Meet Manuka

Long story short – I got my license, my parents bought me an old bomb of a car and then I decided I didn’t want to drive. Fear, anxiety, stubbornness, a challenge I chose to avoid. 8 years with my full license, I avoided driving. 8 years it took for me to finally take the plunge and tackle this step in life.

Fast track - 3 years later and I have my hands on my beautiful Manuka – 2002 Ford Econovan. I’ve spent $3000 + after the initial cost, to fix her up mechanically, which was not planned, just a spanner in the works, no pun intended. When I bought Manuka, she was this beautiful large open space, easy to drive, parallel parking became simple (not sure how, with my driving history) and really, just a blank canvas to become whatever I wanted her to become.

I dreamt of a bed that would fold up into a couch, sliding drawers that carried all the camping essentials, curtains that danced with the breeze, an outdoor shower to wash off the salt and sand and most importantly a few fairy lights and plants to make it feel homily. #vanlife.

Realistically, in the 18 months I’ve owned Manuka, she has been many things other than my dreamt up #vanlife home. I had to move three times and she became the best bloody moving van on the Sunshine Coast (I almost started a moving business – you don’t need no man in a van…you need Manuka and Me). We went through a pandemic and Manuka became a board factory, I kid you not, I was driving her around with at least 10 boards in the back, in and out, in and out, every day, as surfing was the best we could get during lockdown. Everyone relied on Manuka to bring the goods, so we could get out of our homes and into that fresh, salty goodness. Manuka then became the market van, selling my custom frames at the markets every Sunday, she was jammed packed to the brim with my finest art and a whole lot of market equipment. And finally, she did get a taste of the wilderness a few times, I gave her the fairy lights she deserved, a blow-up air mattress and four attempts at homemade curtains, and she became the tent I didn’t have to set up.

Two months ago, I found myself living between two houses and realised Manuka finally did become my home. She was my safe zone, my very own environment, my very own space. She was a little neglected with bags, shoes, flippers, boards, bedding and essentials sprawled out everywhere, but I knew that everything I needed or wanted, Manuka would have it. I knew it was time to give her some love, I asked my dad if he was up to the project and ready was an understatement.  Dad dusted off his tools, he got his iPad out for research and there was no stopping us.

Reflecting on this now, as I sip my beer and watch my dad show me around the new creations of Manuka, I feel content and satisfied. She wasn’t what I expected or planned and that’s ok, because she has given me more than I have ever needed - here’s to the next adventure.