We left Pejar last Friday for Crookwell where I got a new tyre on the bus.
On Saturday we towed the Leyland with the Denning and a short rigid bar between for about fifteen kilometres over dips, gullies and along bush tracks to where it will sit whilst it being repaired.
Towing that bus was an experience that I will never forget!!!!! My thanks to Alan for steering the old bus. At least I could see where I was going.
This was the first opportunity for us to test our new batteries and solar panels. The whole thing works splendidly.
At this time we also bought a 3kva generator which has already proved its worth in that we don't have to turn everything else off to run the air conditioner.
I can't believe how much better the bus runs with the new turbo. We are probably looking at a 50% increase in fuel economy, and about one and a half gears better in power.
Ordered a flat white at the Gunning Cafe where we were presented with 25% froth, whereupon, Maureen took them back, and when they were remade were exactly the same (don't some people get it!). The coffee beans were burnt too.
We stayed at the truck stop at Gundagai, and when I went to the back of the car the next morning I found that the cylinder head from the Leyland was still. So we had a quick trip back to Bannister to put it in the bus. A round trip of 350 kilometers.
We stopped overnight at Narrandera and tried their bakery where a customer recommended the 'bee sting', they were filled with custard and apple which was sensational, but their choux pastry was stale.
Because of the flat countryside the trip to Silverton was a doddle and we arrived Wednesday lunchtime
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Back at Pejar
This Turbo hangs over my head like a thundercloud! We took "Moonshine" from St Ives to Marulan upon a recommendation about a Detroit mechanic, but after talking to him for a while, the "beware" signs flashed and We travelled on to "Pine Ridge", a beautiful propety 20 km north/west of Goulburn which is managed by my friends and sometimes travelling companions Darryl And Colleen.
There I took the turbo out and took it to Sydney for a reco. It arrived back today and I hope to fit it tomorrow. In the interim I have had the chance to do other stuff to the motor which is allgood
Went to the flicks few days ago and saw 127 hours .................. go see it
Its good to see the dams full and the Hills green again. That claypan that Kim Beasley stood on is now under 30 metres of water - lapping the spillway.
Unfortunately, the bus has eaten up a lot of our time,. so we have to take the most direct route to Broken Hill for although the official date is not until the 28th, we have set a deadline of the 15th March to be in Silverton ( to be ready for the full moon on the 20th)
If we get away by Friday we can still look around Bathurst and Dubbo and a few other places.
We are gettting quite excited at the prospect of the reunion.
I might have to get a job on the way over to pay for the diesel the way prices are going ............or better still, send Maureen out ot work.
Seeyas later
There I took the turbo out and took it to Sydney for a reco. It arrived back today and I hope to fit it tomorrow. In the interim I have had the chance to do other stuff to the motor which is allgood
Went to the flicks few days ago and saw 127 hours .................. go see it
Its good to see the dams full and the Hills green again. That claypan that Kim Beasley stood on is now under 30 metres of water - lapping the spillway.
Unfortunately, the bus has eaten up a lot of our time,. so we have to take the most direct route to Broken Hill for although the official date is not until the 28th, we have set a deadline of the 15th March to be in Silverton ( to be ready for the full moon on the 20th)
If we get away by Friday we can still look around Bathurst and Dubbo and a few other places.
We are gettting quite excited at the prospect of the reunion.
I might have to get a job on the way over to pay for the diesel the way prices are going ............or better still, send Maureen out ot work.
Seeyas later
Monday, February 21, 2011
St Ives
Sorry to be leaving St Ives showground tomorrow morning, an idyllic situation amongst the gum trees ... but all good things must come to an end and and so it's on to Marulan.
thankfully Big al came to my rescue and recommended a repairer to look at "moonshines" engine so hopefully in a few days we will sail through Taralga toward Bathurst
We had the delightful pleasure of Milton and Pam's company while we were here and they were surrounded with all their "pets" and the more bromide they fed them the more they visited them. I must say that we felt very left out and discriminated against that they had all that company and we had none.
