Kalgoorlie isn’t a town—it’s a crucible. A cauldron of heat, dust, and chaos that forges either resilience or madness. Life here is heating up in every possible way. Most days are pushing into the 30s, and this week, the thermometer might break 40. The kind of weather that makes you question your life choices but also demands another ice-cold beer.
Will’s landed a gig at Bunnings—one of those sprawling temples of hardware and hope where dreams are built aisle by aisle. It’s steady work, which suits us, but the ever-changing roster is the stuff of nightmares. Starting tomorrow, he’s on the 6 a.m. shift, meaning I’ll be up at 5 to play chauffeur. Drive him to work, double back to the caravan to sort Wally for doggy daycare, then off to my own gig at the motorcycle shop.
It’s a schedule that reads like a poorly planned military operation, each task more inconvenient than the last. This art of juggling work, a dog, and a van in a town that feels like the set of Mad Max is enough to drive anyone to the edge. But what choice do you have? You grit your teeth, curse the gods, and push through.
Christmas this year will be a muted affair. Will’s roster grants him a single day off, so it’ll be an orphan’s Christmas in the heart of Kalgoorlie. No tree, no family, no fanfare—just the two of us, our mutt Wally, and a few quiet beers under the unrelenting sun.
Today, though, is Sunday—my one sacred day off. The plan is simple: park myself in the van, crack open a cold one, and drown out the looming dread of the workweek with YouTube and the faint hum of the fan.
Life on the road isn’t all sunsets and freedom. Sometimes, it’s just survival—finding joy in the small things and learning to endure the heat, the chaos, and the constant grind. But as I sit here with an ice-cold beer in hand, sweat on my brow, and the whole afternoon stretching ahead, I can’t help but think: it’s not a bad way to live. Not bad at all.
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Thanks for rolling by! If this post fueled your van life or travel dreams, hit the like button, share it with your fellow wanderers, or shout a coffee to keep the wheels turning and the journey going! - Adam, Will and Wally.