Hilda The American School Bus

Important information to note before booking: Hilda is currently a static rental and available for on-site stays only. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer any delivery bookings at this time. Description of Beds: Hilda can comfortably sleep 4 adults. 2 in the standard double master bed in the back master bedroom. The bed is slightly raised, about 3 feet off the floor and accessible by a small step ladder at the front. The thick orthopaedic memory foam mattress is extremely comfortable. The sofas in the living area easily pull out and form a double bed or 2 singles, with the sofas cushions creating the mattress with a soft mattress topper on the top. Hilda can sleep 6 at a maximum if prearranged for larger parties with 3 in each double bed. Description of Seating: She has two layouts of seating areas. The living area has 2 custom-built 3-seater sofas, hugging the log burner with extra storage underneath which can comfortably seat 6 guests. In the storage under the sofa, you will find extra blankets, bedding and board games. The breakfast bar which cohesively adjoins the living area to the kitchen with stylish but aesthetic downlighting provides a cosy dining table with 2, converted tractor-seat bar stools, perfect for those romantic home cooked dinners. Description of Electrical Setup: Hilda has a more than adequate electrical set-up for a full off-grid, stress-free experience. She has both 12V and 240V electrics. Powered by 4x125W solar panels on the roof, with a 100A/H Renogy lithium battery and a 2000W Renogy inverter. She has x6 240V 3 Pin sockets, complete with x2 USB plugs per socket. perfect for charging your phones, laptops, iPads, cameras, drones etc. Please do not use items such as hair dryers, straighteners etc and/ or any items that are high-powered (please ask us if you are not sure before your stay). Using high-powered plug-in items risks permanently damaging the electrical system. Hilda has a 1950s vintage full-size fridge with a small freezer compartment which runs completely off of Solar power, so you can have an ice-cold beer that’s been cooled by the sun's energy. All the bespoke lighting you find around Hilda also runs completely on 12V solar. About the area: Hilda’s home is in rural North Norfolk, in the stunning Bure Valley. stay on-site where she lives in Norfolk, there are countless attractions within the nearby area. The Norfolk Broads, Pensthorpe nature reserve, the stunning Norfolk coastline, and both spectacular north Norfolk heritage steam railways, to name a few or simply relax surrounded by nature back at the bus with a good book. Parking: If you are coming to Norfolk to stay in Hilda you can park onsite, our site has designated parking for guests. More information will be supplied to you within your welcome pack when your booking has been confirmed. If you come by train, Hilda’s owner may be able to pick you up from Norwich station, or any other local station, for a reasonable fee. Cooking Equipment: Hilda has everything you could need to cook up a feast on the Thetford triplex LPG 3 burner hob, grill and oven. She also includes 6 enamel mugs, plates and bowls and cutlery for 6. There is an on-hob gas-safe le Creuset kettle, french press, coffee pot, coffee grinder, 1 chopping board, 1 large frying pan, 1 large, and 1 medium le creuset saucepan set, bread knife, chef’s knife, tin opener, bottle opener, baking tray, grill pan, cheese grater, kitchen scissors, slotted spoons, potato masher, wooden spoons, potato peeler, enamel washing up bowl, washing up liquid and brush/scourer/ dustpan and brush, bin, tea, coffee & hot chocolate and all the spices you could possibly need! Water and Sanitation: There is a 500L fixed water tank located at the back of the bus, under the bed, in the garage area. Accessible by the rear emergency door, and is connected to a fully working hot and cold water system, with Surflow pressure operated pump and pressure tank. The switch for the pump is located in the bedroom. We will supply Hilda with a full water tank for your stay, so there is no need to worry about running out and having the hassle of filling up. Hilda has two sinks, one in the kitchen for washing up and sanitising, and the other in the bathroom for cleaning your teeth. The tap in the bathroom is very stiff as it's a repurposed antique outdoor tap. As a quirky solution, we have supplied a pipe wrench to turn the valve. We do ask not to use the onboard water system as drinking water. Although the system is sanitised, it's better to be safe, as Hilda travels around the country and fills up from different water points. Instead, we will supply guests with 5 large glass bottles of drinking water, feel free to re-fill these once empty at your convenience. Hilda also has a shower and bath complete with instant hot water from an LPG hot water boiler located in the wardrobe. The LPG bottles are located in the rearmost underslung lockers on Hilda’s exterior curbside, we will make sure these are turned on and have an adequate amount of gas for your stay, so you don’t need to worry about running out. If you are coming to Norfolk and staying in Hilda on our site, there will be no toilet supplied on board instead, please use the on-site toilets. If you are hiring Hilda on a delivery-only basis, at a site of your choosing, then you can select our composting toilet for the private luxury feel, plus toiletries as an add-on for an extra fee. Audio Equipment: We have left a good quality Bluetooth speaker in Hilda in case you want to listen to some good music or kick back with a podcast, but please be respectful of the site's quiet hours, if applicable. Type of Heating: You are in for a treat with Hilda’s super cosy 3.5KW Cubic Mini wood stove found in the living area. The bus floor, walls and roof are insulated with 50mm Celotex so the burner heats the whole bus, all year round. Once it's going, just feed, with the provided kindling, in the cubby hole storage under the burner, behind the coffee sack curtain, every half-hour, and you'll enjoy the cosy benefits all evening. Especially with the heat fan on top which will help circulate the heat to all corners of the bus. Extra Information: Hilda has a range of exciting goodies that come as standard and will be included with your booking such as camping chairs, trestle tables, for outdoor dining and a fire pit, complete with a tripod and cooking rack. She will also be available to book with optional extras, that we can provide in the form of add-ons. Please check our add-ons section for what's available upon booking. Conversion Story: Hilda began life in 2009 as an iconic yellow American school bus. She operated on the shores of Lake Ontario, North of New York, on the school run for South Jefferson Central Junior School between 2009 and 2019. During the pandemic, in 2020, I found her in an online inventory and decided to use all my savings to import & rescue her to give her a new life as a ‘skoolie’. Originally scheduled in a 6-month time frame to be my tiny home on wheels while a student at Norwich University of Arts, I embarked on my dream of a solo skoolie conversion. Harriet and I met in January of 2022 and we gained the addition of our cosy north Norfolk cottage doer-upper in the December. Together, with the support of our local community, family & friends, we have been working to hand-convert our beloved school bus into a luxury cabin-inspired off-grid glamping unit with a twist. And now, after three years, she is finally finished, we are so excited to share her with you. We really hope you love and enjoy Hilda as much as we do, and you can make memories with us that you can cherish forever! Extra Information: Feel free to follow the Hilda journey on Instagram @Hildathebus Peace and love Alex & Harriet & HildaTheBus