Unpleasant Surprise

So……… just what was waiting for us inside the house when we returned home from our three week safari?  Something rather nasty and smelly, I can tell you.  Sometime during our absence. the fridge stopped working.  Here we were, tired and hot, busy unpacking the caravan and all set to transfer the contents of the caravan fridge to the one in the kitchen.  But oh, the smell.  Nothing for it but to get a plastic bin and chuck everything out, and then set to with hot soapy water and give it a good clean.  Frozen berries, home cooked meals in containers, and some salmon filets, they all got chucked out, together with whatever had been left behind in the fridge, mainly sauces, pickles, cheese and butter.  How did that happen, we wondered?  Surely we hadn't touched the wrong switch when we turned the hot water off when departing?

With the fridge cleaned, and the contents moved in from the caravan, all seemed to be well.  Until later in the evening when we turned the light switches on.  Off went all the lights, and off went the fridge again, Robin deduced that the fridge was faulty and tripped the switch once the lights came on.  Out came the food again, and put into a chilly bag on the bench.

First thing Monday morning we went down to see about purchasing a new fridge.  Not easy in these Covid times as a lot of the stock seems to be tied up on the wharves on on the high seas.  We made our choice and the staff member then had the job of phoning around to find a fridge for us from one of the other stores in the chain.  As we hadn’t heard back,  Robin returned to the shop the following morning for an update.  No fridge was available in any of the other stores, but the manager agreed to sell us one “off the floor”, but the earliest delivery date was a week away.  One step forward…..

So out came the chilly bag on the kitchen bench, and a big bag of ice.  Ice doesn’t last long, so that didn’t really work well at all.  There was nothing for it, Robin moved the caravan around from it’s parking place and into the car park outside, plugged it into power, and we now have a working fridge. 

Just a short walk to the caravan fridge outside

Before each meal we loaded up the chilly bag with frozen pads and whatever food  was required, and then did the return trip to replace the items back in the caravan fridge.  At least it wasn’t too far to walk.  Our delivery was scheduled for today, but would it arrive, we wondered?  The phone call came through to advise us of the approximate time, and sure enough, the truck arrived as promised.

Inside the truck were two nice young men to deliver our new fridge, and take away the dead one, which was all achieved very quickly and pleasantly.  I didn’t realise that we had to let the gas in the new fridge settle for a while  before switching it on.  And I have to admit that I couldn’t get the words from the Dire Straits song out of my head as the men were tooing and froing.  Wonder if they ever wanted to be rock stars?

“We gotta install microwave ovens
Custom kitchen deliveries
We gotta move these refrigerators
We gotta move these colour TV's”

New fridge at last

We had worked out that our previous fridge was about 12 years old.  And the new one has a sign saying “10 Year Warranty” so appliances are not really built to last these days, are they.  Just one more thing – the door is hinged on the other side – wonder how many days it will take us to remember that?

Out and About

There’s always things to do and places to go, isn’t there.  And we are lucky here in New Zealand that we can get out about, especially as many places around the world have gone into a second round of lockdown.  Hopefully with border security in place we can keep this virus out – or at least restrict it to incoming citizens who are placed in quarantine.

Spotted this sign on the back of of a Mainfreight truck the other day.  Guess there is a message in that statement!

How far can you go?

Planning ahead, I went to make a booking for a reasonably Big Birthday coming up, (more about that later) just as well I did get in early it seems with already a few bookings made on the date I wanted.  And look what I spotted in the car park, a trio of rather nice looking sports cars.  I’m sure the mechanically minded would know exactly what breed they are, but not me.  Talking to the owners, they are a group of enthusiasts called the “Topless Six”  who get together for an outing each month.  Seems they can just about manage to climb in and out of their low slung sportscars OK as they are getting older, and while they can, they will keep on enjoying their road trips together.

Three sporty sportscars

Gemma also had an outing recently.  It was time for her annual WOF and she was not a happy cat at all.  First she got manhandled  into her carry cage – oh no, she didn't want to go in there at all.  Then in the car and down to see the vet.

