Advice for my journey???

[cobaltcry]

I'm looking for some general suggestions about the plan I'm trying to put into action over the course of the next year. Any info or guidance is much appreciated!

I'm currently studying to become a past-life regressionalist (as well as ashtanga yoga and reiki), and travel around the US offering my services for as close to free as possible. In order to do this, I'm attempting to purchase a diesel vehicle (RV or Bus), and convert it to run WVO. I'm more than fine with it having the bare necessities... as long as I'm mobile, have a couch and recliner, can run a laptop and some basic recording equipment for my sessions... and maybe a little stovetop (though I'm fine with a raw diet and using the woods as my camode) then I'm quite at peace with making this plan move forward. My main goal is to be able to stay in contact with a wide variety of people, and get around without needing many resources. Festivals, Intentional communities, and the companionship of other travelers with intent are my only destinations as of yet.

So the help I am seeking revolves mostly around the means by which I will be escorting my vessel to and fro...

My budget for the entire venture to start off will be between $7k-$10k. So, I was looking for a late 80's to early 90's Diesel Bus or RV. I'm less concerned about it having a bathroom or air conditioning, and more concerned about the initial costs of getting up and running (I'll worry about the rest as I'm moving around).

So:
1. Is anyone familiar with the different types of buses or RVs available? Either a school bus or a metro bus would work. I believe I will need at least a 32' long vessel, if it's an RV, I need the bedroom to be in the back and have windows so I can strip it bare and put the WVO filtering and dewatering equipment in a cage, along with extra drums, and be able to slide the window down to pump veggie oil in and out. Are there certain vehicles that are considerably easy or difficult to convert? Anyone know of any veg-oil communities that might be willing to help me go through the process? I've done the research back and forth, but I'm much more of a 'hands-on' person, and could use some guidance. Possibly a part of the US where I'm most likely to find a vehicle that is more or less rust-free or well maintained (i.e. non-salted roads, dry warm climate areas with high populations). Has anyone done something similar and have suggestions about what they would do, or would have done differently? Tools I might/will need? Even DIY solar panel suggestions are excellent here.

2. I'm seeking campgrounds, stop offs, Intentional communities... places that I am most likely to find groups of 'my kind' year-round. Obviously I'm seeking people that are more into the esoteric/metaphysical/spiritual... but also others into the self-sufficient/low impact lifestyle. I understand that most of these places will be in the west, but I don't want to centralize my energy there, any more than everywhere I can take my wheels. I'm attempting to help indigos/crystals that need help grounding themselves and are seeking some validation that they aren't nearly as crazy as the world around them seems to say they are. So hippie havens and traveler gathering points are of high interest to me.

3. My main concern comes around to the winters. Though this is a long time off from the beginning of my journey, I'm a southern boy, and will be traveling in a vehicle that will not be very winter friendly. So, this is a dual question, revolving around the first two... The RV/Bus may not be very winter friendly with WVO, any suggestions on how to aleviate this? WVO generator suggestions for the winter? Places to 'hole up' and do some cleansing for several months during the cold times? Head south? How far south, lol?

4. I'll be spending the next few months doing as much research as possible while I'm continuing to do my hypnosis and yoga training, as well as building an online presence to be able to communicate with as many people in this range of action as possible. This includes:

Myspace
Facebook
Tribe
Couchsurf
Rideshare websites
WVO Forums

Any other suggestions about sites to make myself known/meet others???

5. I'll be hitting as many festivals as possible that have groups of people focused on the same general intentions... obviously the Rainbow Gathering and Burning Man... Any others that would seem pertinent? If so, where, when, and why?


I'm hoping to eventually have this project turn into a mobile intentional community with a focus on those individuals that are most interested in being of service to others, and desire to be active constituents in the evolution & transmutation of consciousness. But one thing at a time, I'm sure the rest of it will come together as I'm on my journey...


Any and all suggestions are welcome! Thank you, friends...

Namaste
Charles