Projectamber

What’s your Podcast?

This community post came from Kate Lopez here on Patreon after she kindly recommended me to listen to an episode of “Diary of a CEO” she thought I’d like and find helpful.

We had a good chuckle because I love the episode (Stephen Fry) and the podcast as a whole! She then mentioned doing a post for us all to share our favourites and broaden our lists.

I thought that was a great idea, so here were are. I’ll start but I have alot I like so I’ll just do a...

Reunion - BROKEN DOWN: Ep.5

I'd made it to my good friends Ash & Marie's homestead way up in northern Sweden, a solid 4000km away from home base in Portugal. It had been almost 3 years since I last saw these, as we all B-lined it out of the UK after the Covid and the lockdowns horrors, the UK no longer feeling lie home. The only saving grace being Am-Bol_East, our lockdown camp with Jez. Yet after all this time it felt like a day or 2 ago, we caught up, got straight back into our usual antics and...

Arrival - BROKEN DOWN: Ep.4

Feeling rested & recharged, it was time to get back on the road to tie up some loose ends & carry on north to reach our main destination.

But a Mechanical mishap at our secluded park up risks putting a stop to all of that.

YT Version of Ep.3

Hey folks,

Well, it would appear that uploading direct to Patreon has caused some issues for many of you, especially those that stream/cast to TV.

Some of you REALLY weren't happy with it, I've had 2 rage quits & 3 emails/PMs with less than pleasant feedback on the situation, I ask that those people understand that I don't run Patreon and that I am a living human being just trying to entertain you, so if you could speak to me like one that would be great. ...

Rest & Regroup - BROKEN DOWN: Ep.3

Excuse the delay folks, I've spent the past few days wrestling this video out of the editing software. I was playing whack-a-mole with footage going missing replaced by big red screens all throughout, you'd fix one clip & the 2 either side would go, frustration level 10!

So in this episode, after being paid a little visit and having my world knocked I was struggling to get control back, the following day suffered as a result and I missed a junction that put me mi...

Up & Over - BROKEN DOWN: Ep.2

We start plowing on the miles and hit two more border crossings. It was beginning to become tedious with motorways and parking in services, but that was about to change.

Police Lance 👮‍♂️

Or fire & rescue technically. Not that he’s trained or has the attention span for either.

But now he has a go handle and can carry his own s**t bags!

Win Win.

On a less fun note Lance got visiously attacked last week by a Husky who’s POS owner then walked away leaving me to tent to the bloody wounds.

Don’t worry Lance is now fine, very shook up but we were luckily parked next to a nurse so she tended to him and the hole in his neck & ...

Escape - BROKEN DOWN: Ep.1

Ok, here we go. 😰

This series will tell 2 stories, one that you're used to from me, a typical travel vlog, and one very different story.

The entire way I've wanted to delete the "other" half and keep the usual comedic travel video routine. But somewhere within I'm being pushed to go through with the idea.

Things haven't been going so great for me behind the veneer of online presence. I haven't been right for a while now.

I needed an out, a reset....

Update

Hello friends,

I’ve been on a journey this past month, a big one and In many more ways than just the literal.

Im sorry I’ve been a little quiet on here. I could make my excuses and tell you I wanted to experience it all in the present, or that I’ve been catching up with old friends. That each day’s activities have worn me out or the sheer amount of mileage I’ve done and am currently doing again has kept me away from the laptop.

Where as all of t...

Good stuff Inbound

I’ve begun working on the new series following what I’ve been doing the past few weeks. I’ve been on a long journey, It’s a big one and I know you’re going to love it.

Just bare with me, there’s alot to get through abd the beginning of it was lost in the corrupted hard drive fiasco so Im having to think of a new way to kick it off.

Some of you may know already, and those who can’t wait can get a sneaky clue by joining this live tonight 😉

...

34. Wedding on Mars

It's finally here!
We head to a very rainy Cornwall in anticipation for my good friend's Mouse and Melon's wedding, inside the Mediterranean Biome of the Eden Project.

What an incredible setting to tie the knot, and we were treated to views not many people get to see, inside the dome at night.

33. Windowing

3 years ago as part of 'van 1.0' improvements I came up with the idea of fitting an opening kitchen window to the driver's side of the van.
There aren't any ways to look out on that side without squeezing into the cab or out a skylight, neither are graceful, and the windows I do have in the rear are double layered, great for security but can't open.

I had bought a little window a while back after spotting one for a decent price and decided that now, midway on our ...

32. Jumped South

Hello!

Thanks all who joined for the Live stream this eve, it was a good laugh even With the issues.
Right! the video I kept referencing! It uploaded!
So in this on, after a small gap in the story, we start getting ready for this wedding that's been keeping us here! I catch up with the Groom to be to suit up, attend the stag doo, and then we start our slow journey south to Cornwall seeing some sights along the way.

I just wanted a nice photo!

Not in this household when Lance is involved… or Emma… or me either actually. 🤷‍♂️ This is why we don’t do selfies.

Socials Vs. Reality.

Wedding Weekend at Eden.

Hello you lot.

