The pair love their colourful life on board (Credits: Penny Djordevic/Cover Images)
Ever thought about ditching the 9-5 and hitting the road?
While you might have fleetingly considered it, one woman made it her reality.
Penny Djordjevic, 49, gave up everything to live on a school bus with her husband Pete and their four dogs.
Now, the trio live a nomadic lifestyle, traveling around Australia and carrying out seasonal work.
Their adventures began eight years ago when, fed up with the daily grind, they ditched their jobs and sold all their possessions. Initially, they lived on a smaller bus, which they affectionately named Billie.
Penny, originally from Queensland, said: ‘We wanted a change so we sold everything including our house, business and furniture.
They’ve made the place their own (Picture: Penny Djordevic/Cover Images)
The couple paid £5,250 for the old school bus (Credits: Penny Djordevic/Cover Images)
‘We bought Billie the bus, a Toyota Coaster and added our own touch with our artwork on the interior.’
After five years of travelling, they bought a 32-plot in Queensland and parked up permanently before upgrading to their current home – a 12-metre school bus which they bought for $10,500 (around £5,250) from Facebook Marketplace.
They then spent around 700 renovating it, using recycled and upcycled materials.
The walls are lined with plywood from shipping containers and they made furniture from second-hand fence panelling.
Penny says there are a few drawbacks to school bus life, including lack of storage and the features of a regular house, such as having no air con during the hot Australian summer.
Penny loves living here (Picture: Penny Djordevic/Cover Images)
Penny and her husband decorated the bus with all recycled materials (Credits: Penny Djordevic/Cover Images)
‘I miss having a normal-sized fridge. We use a camping fridge which does the job nicely but it would be nice to have shelves.’ she says.
‘I also miss having a freezer and a big TV to watch movies on. Watching on our phones or laptops doesn’t have the same effect.’
The worst thing though, she says, is the toilet situation.
‘Going to the loo at night can be a disadvantage because we have an outside toilet and shower. In summer it’s not a problem but in winter when it’s cold, windy and raining we have to make a very quick trip.’
Despite all that, Penny says she wouldn’t change her life.
The pair keep a vibrant home – but Penny misses a full size fridge (Picture: Penny Djordevic/Cover Images)
‘It’s super cosy, easy to maintain and keep clean’ (Picture: Penny Djordevic/Cover Images)
‘We can travel whenever we want and don’t have to worry about costly home repairs, endless gardening or troublesome neighbours.’
The couple also own a food van which they take to local markets and festivals. They carry out farm work so they can support themselves while exploring Australia.
They plan to paint a mural on the outside of the bus and set up an awning to create some extra shade.
‘We love our lifestyle. Bus life is fantastic. It’s super cosy, easy to …read more
Source:: Metro