A visit to the vet

The vet gave her the once over, then the indignity of a thermometer you know where, a cat flu vaccination, and a worm tablet.  She didn’t like all this medical attention one little bit  Everything was fine, Gemma is a beautiful cat we were told, keep doing what you are doing with her, she is in excellent condition.  Once we returned home she took herself into time out for a while, and by evening was back to her normal self.

Big Rigs around Town

What a surprise – we drove through to Palmerston North for Sunday lunch and a little shopping and found the city taken over by a multitude of bright, shiny Big Rigs.  All driving around, tooting their horns, and seemed to be having a high old time.  And the Square was swarming with people, we needed to see what was going on.

It was the Biannual Professionals Big Rigs event a fundraiser  supporting Teenage and Child Cancer, with all money raised staying within the Manawatu Region.  A very good cause indeed.  With the very popular truck rides for $2.00 per person there was also plenty of entertainment in the square with static displays, raffles and live auction.  A convoy of over 100 trucks, followed by a Helipro helicopter, drove through the city to begin the day yesterday.  Manawatu children receiving treatment for cancer were treated to a ride-along and then a haka on arrival.  It was very well organised indeed, people were loaded on to the big rigs on one side of the square, and offloaded on the other side.  There were sturdy metal platforms to get everyone up and down safely.  And those trucks who already had their share of passengers went on their way.

Loading up.

And yes, we had a turn too, queuing up in line and putting our $2 coins in the bucket.  Our truck looked rather flash with a buttoned leather interior.  The young driver did admit that it felt strange to be driving without his trailer unit behind, as all the trucks were.  We were slowly driven around the circuit, with many toots along the way.  What fun – although as Robin is a former truck driver, I probably enjoyed it more than him.

Our ride in the big rig

There were plenty of displays to check out, such as these stock cars, and a multitude of trucks lined up.  There were quick fire raffles taking place, and plenty of stalls selling drinks, hot dogs, all sorts of refreshments.

The display showing just how big the blind spot is in front of these big rigs was quite sobering. 

Showing the blind spot in front of a big rig

Over at the New Zealand Army display, throngs of kids poured over the inside and outside of the Light-Armoured Vehicle.  Lance Corporal Peter Brown of the Queen Alexandra's Mounted Rifles said kids often saw the vehicles on Palmerston North roads but to get inside them was an experience many hadn't had.

Light Armoured Vehicle

There was a lot of interest when the Air Force helicopter was ready to depart.   The public had to stand well clear of the area as the air turbulence was quite fierce.   One of the volunteers told us that there was an awful lot of hoops to jump through to get permission for the helicopter to fly over, and land in the city centre.  The noise was extremely loud as the rotors spun faster and faster, no wonder the crew all wear ear protectors.  Then it lifted straight up, up, and away, to return to RNZAF Base Ohakea.

On the way back to Ohakea

With an estimated 15,000 people attending the event, the organisors can be assured of a successful fund raising day for the Manawatu Child Cancer Foundation.  (We believe a sum of $40,000 has been raised, so well done to everyone involved.)  The truckies are to be commended for donating their day and bringing along their shiny trucks for such a good cause.  And it wasn’t just the kids who loved their rides around town, we did too.

Bill Richardson – Transport World

Bill Richardson is a big name down here in Invercargill – and his Transport World Museum has to be seen to be believed.  Collecting his first truck in 1967, and adding many other vehicles over the years, more than 50 years later the collection grew to become Transport World and is now housed in a huge purpose built building.  His one wish was “I hope when I die that someone will be interested enough to carry it on”.  Transport World in now directed by Bill’s daughter and family, and is going from strength to strength.  It was a cold and rainy morning when we visited, and this place was top of Robin’s South Island Bucket List, being the petrol head and car lover that he is.

 

Just in the door was the mighty 1940 Dodge RX70 Texaco Tanker, one of 75 ordered by the company.  After it’s time with Texaco, it was used for water cartage before going to the wreckers, and was finally bought by Bill Richardson in 1992.  Being quite badly damaged, the restoration took four years. 