Today, in anticipation of of higher temperatures in "the outback", we purchased a 3 kw generator to run the air connditioner
thankfully Big al came to my rescue and recommended a repairer to look at "moonshines" engine so hopefully in a few days we will sail through Taralga toward Bathurst
We had the delightful pleasure of Milton and Pam's company while we were here and they were surrounded with all their "pets" and the more bromide they fed them the more they visited them. I must say that we felt very left out and discriminated against that they had all that company and we had none.
Today, in anticipation of of higher temperatures in "the outback", we purchased a 3 kw generator to run the air connditioner
Thursday, February 17, 2011
St Ives
Its a cloudy Friday morning and yesterday I started dismantling the turbo from the motor but when I saw that the oil was coming from the manifold and not the turbo, it knocked the stuffing out of me as we had spent so much time and money fixing and examining the motor at LBJ tours. Looks like a broken ring on the left cylinder bank I guess it comes down to the old addage..."pay peanuts and you get monkeys"
We are at St Ives showground, just north of Sydney and I was surprised just how close to the city it is.
The showground is a huge complex with about 5 or 6 arenas for all different activities . It is all tree covered and camping is very spread out. They have just finshed filming a segment of "Rescue Special Ops" here which will go to air in about 16 weeks. It has to do with a van park that has been hit a cyclone and birth of a baby by a woman trapped under an overturned caravan. ( And yes, they used a real baby)
Think we will stay until early next weekafter both Queen Elizabeth II and queen Mary II have been and gone... must have a look at them.
After that it's probably off to Richmond and then Bathurst
Both Maureen and I have recieved just about 100% clearance from our doctors, and have been declared fit.
We are at St Ives showground, just north of Sydney and I was surprised just how close to the city it is.
The showground is a huge complex with about 5 or 6 arenas for all different activities . It is all tree covered and camping is very spread out. They have just finshed filming a segment of "Rescue Special Ops" here which will go to air in about 16 weeks. It has to do with a van park that has been hit a cyclone and birth of a baby by a woman trapped under an overturned caravan. ( And yes, they used a real baby)
Think we will stay until early next weekafter both Queen Elizabeth II and queen Mary II have been and gone... must have a look at them.
After that it's probably off to Richmond and then Bathurst
Both Maureen and I have recieved just about 100% clearance from our doctors, and have been declared fit.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Still More Bellambi
Wednesday night finds us at youngest sons' place for the night while Maureen undertakes a sleep test.
Last night we had dinner at the Hellanic club with Jim & Glenda & Alan & Dawn. Tuesday night is a pasta or lamb shanks night. I think we embarrassed the others when we both refused to drive home. Eventually a compromise was reached by Alan and Dawn delivering us safely out of the tenticles of the law .
No.1 daughter came to the rescue to retrieve the car this morning.
We moved the bus to a slightly safer location (we hope) while we are away tonight and I am loathe to return to the boatramp due to the degredation caused by the salt which is now becoming apparent, however I have an appointment there with an auto electrician on friday morning to sort out the house betteries which I am sure need replacing.
Hopefully, next week will see us in a new location.
Last night we had dinner at the Hellanic club with Jim & Glenda & Alan & Dawn. Tuesday night is a pasta or lamb shanks night. I think we embarrassed the others when we both refused to drive home. Eventually a compromise was reached by Alan and Dawn delivering us safely out of the tenticles of the law .
No.1 daughter came to the rescue to retrieve the car this morning.
We moved the bus to a slightly safer location (we hope) while we are away tonight and I am loathe to return to the boatramp due to the degredation caused by the salt which is now becoming apparent, however I have an appointment there with an auto electrician on friday morning to sort out the house betteries which I am sure need replacing.
Hopefully, next week will see us in a new location.
