ABOARD
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THE MAGAZINE ŌTAUTAHI LIVES BY ALL ABOARD
Ali Jones Writer, broadcaster, and housebus adventurer @housebusdylan @dylanthehousebus
Now, this could be taken two ways. Summer Rulz! And Summer Rules (defined as principles that describe or prescribe what is possible or allowable). Perhaps it’s my desire for order, but I prefer the latter. That said, it’s difficult this year for us to have ‘Summer Rules’ as they require a degree of surety and planning. As I write this, our gazebo is still deep in a storage container in Hornby. That might sound like a first-world problem, but this piece of camping equipment is a key part of our outdoor summer living; we BBQ, get out of the heat of the bus and give one another some space. Something we usually do every Christmas is hiring a Karaoke machine. Some scoff, but they’re not scoffing after a few wines and checking to see if Love Shack is on the song list. Fortunately, I kept my Karaoke Bluetooth mics with us as I couldn’t risk losing track of these little gems. I charge them every day, so they are ready to go at a moment’s notice. An important part of getting Christmas sorted is organising the food. I thought we might try a food bag type delivery this year, but the issue with this in a house bus is the size of the fridge, which is like a minibar. It’s actually bigger inside than it looks (we have nicknamed it ‘The Tardis’), but it sure as hell isn’t going to fit food for four people. So now the ‘Summer Rules’ are going completely out the window. I can’t really plan Christmas Day; the changeover of winter to summer stuff is being thwarted by belongings lost deep in the bowels of shipping containers (yes, that includes clearly marked ‘summer clothes’), and don’t get me started on where I am going to put the tree and decorations – if we ever find them. Rob made a rather rude suggestion about where the tree could go when I raised this with him recently. In view of the challenges of ‘Summer Rules’ this year, I’ve decided to go with Summer Rulz! instead and just chill in the shade of a tree, and be very grateful for what we have. Nadolig Llawen, Meri Kirihimete, Merry Christmas.
Ali Jones, her husband Rob, and their 8-year-old greyhound Billy are living in a fully self-sufficient 10.5m Hino Blue Ribbon house bus called Dylan while their house is being rebuilt following a failed EQC repair.
