australia....part 15 of many......

30.6.08.
7.15AM...TIME TO MOVE...HEADING TO BROOME TODAY.
7.30AM...KETTLE ON.
7.45AM...CUPPA TEA.
8.05AM...SHAVE/SHOWER.
8.40AM...BACON/EGG SANDWICH...ANOTHER CUPPA.
9.10AM...NU WANTS NEW SHOES...SO BEFORE WE DEPART GONNA GO SHOPPING.
9.15AM...TURN VAN KEY...BATTERY DEAD...OUCH!
9.25AM...GUY IN NEXT CARAVAN[JIM]...LENTS US HIS JUMP LEADS AND BATTERY.
9.35AM...VAN ROARS INTO LIVE...BUT SHE DOESN'T SOUND GOOD...AND AFTER I TAKE MY FOOT OF THE ACCELERATER...SHE DIES...OUCH!
9.45AM...START THE VAN AGAIN VIA JIMS BATTERY...TOOK HER FOR A SPIN...BUT SOMETHING ISN'T QUITE RIGHT.
10.05AM...BOOKED ANOTHER NIGHT ON THE CAMPSITE.
10.25AM...WALKED TO SHOPS TO GET NU NEW SHOES/POPPED INTO SUPERMARKET.
11.50AM...BACK WITH VAN ON CASMPSITE.
12.10PM...OZ CHAPPIES ON SITE OFFERING THERE ADVICE...AT TIMES THE VAN SOUNDS OK AND THEN SHE STARTS HAVING BREATHING PROBLEMS.
12.30PM...NU AND I ARE CHEESED OFF.
1.00PM...DAVE A FELLOW CAMPER SAYS HE'LL HAVE A LOOK TOMORROW...HE'S A MECHANIC BY TRADE.
3.00PM...FINISHED NEWSPAPER...FOUND IT HARD TO CONCENTRATE...I'M NOT A HAPPY SOUL...BETTER HAVE A BEER.
6.00PM...ON SITE SAUSAGE SIZZLE...PLUS BUSH POET[SOUNDS PORNOGRAPHIC TO ME!]
8.00PM...SAUSAGE SIZZLE OVER...NOT THE BEST SAUSAGES IN THE WORLD...WE'VE HAD WORSE!...BUSH POETS WERE GOOD...WELL LISTENABLE...I COULD BE A BUSH POET...PORNOGRAPHICALLY SPEAKING!
8.40PM...BACK IN OUR SMALL SPACE.
9.00PM...LYING ON BED...THOUGHTFUL ABOUT VAN...WHERE'S THE NEAREST CLIFF!


1.7.08.
7.00AM...A NEW MONTH...WHAT WILL IT BRING?...NEED A CUPPA.
7.15AM...KETTLE ON.
7.30AM...CUPPA TEA.
8.00AM...WEETABIX/ANOTHER CUPPA.
8.30AM...SHOWER.
9.00AM...DAVE THE MECHANIC ARRIVES TO HOPEFULLY SORT VAN.
9.10AM...STARTED ALRIGHT...BUT COUGHING AND SPLUTTERING LIKE ME WHEN I USED TO SMOKE...BETTER BOOK ANOTHER NIGHT.
9.40AM...DAVE AND TOOLS AT WORK.
10.10AM...I'M OFF TO GET NEW SPARK PLUGS.
11.00AM...DAVE FITTING PLUGS...ADJUSTING POINTS AND DOING SOMETHING TO THE CARBURRETOR.
12.15PM...DAVE ALL DONE...SHE SOUNDS OK.
1.00PM...LEFT NU AT VAN AND WALKED INTO TOWN.
2.10PM...POPPED INTO SECOND HAND SHOP AND AQUIRED A CD PLAYER/RADIO...IT WORKS...JUST HAVE TO TWIDDLE WITH KNOB...18 DOLLARS?...BARGAIN!...POPPED INTO SUPERMARKET...NU NEEDS CITRONELLA OIL FOR KEEPING MOSQUITOES AT BAY...ASKED TWO LADIES TO HELP ME...THEY WERE VERY FORTHRIGHT AND COMMANDEERED A YOUNG MALE ASSISTANT TO HELP THEM TO HELP ME...THEN THEY WERE EXPLAINING WHAT WAS BEST FOR NUALA...I CAN ONLY SAY THEY WERE LIKE MRS BOUQUET OUTA OF KEEP UP APPEARANCES.
3.30PM...BACK WITH NU AT CAMP.
4.20PM...ASKED DAVE AND HIS WIFE LOIS IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO JOIN US FOR A MEAL TONIGHT.
5.30PM...HEADING FOR LOCAL RESTAURANT/PUB.
6.15PM...WAITING FOR OUR SEA-FOOD PLATTERS...WAFFLING WITH OUR DINNER GUESTS.
6.45PM...OH DEAR THIS IS POOR FARE...AND EXPENSIVE!
7.30PM...ENTERED POOL COMPETITION.
8.35PM...NU CHATTING AWAY...SHE'S GETTING ON WELL WITH LOIS.
10.30PM...I WON'T BLOW MY OWN TRUMPET...ITS NOT MY STYLE!...BUT I WON THE COMPETITION PLUS 80 DOLLARS!
11.05PM...BACK AT CAMP.
11.15PM...LOOKING AT THE STARS...HAVING A WHISKEY...NU HAVING A BACARDI...CELEBRATING MY VICTORY.
12.20AM...TIME FOR BED.


