Fire and Flood – 1 week in
Tuesday, 1st Feb we set off. It was a 3:20 am start (excitement, knowing how much there was to do?) and work through until 1:30 pm when we were packed and ready to go. Our neighbours came and waved us off – which was really nice.
6 hot hours later we were in Denmark at the Oceans Beach caravan park. The photo above is of our neighbours. They were plentiful in the park. Ry, Haids and the kids were already in the Park.
Adam and his partner, Kirsten were already in Denmark too (just for 5 nights). We got to have a family meal to celebrate (early) Adam’s 40th birthday – which was great.
We checked out Greens Pool (which has to be one of the best beaches in WA – if not Australia). Stunning!
Greens Pool
We had lots of grandie time and then coffee catch up with Ad & K before we both left Denmark. R & H left Denmark the day before us. Marley asked if we were going the same day, I said the day after. He said “Oh! I’ll miss you”. So cute.
We heard lots of police cars and fire engines that were heading to a fire just west of Denmark. Then it was a short drive to Albany for a couple of nights for us – it was stinking hot! Hottest day of the summer at 42c. We did manage to get some fishing in where both Marley and Nyah caught their first ever fish. Marley (especially) was so excited (although there is trepidation in his face from being near the herring).
Is that one magnificent tree on the banks of the river in Denmark, two trees or two trees that have become one? I’m sure that there is a message in that.
Around 2 1/2 hour drive to Bremer Bay – again stinking hot. We are surfing the hot weather! It was 38c in our Tank as we drove here – the air con does not work well. All of a sudden, as we got to Bremer, there was a cool change and it went from 43c (their hottest day, again) to around 25c – whew!
And flood? A large area in the north of South Australia is flooded. We are heading to SA, but will avoid the flood hit areas. The floods have stopped some of the food supplies from coming across the Nullarbor into Western Australia.
Next time, the good, the bad and the ugly of life on the road. Early days, but Tank is holding up well so far.
Bongo’s gone and Tank’s back!
Our son, daughter-in-law and 3 grandies headed off in Bongo (name given to the caravan by our eldest grandson) on their around Australia trip – for 11 months.
We got Tank back on Friday after it had been at the mechanic’s for three weeks (he did a good job with the brakes). Tomorrow Tank goes to the auto electrician and we are due to set off on our around Australia trip on Tuesday! Yeah! I love it when a plan comes together. 😉
This last week both Jeannie & I have been tested for Covid (both negative, thankfully). We also had the two eldest grandies staying with us since last Tuesday. Then Ryan & Haidee and our youngest grandie (almost 3 months old) with us since Wednesday. It was delightful having them all stay with us – even if it was a bit chaotic sometimes. And a bit hectic. But fun.
We head to Denmark on Tuesday, where we meet up with Ryan, Haidee and grandies and our middle son, Adam and his partner, Kirsten. The Travelling Gomezs hit the road.
What! No Tank?
Tank has been conspicuous by its absence these last 2 weeks. It is at the mechanics. We are due to leave in a weeks time, for around 6 months. Yes, 6 months. After the mechanic, Tank needs to go to the auto electrician. This is going to go down to the wire! It is a real test of just where we put our hope and trust. And learning to not totally stress out in the meantime.
Why is Tank at the mechanics? I was hoping that you wouldn’t ask. It is because of a dodgy (prior) mechanic – whom I will never use again. The knocking noise started around 10 km from home, on our way back from Busselton in December. The knocking was prominent above 3000 revs and felt like it was something to do with the transmission, maybe the universal joints. The noise was particularly bad going up hills. I took it to the mechanic (a good one) who had a test drive and gave me a few suggestions as to what it might be – one of the suggestions was maybe the gearbox was going ($3,000 and a month to fix – I hoped not!). He didn’t have time to look at it properly before January. When I did take it back to him to have a good look at it, he tried a number of things. He just couldn’t find the problem after a week and a half (he was busy with a lot of other buses, trucks and coasters too). We were praying that he would find the problem and that it would not be a big deal to fix.
The mechanic had a eureka moment and found that it was the air filter that had come loose and was rattling around! The previous mechanic (let’s call him grandpa, so as not to shame him too much 😉) had changed the air filter a few months earlier. It was a 2 minute job – done badly the first time. It was a 2 minute job to fix (thank you Lord!). In the meantime, looking for the rattle, the mechanic found that the rear brakes were not working properly and is now in the process of fixing them. Am very glad he found that before we hit the road. Am very disappointed that the previous service (different mechanic again – not grandpa), 6 months earlier did not find the brakes problem.
Best case scenario, we will have Tank for about 1/2 day to finalise a few things in it, pack up and go! Worst case… well, let’s not go there now. There is faith and hope in the waiting.
If you want to follow our travels (estimate, post once every week or two) please click Follow.
Travelling Gomezs 