Flashback #5 – Found the Van! Inglewood Birds, Bow Valley Camp, and the Clean Up Begins Sept 2024

This one’s got a bit of everything: birds, vans, filth, and my usual nonsensical commentary.

We kick things off at the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary in Calgary. Quiet spot. Lots of geese pretending they run the place. Then—finally—I find the van. She’s rough. Smells like wet dog and other unspeakables. But she’s mine.

I take her out to Bow Valley Campground for a shakedown night. Classic mountain backdrop. Cold. Beautiful. Loud neighbours with zero respect for personal space. You know, the usual campground roulette.

Then the real work starts. Cleaning. Sorting. Planning the build. I walk you through the van—inside and out—and ramble like a man who's spent too long alone with his thoughts. Spoiler: I’ve spent too long alone with my thoughts.

This video’s part of the flashback series—because I know watching me walk endlessly across Australia might be pushing it for some of you. These throwbacks fill in the blanks from the past year and give a bit more context to what led me here.

Ways you can help me keep afloat.

📖 Read my novel — Dark Matter: The Order of the Hidden Cross
Kindle: https://www.amazon.com.au/Dark-Matter...
Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Matter-Or...

📚 Get early access to Moloch & 86400
Patreon:   / ianbayly  

🧢 Grab some merch:
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💳 Support my work by buying the book above or sharing the channel with someone who’s into travel, solitude, or messy lives.

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#OneAussiesAdventure #VanLifeCanada #InglewoodBirdSanctuary #BowValleyCampground #SoloTravel #VanConversion #RamblingMan #FlashbackSeries #IndieAuthor #DarkMatterNovel #VanTour #LivingInAVan #LongTermTravel

Hey there, legend. I’m Ian—writer, wanderer, and full-time long-distance walker (aka glorified homeless).

In 2023, life flipped the table on me. I lost my home, my stability, and pretty much everything else. So I made a decision: instead of rotting in a city with no options, I’d walk the entire east coast of Australia—4,500km from the bottom of Victoria to the tip of Cape York. No shortcuts. Just me, a 20kg pack, and the road ahead.

I’ve travelled a fair bit in my time—Canada, the UK, Southeast Asia—but now I find myself back in Australia, dirt broke. Not poor—poor’s a mindset. Just broke. And, if I’m honest, a little broken too. I’ve been living under the weight of suicidal thoughts for decades. Most days I don’t want to die. I just want the universe to either call my number... or get off my back for once. I’m tired. But I’m still walking.

I write dark fiction too. If you’d like to support what I’m doing, the best way isn’t to donate—it’s to read. My novel Dark Matter: The Order of the Hidden Cross is out now.

📖 Buy the Book:
Kindle: https://www.amazon.com.au/Dark-Matter...
Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Matter-Or...

👤 Author Pages:
Amazon: amazon.com/author/ianbayly
Facebook: facebook.com/ianbayly.author
Instagram: instagram.com/ianbayly.author

MERCH NOW AVAILABLE
https://www.bonfire.com/store/one-aus...

🖋 Or join me on Patreon, where I’m releasing draft chapters of my upcoming books Moloch and 86400. New chapters drop every Monday:
  / ianbayly  

☕ If you're someone who insists on helping—thank you. Since I have no fixed address and can only carry so much, gift vouchers are far more useful than physical items. Food and gear help keep this journey going:

Food: Coles, Woolworths, FoodWorks, IGA

Clothing & Camping: Anaconda, Kathmandu, BCF

You can also use:
https://paypal.me/OneAussiesAdventure

📬 Mailbox:
Parcel Locker 1022712567
31 Foamcrest Avenue
NEWPORT NSW 2106
thanks for the generosity!

📍 If you know I’m heading your way and have any odd jobs that need doing—and you reckon I might be useful—I’m open to that too. Every bit helps.

📸 Instagram: instagram.com/OneAussiesAdventure
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After a good chat with a subscriber named Rod, he gave me a challenge I struggle with: just say thank you. No more “nah, I’m all good” lies. Just—thank you.
So to you, right now, I say it:
Thank you.
Thank you for being here. Thank you for sharing your time with me.

And if all you can do is smash that subscribe button because you believe in resilience, stories, and taking the hard road when it’s the only one left. I say a BIG thank you, to you.