2.7.08.
8.10AM...A NEW DAY.
8.20AM...KETTLE ON.
8.35AM...CUPPA TEA.
8.55AM...SHAVE/SHOWER.
9.30AM...BACON OMELLETTE/ANOTHER CUPPA.
10.00AM...BOOKED ANOTHER NIGHT...NO WISH TO DRIVE TODAY...MAYBE HAD TO MUCH WHISKEY LAST NIGHT.
11.00AM...TOOK NU TO THE CHEMIST...STILL IN SEARCH OF CITRONELLA OIL...WHO SHOULD BE THERE?!...THE TWO BUCKET LADIES FROM YESTERDAY...THEY CHATTING TO NU NOW...AND NU IS BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT I WENT THRU YESTERDAY...QUITE AMUSING REALLY...SHE SAYS THEY'D PROBABLY ADOPT ME IF THEY COULD!
12.05PM...BOTTLE SHOP[BOOZE SHOP]...NU NEEDS BEER...BOUGHT A BOTTLE OF BUNDERSBURG RUM AS WELL...IT WAS ON OFFER.
1.00PM...ITS HOT AND I FEEL LANQUID.
1.35PM...NU GONE FOR A SWIM...I'M CHATTING WITH DAVE.
3.00PM...WALKED TO SUPERMARKET...SINCE THE MEAL WE TOOK THEM FOR LAST NIGHT WAS POOR...HAVE DECIDED WE'LL TREAT THEM TO STEAK AND SALAD TONIGHT...AS LONG AS THEY DO THE STEAK ON THE BBQ.
4.00PM...PREPARING SALAD.
4.30PM...SITTING WITH DAVE AND LOIS...DRINKING DAVES HOME MADE VODKA.
4.45PM...LOIS IS DOING BAKED SPUDS IN THE MICROWAVE.
5.00PM...DAVE IS VERY SLOW...HE'S ALWAYS GOT A STORY TO TELL...WISH HE'D JUST GET THE STEAKS ON THE BARBIE...I THINK HE LIKES HIS HOME MADE BREW...I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THE TASTE.
5.50PM...AT LAST I HAVE A TASTY PIECE OF STEAK IN FRONT OF ME.
6.20PM...I'M FULL...STEAK WAS EXCELLENT...BAKED SPUD WENT DOWN WELL...I PUT TO MUCH CELERY IN THE SALAD.
7.30PM...I WISH DAVE WOULD STOP PUTTING HIS HOME MADE TRASH IN MY GLASS.
8.30PM...ITS STILL EARLY...BUT ITS TIME TO RETIRE.


