Inflatable Canoeing Adventures - Buy this eBook!

Most of us can relate to the fun we had canoeing at summer camp when we were young. But that was nothing compared to the experience of whitewater kayaking that came next for me. I have always loved canoeing, though it always seemed difficult to participate. It has only been in the last decade that the development of inflatable canoes has made a big difference. You can more easily access rivers, you can store a canoe in your car, you can even take them on a plane. They are very light, very cheap, with little loss of functionality. Perfect for weekends away or campervan holidays. Social networking was the other big change. You can now use Facebook, etc to join canoeing adventures in your local region or abroad.

Inflatable Canoeing Adventures eBook - download the table of contents here for this eBook - available for just $US7.95. See my Inflatable Canoeing blog.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

How safe is campervanning?


About 10 years ago I scared the hell out of my friend's girlfriend whilst we were campervanning on a beach north of Newcastle, NSW. This 90-mile beach has some of the most impressive beach sand dunes in the world. In fact many movies are made at this site for this reason. I openly wondered how many buried campers are concealed under these shifting sands given the isolation, the ease of digging, the ease of escape for any offender. I can also imagine that many psychotics might hang out on the beach at night. This is pure speculation because I'm not affiliated with any.

Safety considerations are a concern, though perhaps less of a concern that for campers. Any bad experience is in most cases likely to be a result of bad luck whether than systematic risk. When I reflect on my bad experiences they have arisen because of the following:
1. Exposure: If you are readily seen then there is the potential for people to cause you harm.
2. Isolation: If troublesome people some across a camper in a remote area, they are more likely to cause some injury if they sense that they can escape accountability.
3. Conspicuous: Some people like to attack that which is different. If there are some drunk guys passing a car, that is not special. If they pass a campervan they are going to reflect on it. The only place a campervan does not look conspicuous is in a camper park.

The implications for campervanners are:
1. The less conspicuous the vehicle - the less likely you will have problems. Driving around in a huge campervan attracts attention. A small camper which looks more like a delivery van than a camper will attract no attention because it is perceived as just another vehicle, and people will not expect people to be sleeping in it. In some places there are laws against living in the back of a vehicle. i.e. Public ordinances. Usually local governments and police don't prosecute on the basis of these ordinances until the practice becomes a public nuisance, or results in some grievance. This is why I suggest a smaller, work-type vehicle makes a better campervan.
2. Less isolation: When I was travelling around some people parked their campervans in industrial estates in towns. This makes sense for campervans, but ultimately I want to be located around people, so for a work-type (inconspicuous) vehicle, I am more inclined to stay in the suburbs. I would just park on-street in some quiet street, usually under a street light. In outback Australia some aborigines threw a plastic bottle at a rental I was sleeping in. no damage, but the point is - it was a rental and it could have easily been a glass bottle.
3. Avoid lawless areas: Usually lawlessness arises in low income and indigenous communities, often associated with alcohol. These problems occurs in settled areas, so if you must stay in a 'bad area', make it in a rural area where there is less likely to be people. I was staying in Katherine, NT, Australia. The local aboriginal football team won the competition and were out driving their cars drunk. I tried to sleep, but ended up at a tourist carpark next to a hot spring. It was a lovely place to have a swim the next day.
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Andrew Sheldon www.sheldonthinks.com

Gas guidelines for NZ campervanning

If you are thinking of buying a van or bus in NZ and converting it into a campervan then you might want to read the following rules on the matter. Gas-powering your appliances remains one of the best options for running campervans, particularly for smaller vans, given its high energy density. Other options to consider are:
1. Outsourcing - Using external services, e.g. Showers at your local public or private swimming pool or public beach facilities. Cost: Free, or up to $4.00. Of course you can live hand to mouth, shopping daily at Countdown or New World, so you don't need to refrigerate perishables. NZ is a fairly cool climate anyway.
2. Fuel cells: There is a new gas-fired fuel cell available in the USA which will greatly improve energy use by campervans because fuel cells offer up to 50% electrical efficiency, thus reducing the amount of heat loss.
3. Solar energy can be an attractive solution for larger campervans, though its not the best solution given its seasonal limitations and still low conversion efficiency. These are not such an attractive option, as batteries are also expensive.
4. Mains power: The other source of power is mains supply. This makes sense if you are taking short trips, but for long distance travelling it really does not make a lot of sense. You can use the mains supplies from campervan parks but you will pay a premium for it. This option only makes sense if you are going to stay there anyway, say for the security.

Expect in the next 2 decades some new combustion engines to be developed which will offer greater fuel efficiency. There is a lot of money going into research these days. The US Dept of Energy is throwing money at technology companies to develop new products.
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Andrew Sheldon www.sheldonthinks.com

Japan Foreclosed Property 2011 -2012 - Buy this 4th edition report!

Are you aware that you can buy a house & lot in Japan for as little as $10,000. Surprising but true! Japan is a large market, with a plethora of cheap properties up for auction by the courts. Few other Western nations offer such cheap property so close to major infrastructure. Japan is unique in this respect, and it offers such a different life experience, which also makes it special. Some property is in rural areas subject to depopulation, but there are plenty of properties in the cities too. I bought a dormitory 1hr from Tokyo for just $US30,000.
You can view foreclosed properties listed for as little as $US10,000 in Japan thanks to depopulation and a culture that is geared towards working for the state. I bought foreclosed properties in Japan and now I reveal all in our expanded 200-page report. The information you need to know, strategies to apply, where to get help, and the tools to use. We even help you avoid the tsunami and nuclear risks since I was a geologist/mining finance analyst in a past life. Check out the "feedback" in our blog for stories of success by customers of our previous reports.