Well I drive a Citroen Berlingo van, about 5 years old, and white, so everybody assumes I will drive like a lunatic and keeps well clear. It's usually full of tapes, buckets, surveying gear, waterproofs, paper suits, firewood and so on. They're good little vans, will carry half a ton, can cope with most terrain (although obviously not as good off-road as an SUV)and don't swallow up your entire income like a Landy - I know, I once had a diesel Land Rover: never again!
In terms of wages and incomes: hats off to those of you who stick it year in and year out on the digging circuit. I fled the circuit nearly 20 years ago to become (first) an SMR officer, then a County Mounty, which I still do. The money is rubbish for someone who's been a professional for 25 years, but is still much more than you guys out there in the rain and the mud get paid. You should get more, though, not me less
I think the oversupply of workforce is probably the main cause that wages are so low: it's a classic employers market. I don't blame people for wanting to work in archaeology (I wouldn't want to do anything else), but I have no magic answer to the wages dilemma. Anyone remember 'Archaeologists Communicate and Transform' back in the 80s? No answer then, no answer now.
Why do we do this? Because it's good, and it's right, and if we don't, no-one else will.
Vince
The twenty-first century is when everything changes.. and you gotta be ready