Maintenance, Repairs, Tips , Guides & Lessons, Toyota Coaster, Van Life, Van/Bus Build

How I Found a Hidden Water Leak in My Toyota Coaster (And Why You Should Never Ignore One)

Water leaks in a camper or bus conversion are one of those problems that seem small… right up until they aren’t. In my case, it started with a wet floor mat. Then I found a mushroom. That’s generally nature’s polite way of saying, “You’ve been ignoring this for a while.” What I hoped would be a quick afternoon fixing a tiny leak quickly turned into … Continue reading How I Found a Hidden Water Leak in My Toyota Coaster (And Why You Should Never Ignore One)

helenwheels99June 7, 2026July 28, 2026Leave a comment

Toyota Coaster, Van Life, Vanlife Australia

What’s It Really Like Living in a Toyota Coaster? The Good, The Bad… and Another Leak

Living in a converted bus isn’t all sunsets, coffee with a view and perfectly organised cupboards. Some days it is. Other days you discover a puddle where there definitely shouldn’t be one. After months of renovating my old Toyota Coaster, I finally reached the point where I could stop constantly building and actually start living in it. Or so I thought. Instead, I found another … Continue reading What’s It Really Like Living in a Toyota Coaster? The Good, The Bad… and Another Leak

helenwheels99May 31, 2026July 9, 2026Leave a comment

Van Life, Van/Bus Build, Vanlife Australia

A Day in the Life of Van Life Chaos: Leaks, Destruction and Distilling

Some days in van life are calm and peaceful. This was not one of those days. This was one of those days where everything leaks, breaks, or escalates… and you just have to roll with it. 🎥 Prefer to watch instead? It Started Like a Normal Day… You know the kind.A few jobs to tick off, nothing too dramatic. But van life has a way … Continue reading A Day in the Life of Van Life Chaos: Leaks, Destruction and Distilling

helenwheels99March 30, 2026April 7, 2026Leave a comment

Van Life, Van/Bus Build

I Rebuilt My Bus Bathroom — Mistakes, Wins & What I’d Do Differently

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from this build, it’s this: 👉 The first version is never the final version. And nowhere was that more obvious than the bathroom. 🎥 Prefer to watch instead? The Bathroom Wasn’t Working On paper, it should have been fine. In reality…it just didn’t work. Things were: And those small annoyances?👉 They add up quickly in a tiny space So … Continue reading I Rebuilt My Bus Bathroom — Mistakes, Wins & What I’d Do Differently

helenwheels99March 24, 2026April 7, 20263 Comments

Repairs, Toyota Coaster, Van Life, Van/Bus Build, Vanlife Australia

Bus Bathroom Renovation Complete: I Finally Built a Shower That Works

This feels like a milestone. Because after all the chaos, trial and error… 👉 I finally have a shower that actually works. 🎥 Prefer to watch instead?n If you want to see the full bathroom rebuild (and a very satisfying first shower at the end), you can watch it here: It Took Longer Than Expected (Obviously) What started as a simple improvement turned into: The … Continue reading Bus Bathroom Renovation Complete: I Finally Built a Shower That Works

helenwheels99March 23, 2026April 7, 2026Leave a comment

Toyota Coaster, Travel Stories, Van Life, Van/Bus Build, Vanlife Australia

Bus Bathroom Renovation: When a “Simple Fix” Turns Into a Full Demo

This was supposed to be a small fix. You know… tighten a few things, adjust a couple of bits, move on. Instead, I ended up ripping the entire bathroom apart. 🎥 Prefer to watch instead? If you want to see the chaos unfold (and trust me, there is chaos), you can watch the full video here: It Started With a “Quick Fix” I went in … Continue reading Bus Bathroom Renovation: When a “Simple Fix” Turns Into a Full Demo

helenwheels99March 18, 2026April 7, 2026Leave a comment

Toyota Coaster, Van/Bus Build, Vanlife Australia

My Bus Bathroom Was Completely Wrong… So I Started Ripping It Out

There’s a point where you have to admit something isn’t working. This was that point. 🎥 Prefer to watch instead? It Looked Fine… But It Wasn’t On the surface, the bathroom seemed okay. But actually using it?👉 Completely different story It was: The Decision I had two options: I think you know which one I chose 😅 The First Rip-Out There’s something slightly terrifying about … Continue reading My Bus Bathroom Was Completely Wrong… So I Started Ripping It Out

helenwheels99March 10, 2026April 7, 2026Leave a comment

Toyota Coaster, Van/Bus Build, Vanlife Australia

I Finally Fixed My Solar (And Here’s How It Actually Works)

I Finally Fixed My Solar… And Here’s How It Actually Works This one has been a long time coming. Because for a while there…👉 my solar setup was not doing what it was supposed to do 🎥 Prefer to watch instead?eo The Problem On paper, everything should have worked. In reality: 👉 Not ideal when you’re living off-grid Figuring It Out This wasn’t a quick … Continue reading I Finally Fixed My Solar (And Here’s How It Actually Works)

helenwheels99March 4, 2026April 7, 2026Leave a comment

Van/Bus Build, Vanlife Australia

New Inverter, New Batteries… And Now Everything Actually Works

This is one of those upgrades that changes everything. Because for the first time…👉 my power system actually works the way it’s supposed to 🎥 Prefer to watch instead? The Old Setup Wasn’t Cutting It For a while, I was dealing with: 👉 Not ideal when you rely on it every day The Upgrade So it was time to stop patching things… and fix it … Continue reading New Inverter, New Batteries… And Now Everything Actually Works

helenwheels99March 1, 2026April 7, 2026Leave a comment

Solar, Toyota Coaster, Van/Bus Build, Vanlife Australia

Why My Batteries Keep Going Flat (And The Big Missing Thing)

Why My Batteries Keep Going Flat (And the Big Missing Piece) Few things are more frustrating in van life than this: 👉 waking up to flat batteries And for a while… this kept happening. 🎥 Prefer to watch instead? 🗺️ What This Video Covers The Problem That Wouldn’t Go Away No matter what I did, the issue kept coming back: The Missing Piece The problem … Continue reading Why My Batteries Keep Going Flat (And The Big Missing Thing)

helenwheels99February 11, 2026April 7, 2026Leave a comment

Helen Wheels – Solo Female Van Life Adventures

Lets take a journey together

Category: Van Life