Sorry there was no video this weekend. The wedding that we've been patiently waiting for was Saturday in the Eden Project so there was much going on this week, but man was it an incredible time and a beautiful ceremony! My good friends Mouse and Melon (Luke and Helen) tied the knot in one of the best settings for a wedding I've ever been too. Both the ceremony and reception were held in the Mediterranean dome and it literally felt like we were partyin...

Van head-hole

Don't head-butt your van walls folks, too hard and you'll go through! 😉

31. Stuck at the Stones

After my callipers decided to seize and clamp my brake new brakes I was essentially stuck. But it's not a bad place to brake down, and I had a long list of things to get done, so until the parts to repair the brakes arrive I'd have to keep myself occupied.

Half Safe: The Amphibious Jeep that circled the globe.

In this episode I delve into the fascinating yet largely unknown story of Ben Carlin and his Amphibious creation; Half Safe.

We all have wild dreams that we never expect to come to fruition, crazy schemes that in reality would probably end in tears or get us killed.

Well, Ben Carlin decided to actually put on of his ideas into action, he built an amphibious jeep/camper and literally went around the world in it.

Amber 3.0?

Maybe the next time I can bring myself to pick up the spanners....
A Mercedes L1113 is my absolute dream truck, a little out my reach, but we all need an aim/dream.

Perhaps one day. For now I'll just keep playing with photoshop.

30. Frozen

Following on from Joe (Road__Viking) I head south and hunker down as the temperature drops and everything freezes.
Winter has it's own set of unique challenges when you live in a van.
Let's just say there's a reason part timers winterise in the cold months.

Excuse the rough voice in this one. Last night was my buddy's stag doo, and we went hard. Very much paying for it today.

Magic bus 142: How it ended up in the Alaskan wild without an engine.

[Audio issues now fixed, thanks to everyone for your feedback]

Ever wonder how Alexander Supertramp's Magic Bus ended up in the Alaskan wilderness? Me too, so I found out. The story of how this old 1947 International Harvester K5 made it way out into the wild without an engine is fascinating. In this video we'll talk through Bus 142's history, it's time leading up to, during & after being Mr. Supertramp's humble home & how it is today.

I've actually man...

I knew they would

Ahhh, Youtube.... 🤦🏼‍♂️
Good job it doesn't matter anymore! 👍🏻😂
But man did this shit used to boil my wee.

Hope you're week's going well.

29. Winter Brake

Hello and welcome to the first video of 2023!
Took it's time...

We're still in the UK and biding our time, getting jobs we can done on the vans and prepping for the year ahead. It's been tough at times in the cold, this winter is a doozy! We've had water tanks freeze, pipes burst, heaters/burners on almost non-stop, meaning wood runs into forests for fallen branches, although that has actually been a lovely staple part of the day with Emma and nearby van friends.<...

The wheels are turning!

Things are beginning to come together!

I’ve been quiet the past few weeks as they’ve, frankly, been a fucking nightmare. 😆

With Amber’s MOT looming I got all the brake discs n pads done, just for the 2 front calipers to seize. A week of trying to source parts came and went (screwed around by parts places, usual thing) but eventually got them rebuilt but 2 days later a front wheel bearing collapsed!

In Small heath of Birmingham of all ...

These are a few of Lance’s favourite things

So lance took a SEVERE dislike to his last bed.

It only lasted a month, after his one before that went moldy in “the downpours” of 22, we got him a small foam bed that fitted beautifully into his cave and seemed to be a nice thin bed that gave him more room.

This was wrong.

Before long bits of foam coated the floor, no amount of telling off would stop him, Lance threw a full on diva fit and cancelled this foam bed to nothing.

Fine, fa...

Facelift…. or arselift?

Amber’s arse has looked better…

(Can you imagine the insta-cancel if she was anything but a van!? 😱)

As I make my way around the van, tinkering and tackling the never ending list of maintainance and improvements, I found myself staring at the 4x2M butt and thinking “this just won’t do!”

All of the lights are beginning to fail on the rear now, 1 LED at a time they get dimmer, the portuguese sun has cooked the lenses almost opaque and the ligh...

Touched to the bottom of my toes…. In a nice way.

Hello all,

I’ve been meaning to write this since my last post and reading all your lovely responses to it, but this week’s got away from me.

Good news from the week, Amber now has new brakes all round thanks to Joe of Road__Viking who sorted the rears.

Hi Joe! 👋 (we’re parked next door right now 😆)

This is a message to thank all of you for your understanding and feed back from the “paused” video.

Taking this time has already pa...

Service Paused.

From the date of this post, Everyone's billing has been paused.
You may receive email confirmation from Patreon.
I will be tinkering away getting the new stuff ready and will be back with you as soon as I can.
All the details are in the video.

Thanks for baring with me guys.

Was the Rebuild worth it?

Happy New year everyone!

I hope your festive periods all went spiffingly!

Well it’s all over now, back to work. 😆

A year on from the huge reconstruction of Amber, I sit down to discuss what went right, what went wrong and overall was the bebuild worth all the time, money and stress.

Before heading out and putting Amber through her paces once again on a track she probably should go down, our derelict fire exit.

A little inside b...

Happy New Year!

Cya on the other side you incredible bunch of human beings! 😘

23! 🎉