3.7.08.
7.30AM...A SWEATY NIGHT.
7.35AM...KETTLE ON.
7.45AM...CUPPA TEA.
8.00AM...SHAVE/SHOWER.
8.30AM...WETABIX/ANOTHER CUPPA.
9.15AM...READY TO GO.
9.25AM...START VAN UP...NOT SURE?
10.00AM...HEADING OUTA TOWN...BUT NU AND I ARE NOT HAPPY...NIETHER DOES THE VAN SOUND HAPPY...GOT NO OOMPH...TURNING ROUND.
10.20AM...BACK AT CAMPSITE.
10.50AM...EXPLAINING TO DAVE ABOUT VAN.
11.00AM...DAVE AND TOOLS ARE READY...HE RECKONS ITS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE CARBURRETOR.
11.50AM...THE FRONT SIT IS OUT[THE ENGINE IS UNDER IT...SILLY PLACE TO PUT THE ENGINE]...THE HANDBRAKE IS IN BITS...SO IS THE CARBURRETOR.
12.10PM...THE CARBURETTOR WAS NEW WHEN WE HAD HER FITTED IN MOUNT ISA...DAVE SAYS GRAVEL AS SOMEHOW GOT IN...PLUS THE GASKET IS IN THREADS...OH...OUCH!
2.00PM...DAVE PUTTING IT ALL BACK TOGETHER.
2.40PM...TOOK VAN FOR A SPIN...SHE SOUNDS BETTER...AND SHE'S GOT A BIT MORE OOMPH...BUT I'M STILL NOT SURE.
3.30PM...SITTING IN DEEP THOUGHT...I THINK WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO TAKE THE VAN TO THE GARAGE FOR REPAIRS...DECIDE WE'LL FORGET OUR 'PROBLEM' FOR TODAY...LETS HAVE A DRINK.
4.30PM...SALMON/SALAD/SPUD...I WASN'T REALLY HUNGRY...DIDN'T ENJOY.
5.30PM...DOING CROSSWORD IN WOMANS MAGAZINE...IT'S TAKEN MY MIND OFF OTHER THINGS.


4.7.08.
7.30AM...DIDN'T SLEEP WELL.
7.45AM...KETTLE ON.
8.00AM...CUPPA TEA.
8.15AM...SHOWER.
8.40AM...WEETABIX/CUPPA TEA.
9.00AM...HAD A CHAT WITH SEAN AND PAT[CAMP OWNERS]...THEY'VE RECOMMENDED A LOCAL MECHANIC.
10.00AM...AT THE GARAGE...JIM FOLLOWED ME SO HE COULD BRING ME BACK...NU AND I ARE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE MET SO MANY WONDERFUL OZZIES.
10.40AM...BOOKED A ROOM...WELL WITH NO VAN WE HAVE NO WHERE TO SLEEP...SO HAD NO CHOICE...AND PAT AND SEAN WOULDN'T TAKE ANY MONEY FROM US...I WAS SPEECHLESS.
1.00PM...MECHANIC PHONES...HEAD CRACKED/VALVE CRACKED...OUCH...THIS IS HORRIBLE!
2.00PM...JIM TAKES US BACK TO GARAGE...2,000 DOLLARS TO FIX IT!
2.30PM...NU AND I THOUGHT LONG AND HARD...BUT TOLD HIM TO DO WHAT EVER IT TAKES TO PUT THE VAN RIGHT.
3.00PM...BACK ON CAMPSITE IN OUR AIR CON ROOM.
5.00PM...WALKED TO NEWSAGENT...THEY HAVE MY PAPER...THINGS AREN'T SO BAD!
6.00PM...SITTING WITH PAT AND SEAN[CAMP OWNERS]...THEY ARE KEEN TO FEED US...I DON'T KNOW WHY...WE ARE THE MOST UNTHIN PEOPLE AROUND...THAT IS ...WE ARE FAIRLY ROUND...YOU'D THINK WITH ALL THE WORRY OVER THE VAN WE'D LOSE A FEW POUND...BUT NOT NU AND I...THE ONLY POUNDS WE ARE GONNA LOSE ARE OUT OF OUR POCKETS!
6.30PM...THE FOOD WAS OK...SEAN BOUGHT OUT IS SELECTION OF WHISKEYS...SO THINGS AREN'T SO BAD!


UNLUCKY AS WE ARE LUCKY?


BYE FOR NOWZ!