Wandering Footsteps: Wandering the World One Step at a Time » A travel journal following a family on their overland trip around the world.

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  • Welcome to Wandering Footsteps, the travel journal of a nomadic family on an overland trip around the world. With thirty years of travel experience, a round-the-world trip already under our belt, a newly-converted bus, and a new baby in tow, this journey is bound to be interesting! Join us in our global wanderings - we've saved an extra seat just for you!

    - Brittany, Bruno, and Phoenix

Posted in North America,The AmericasTags:

For the past six weeks, Bruno and I have been living and breathing this bus conversion project. It’s so easy to focus on all that we still have to do (which, admittedly, is a lot). But sifting through photos and writing this post has been surprisingly refreshing for me.  It has allowed me to see all that we have already accomplished, which is – if I do say so myself- a rather lot! 

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  • Nikos & Georgia - From the bottom of our heart: GOOD LUCK & SOON BACK2TRACK!!! This project is amazing and you guys work your asses to get things done. Well done!!ReplyCancel

  • Leslie Brown - We are admiring your progress. This will definitely be the best bus on the Baja…
    Leonie and LesReplyCancel

    • Brittany Caumette - Thank you, LL! We are still a fair ways away from being a great bus, but we have the vision and the motivation! Thank you for your encouragement! 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Auntie Freya - You guys are amazing. I’m so enjoying the reading of your progress and very impressed with all you have done. Can’t wait for the next installment. Love FreyaReplyCancel

    • Brittany Caumette - Thank you, Auntie Freya! It’s so nice to know that our loved ones are following our journey! Helps keep us motivated! Hope to have progress to report again soon! 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Elizabeth S - Wow! I am truly amazed at how much you’ve already achieved in so little actual construction time. How encouraging! Thanks so much for sharing photos to show us each step. You make a great team and if there was ever any doubt (and, of course there wasn’t), Bruno is a keeper!ReplyCancel

    • Brittany Caumette - Bruno is indeed amazing! What I can’t believe is that all these jack-of-all-trade skills are self-taught! He is definitely impressing me every single day..!ReplyCancel

  • Rcs - A very big WOW…you guys make a great team and Bruno is quite amazing. Red Green would be impressed.
    At our end it seems you are making some great progress and will be back on the road soon in Bruno and Brittany’s Big Blue Bus (say that three times fast)…
    Mom and I want a bunkhouse built…free room and board…lol.ReplyCancel

  • Lisa - Wow…very impressive. I would have killed David by now & then I would have ended up in jail.. It’s a good thing that you both get so much pleasure in the actual process of finding the right pieces for this puzzle & even having to improvise when the pieces don’t quite align. David has put together a few pieces of furniture from Ikea. He is consistent with the following: swearing, throwing, claiming that some pieces were missing & in the end the sides or drawers would be installed the wrong way…It would be a couple of years between each project as to not stress him out too much while I would be laughing my head off.
    If your marriage can survive this project it can survive anything.
    Love the pics & the updates….
    Can’t wait to see the finished project!
    Lisa xoReplyCancel

    • Brittany Caumette - Hahaha! Serious LOL! I can completely picture the two of you in this type of situation!

      I can’t say that we’re “enjoying” the process…. but we’re TRYING to! I can’t wait to see the finished project, either… and to hit the road!ReplyCancel

  • Jean Paul Monnin - I had been interested in your adventures from the time you put your Toyota for sale (Craiglist MTL) as I dreamed of buying it…As you know i did not buy it but loved to follow your new project. Bonne chance et bon voyage. JPReplyCancel

    • Brittany Caumette - Wow, it is so wonderful to hear from you, Jean Paul! Thank you for following our journey (and especially saying hello)! We are grateful to get all the encouragement we can during this crazy project…. what were we thinking?!?!?! 🙂ReplyCancel

Posted in North America,The AmericasTags: ,

This month’s Wrap Up will be a little different than previous months because there has been essentially no travel or tourism. Instead, our nomadic overlanding life has taken a backseat to one thing and one thing only – our bus conversion. In this post, I describe our first steps – registration, insurance, maintenance, and shopping!

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  • Auntie Freya - Brittany and Bruno,
    I’m so proud of the headway you are making with “Big Blue”. You’ll soon be on your way to more adventures! I’m off to Egypt on 3/16 with a very special tour (only about 20 people) lead by an archeologist (and past Ministry of Antiquities) and Anwar Sadat’s wife. It should be very interesting. You still owe me an email!
    Love, FreyaReplyCancel

    • Brittany - Thanks for the note, Freya! It’s so encouraging to know our project is being avidly followed by so many… definitely keeps us motivated!

