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Home / Travel

Bus Life NZ: End of the road for Kiwi YouTube family with home for sale

NZ Herald
14 Nov, 2018 01:30 AM4 mins to read

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11-metre converted bus seeking new home, four careful owners: The Bus Life NZ Van. Photo / TradeMe.co.nz

11-metre converted bus seeking new home, four careful owners: The Bus Life NZ Van. Photo / TradeMe.co.nz

The road has run out for a family of New Zealand vloggers behind the popular YouTube channel Bus Life NZ.

After a two year journey and 6.5million views, the family have decided to sell their bus and family home on TradeMe before moving on to pastures new.

Following the tumult of the 2011 earthquake, Andy and Amber Cleverley from Christchurch decided they wanted to break free of their old life. One of their most ambitious projects involved an eleven-metre 1987 Volvo B6F.

Together with their two children, Daisy and Jake, they turned the old school bus into an off-grid mobile home.

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They uploaded their first video to what would become their YouTube channel "Bus Life NZ" in 2016, and since then have gone on to make over 200 videos and gain almost 50 thousand subscribers who tuned in to watch their weekly vlogs.

They've travelled the length of both islands on the most scenic roads, from Kaikoura to the very tip of Northland.

However, after two years on the road, the Cleverleys have announced that their epic bus trip has come to an end.

"We knew we didn't want to keep doing the same thing," said Andy.

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"We feel like we've done two years of living in this bus, we've done YouTube for a bit longer than that. All the things we've done and achieved, we've been on the Ben Fogle show, we made a web series [Finding Jeremy] – we were thinking what we can do next year to top this."

"Doing these two years on this bus has absolutely changed us," said Amber, in the video announcing their decision to sell the bus.

"We've got much better relationship … we love hanging out with our kids. It's been absolutely amazing and we feel like ending it on a high."

The bus, which is being sold via a TradeMe listing for $80,000, has been thoroughly road tested.

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It has plenty of homely additions including a log-burner, a mobile internet router, gas range oven cooker, fridge-freezer, solar panels and 970AH batteries running the electrics.

View this post on Instagram

Our new workspace makes our tiny home feel a little less tiny. . . . . #busconversion #skoolieconversion #skoolie #buslife #vanlife #youtuber #digitalnomad #workspace #tinyhomes #tinyhome #tinyhouse #buslifenz #rvlife #rvliving #homeiswhereyouparkit #patreon #newzealand #nz #campervan #motorhome #rv #office #homeoffice #diy #nomad #housebus #vanlifediaries #vanlifeexplorers #alternativeliving

A post shared by Andy Cleverley (@the_cleverley_hillbilly) on Oct 11, 2018 at 5:22pm PDT

The Cleverleys are leaving most of their possessions with the bus, including their paddleboards and electric bikes.

It has clocked up a respectable 640,000km on New Zealand roads, however it has been carefully re-serviced before listing.

View this post on Instagram

As much as I loathe winter, it’s always nice to cozy up beside the wood stove. Oh, and btw...it’s supposed to be autumn!!! #woodstove #buslife #skoolie #busconversion #littlecracker #fire #fireplace #winter #autumn #rvlife #offgrid #offthegrid #homeonwheels #rollinghome #motorhome #vanlife #homeiswhereyouparkit #warmth #heating #cozy #newzealand #woodburning #stove #campfire #camping #campvibes #campeveryday #pinecone

A post shared by Andy Cleverley (@the_cleverley_hillbilly) on Apr 10, 2018 at 10:54pm PDT

Although the couple said it had been emotional, it was an easy decision to sell the bus.

"We never named it," said Andy.

"We've moved heaps but never formed an attachment to the bus. We never really saw this bus as our forever home."

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But what's on the road ahead for the family of travellers? They can't be planning on settling down?

No, they're moving to Australia and starting their adventure anew.

"We're planning to downsize," explains Andy, who looks forward to spending more time outside in the Aussie climate.

"We don't know what kind of vehicle," explains Amber "but it's exciting."

The Cleverley's listing can be viewed on TradeMe at a guide price of $80,000
Bus Life NZ's videos can be seen on their YouTube channel here

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