Monday, January 24, 2011
more Bellambi
Went to Sydney this morning where Both Swmbo and I had business with the heart specialist. I got a clean bill of health and Maureen has to go back a few more times.
Must admit to being a bit preoccupied with the antiocs of the local youth. Late last night they busted open a storage container which is nearby the bus then checked out our car to see if there was anything of interest in it.
On Saturday morning at 1.30am the same little darlings ( I reckon ) set alight to a Water Board workmans hut and trashed the worksite
As a consequence, we haven't slept much and this afternoon, busied ourselves trying to find another campsite.
Went to the Mall in Campsie and came across a Chinese bakery where they have all their produce in boxes lined up in rows ( couldn't help wondering if the got them from a pet shop) with sliding plastic doors. You just pick out what you want, put it in a bag and pay at the counter
They have an enormous array of things, particularly buns ....all types of buns and all sweet. Buns with a sav in them, buns with ham in them ...too many to list. Must say they all looked very inviting .
My gold standard for a good Bakery is custard tarts, which must be well filled well above the pastry and not sagging in the centre. The custard needs to be of good colour and firm, whilst the pastry is crisp and well formed
Must say theirs looked as good as any I have seen.
They also had fruit salad tarts in the same size cases with slices of kiwifruit, strawberry, and other things stand decoratively above the pastry.
Had an enjoyable time at dinner with Alan and Dawn this evening.
Must admit to being a bit preoccupied with the antiocs of the local youth. Late last night they busted open a storage container which is nearby the bus then checked out our car to see if there was anything of interest in it.
On Saturday morning at 1.30am the same little darlings ( I reckon ) set alight to a Water Board workmans hut and trashed the worksite
As a consequence, we haven't slept much and this afternoon, busied ourselves trying to find another campsite.
Went to the Mall in Campsie and came across a Chinese bakery where they have all their produce in boxes lined up in rows ( couldn't help wondering if the got them from a pet shop) with sliding plastic doors. You just pick out what you want, put it in a bag and pay at the counter
They have an enormous array of things, particularly buns ....all types of buns and all sweet. Buns with a sav in them, buns with ham in them ...too many to list. Must say they all looked very inviting .
My gold standard for a good Bakery is custard tarts, which must be well filled well above the pastry and not sagging in the centre. The custard needs to be of good colour and firm, whilst the pastry is crisp and well formed
Must say theirs looked as good as any I have seen.
They also had fruit salad tarts in the same size cases with slices of kiwifruit, strawberry, and other things stand decoratively above the pastry.
Had an enjoyable time at dinner with Alan and Dawn this evening.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Bellambi
Since early December we have been parked at the Bellambi boat ramp. What a vista!!! Every day we look out on the ocean north of Wollongong. Every night we are lulled to sleep by the waves rolling up the beaches.
Yesterday we happened on a small hot bread shop in Corrinmal Mall called "Baker Mall" .....No it's not run by Vietnamese, they are Cambodian.
The shop is scrupulously clean as are the staff. Their goods are finished to the highest standard and all scream "buy me"!
All this and I can't believe their prices.
Yesterday, we were at Macdonalds Fairymeadow and someone got hold of my wallet so today I spent going round and cancelling everything.
Got a call from police today.....It was handed in this afternoon, minus the ten bucks.
Next week I will show you some photos from this area and relate some of our adventures during the last 2 months
Yesterday we happened on a small hot bread shop in Corrinmal Mall called "Baker Mall" .....No it's not run by Vietnamese, they are Cambodian.
The shop is scrupulously clean as are the staff. Their goods are finished to the highest standard and all scream "buy me"!
All this and I can't believe their prices.
Yesterday, we were at Macdonalds Fairymeadow and someone got hold of my wallet so today I spent going round and cancelling everything.
Got a call from police today.....It was handed in this afternoon, minus the ten bucks.
Next week I will show you some photos from this area and relate some of our adventures during the last 2 months
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