      I SO hope you enjoy your trip to Egypt! Can’t wait to hear about it on your return. Best. 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Louise Jones-Takata - Tough! Keep up the good work. Big Blue lookin’ good.ReplyCancel

    • Brittany Caumette - Thank for the encouragement, Louise! I guess the name of the bus is catching on! 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Leslie Brown - I’m sure I am among many of you readers who admire your hard work to overcome the difficulties of making your blue bus a beautiful new home.Your determination will be your reward. I will look forward to see it someday.
    Love , GrampaReplyCancel

    • Brittany Caumette - Thank you for the kind words, Grampa! I sure do wish I had a handyman such as yourself here right now to help Bruno! Eh well, we’ll manage – things are coming along and I can’t wait to post an update for everyone to see! 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Annette Gaudet - Looking forward to seeing the next pictures ! Good luck ! 😊ReplyCancel

    • Brittany Caumette - Thank you, Annette! It’s nice to know people are watching with interest! If you have Facebook or Instagram, you can see more up-to-date photos of our bus conversion by following/liking our page. Otherwise, my next post will have a ton more photos of our work so far. 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Elizabeth S. - Glad to see things are progressing and you are learning new skills, Brittany!ReplyCancel

    • Brittany Caumette - Yes, despite my best efforts to never learn anything related to vehicle mechanics and construction, I AM learning!ReplyCancel

  • Rcs - Can’t wait til I see the final version of Big Blue.
    You’re becoming quite the bus mechanic!ReplyCancel

    • Brittany Caumette - Thanks, I can’t wait either! 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Brittany - Thank you for visiting our humble little blog and stopping into say hello! We’re happy to know someone will be following along with us during our bus conversion – it’ll help motivate us during the challenging moments!:)ReplyCancel

  • Daniel McDougall - It is great to learn about your bus conversion. I hope it goes well for you and look forward to future posts.ReplyCancel

Posted in North America,The AmericasTags:

After months of searching, Bruno and I have finally purchased the vehicle that will replace our beloved Totoyaya. We’re thrilled to introduce you to our 2001 Freightliner Bus and share the reasons we opted to make this our next home-on-wheels!

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  • Polly Mulligan - I love it!!! Seems like a great choice! XOX. Auntie PollyReplyCancel

    • Brittany - Thank you Auntie Polly! Can’t wait to show it to you face-to-face this summer! 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Leslie Brown - Amazing!! Your going to have all the room you wished for. I thought you would find another ” off road” model but this one will give you lots of room for living more comfortable. Look forward to see the conversion process.. I could use a couple of those beautiful seats for my deck at home.
    Love, GrampaReplyCancel

    • Brittany - We would have loved an off-road model but could not find something that had our size requirements, unfortunately. We’ll see how we like this bus over the coming years, and if we miss a proper off-road vehicle, we’ll look into the Mercedes Vario in Europe again! 🙂

      Can’t wait to show you some of the conversion progress!ReplyCancel

  • RCS - That’s a very good question…I think your choice of vehicle is close to what I was expecting since I knew a bus-type was being searched.
    I like the name Big Blue…sounds ox-like, large powerful and dependable.
    BTW, doors can be cut and windows replaced. Don’t forget a rear ladder to get to the storage area you will need on the roof for bigger outdoor things.
    I like it!ReplyCancel

    • Brittany - Thanks for the tips and positive thinking! I agree – we’re going with “good enough” rather than perfect, even as this conversion gets under way! 🙂ReplyCancel

Posted in Location IndependentTags:

Totoyaya, our 1988 Toyota Land Cruiser BJ75 with a custom camper box is for sale (again!). Read on for the reason she’s back up for sale, her vital statistics, what she’s being sold with, and tons of interior, exterior, chassis, engine and action shots. Currently located in Tucson, Arizona – come and get her!

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  • JIM - Please email to discuss thank you!ReplyCancel

  • adam jaa - hi
    i can pay u $9k for bj75. i can come anytime this week and pay u cash.

    adam.ReplyCancel

    • Brittany - Hi Adam, thanks for the offer. Our price is pretty firm, and we believe our vehicle is well-worth the price. For the moment we are going to pass on your offer, but thanks anyway.ReplyCancel

      • Jason and Sarah - Website is still in the works, we have been searching for an excursion vehicle for a while now. Would love to talk if you have the time. 404 630 4019ReplyCancel

        • Brittany - Hi Jason and Sarah,

          I replied to your comment via email a few days ago but not sure if you received it or not. In any case, our Toyota got sold back in March. Apologies! Best of luck finding something! 🙂

          Brittany and BrunoReplyCancel

Posted in North America,The AmericasTags:

This post carries a whole lot of news. A visit to Vegas, an exciting update on our vehicle search, and a bigtime snag in the sale of our beloved Toyota camper van. A really cool Christmas gift, a few quiet moments between a lot of vehicle visits, and a desperate cry (or two) for help from our readers! HELP!!

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  • Nikos & Georgia - CONGRATULATIONS!!!! Good luck with your next project. Wish you all the best & soon back to track 😉ReplyCancel

  • Craig Asher - Hi-

    I came across your ad for the Totoyaya and that led me to your website. I am not interested in the vehicle but I am definitely interested in meeting you guys in person and possibly helping with your conversion.

    I am in NY visiting with family at the moment and am considering heading to Tucson to finish out the Winter and early Spring there.

    I used to live in NY and have a house and construction business here. About five years ago I sold my house and most of my tools and equipment and converted my 2001 Chevy Astro van into a camper and have been living and traveling in it ever since with my three rescue dogs from Mexico. Except for the year I spent in a 1986 Toyota Dolphin mini motorhome with an amazing partner and our SIX rescue dogs! I can definitely relate to your feeling of not having enough space. It is such a fine line that needs to be drawn when living this way, isn’t it? That tricky balance between having enough space and having the maneuverability that you get from a smaller vehicle.

    Sometimes we get to a point in life where the decision gets easier and I could tell from your post that this was something that you basically had to do at this point and I totally get it. I hope to move up to something bigger one day also.

    I have spent most of the past five years traveling between Hood River, Oregon and Southern Baja doing odd jobs and teaching kiteboarding and playing guitar gigs and, of course, rescuing dogs.

    I am excited for you guys and your new project and I know how hard it is to part with a home that you have so many memories in. But I believe that you will fall in love all over again with your new home and make many new memories with it.

    Good luck and I really hope to see you guys soon.

    Cheers,

    CraigReplyCancel

  • Louise Jones-Takata - Congratulations! I like your bus. I do hope that you will keep some of the windows other than the obvious ones. Privacy yes, and light yes, yes! All the luck to you and Bruno with your renovation and finding a buyer. for Totoyaya!

    Vegas is a trip. I always have a good time partaking in a different fantasy, the last in October at the Bellagio. We did see the Cirque du Soleil’s Beatle show which was also terrific.ReplyCancel

    • Brittany Caumette - Glad you like our bus! We love the windows (except for the fact that most of them don’t open!! We’re eventually going to have to change a few…) It will be interesting to document and share the conversion process with you all on our blog! 🙂

      Vegas is exactly that – “a trip”. Perfect way of describing it! I don’t feel the need to return, unless it’s to see another fabulous show! 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Les Brown - A beautiful bus , I’m sure you’ll love it. I would love to visit you in Tucson, a great City, but will not be able to get there this year. Congratulations on your find.I wish you both the best of luck with the conversion and sale for your beloved Toyota
    Love and best wishes , GrampaReplyCancel

    • Brittany - Hi Grampa! Thank you so much for reading and sending your lovely warm message! It would have been great to have you come visit us in Arizona – maybe next winter somewhere?!?

      My apologies for being a terrible emailer these days… I think I have a pretty good excuse, though, right?

      Love and best to you and Leonie.ReplyCancel

  • Jan Miller - I love reading about your road adventures! We’ve been in Scottsdale since January 1 and will be here til Feb 28. We rent a condo (from a Belgian couple) in the shadow of Camelback Mountain. While here you should try to see the Musical Instrument Museum (called MIM), the Western Spirit Museum, The Heard Museum, and the Botanic Garden. In Tucson drive through Saguaro Natl Park–all great places to see. I hope Totoyaya finds a good home and that the conversion goes well.
    Bonne chance!
    Jan 🐸ReplyCancel

    • Brittany - Oh my goodness, Jan, I just read this!! I wish I had seen it last week – we were still in Phoenix! It would have been amazing to share a coffee and a few stories! We are now in Tucson until mid-March working on our bus conversion. If you happen to come down this way at all in the next month, please do let me know! I would LOVE to see you!
      Best wishes, and hope you’re enjoying this unseasonably warm weather! Thank you for the travel tips! 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Alain - Congrats on your new camper! What an adventure. We’ll probably see you on the road somewhere next year. Happy remodeling and bon voyage to the 2 of you.ReplyCancel

    • Brittany - Thanks very much! Sure you don’t want to put off your own traveling and come help us build our home? Hahah! Just kidding (sort of!).ReplyCancel