Texaco Truck

Looking down at the first display

Even a philistine like myself is well aware of Henry Ford and his Model T car, but I did not know that there was quite a range of famous  “Letter Cars”.  And this collections boasts: 1904 AC Runabout, 1904 Model C, 1905 Model F, 1906 Model N, 1907 Model R, 1907 Model S, 1910 Model T, 1915 Model T, and lastly, a 1907 Model K 6 cylinder, one of only eight restored.

Some of Henry Ford’s Letter Cars

There was also quite a selection of Henry Ford’s convertibles through the years, from a 1928 Model A to a 1946 V8.  These would have surely made quite a statement as their rich and fashionable owners took them out for a spin.

Henry Ford’s convertibles

And how about this for a Paddy Wagon?  This bright and shiny 1925 Ford T is an exact replica of the first motorized Paddy Wagon in New Zealand.

1925 Paddy Wagon

We even found a caravan tucked away.  The Ranger Camp Trailer was manufactured in the 1950s by Hillie Engineering, in Anaheim, and only 200 were ever produced.

Ranger Camp Trailer

And then there were the trucks.  Rows and rows of bright shiny ones, all nicely lined up.  Robin was in truck heaven, as he wandered up and down, admiring them all.

Trucks galore

And the green Bedford brought back special memories.  Robin’s Dad Curley had one just like it which he used for his milk delivery business.  And when the family went out and abut, the older boys sat in the tray against the back of the cab.  This wouldn’t be allowed today!

Just like Dad had

Some of these need restoring

Tractors on display

The film playing described how the tracked vehicles evolved, and how the name caterpillar came about and was registered. Company photographer Charles Clements was reported to have observed that the tractor crawled like a caterpillar and Benjamin Holt of Holt Engineering seized on the metaphor. "Caterpillar it is. That's the name for it”.

And big yellow caterpillar machines

There were plenty of bowsers, car grills, oil cans, garage machinery and other bits and pieces on display throughout  the different halls.

Petrol bowsers

Even the bathrooms had motorized touch, especially the men's.

Mirrors framed by gears and pipe toilet roll holders

Racing seat in the loo

There was a small theatre playing the iconic Kiwi film “Goodbye Pork Pie” continuously.  This is all about three would be crooks and a yellow mini, and their adventures as they outwit the police as they try their very best to drive the car to Invercargill.  Sitting in that bright yellow mini, it looks like Robin has already made it to Invercargill!

Goodbye Pork Pie

New Roads and Old Friends

On our trip to the Hutt Valley yesterday for our lunch date with friends, we got to drive on the recently completed section of the MacKays to Peka Peka Expressway for the first time.  This part of the new road bypasses the towns of Waikanae and Paraparumu and alleviates crawling through the main road and getting caught up with all the traffic lights. 

The traffic hummed along and we saw thousands of new plants and shrubs in place, the new walkway/cycle way running beside the expressway, and drove under some of the many bridges crossing this stretch of road.  Concrete baffles have been placed here and there to muffle the sound of traffic noise affecting nearby homes.

Driving along the new expressway

We took a short detour at Plimmerton to check out the progress on the new NZMCA site.  Looks like the dump station has been installed, plus a large concrete pad at the entrance, so that is a good start.  Fencing is still to be erected, and we believe that a working bee has been arranged to tidy up the grounds.   When this site is up and running it will be very handy for NZMCA members on their way to and from Wellington city.

New NZMCA site at Plimmerton

The Haywards Interchange is still a hive of activity with men and big machines everywhere.  At an estimated cost of about $43 million, the project is expected to take about 2 years to complete.

Still hard at work on the Haywards Interchange

We had time to spare before our lunch date for Robin to refill our large bottles with lovely artesian water outside the Dowse Gallery. 

Fresh free artesian water

My old home town of Lower Hutt seems to be battered and bruised.  The Town Hall where I used to go for Saturday night dances in my teens is being earthquake strengthened and the adjacent Horticulture Hall has been torn down.

Lower Hutt Town Hall

Then we drove past the Queensgate Mall which looks rather like a bomb site.  The mall suffered severe damage by the 7.8 earthquake on November 14th last year which affected many areas of the country.  Part of the mall was undamaged and was able to continue trading, while this section was being demolished and rebuilt.  I must admit that it all looks rather sad, and there are many buildings in Wellington CBD which also suffered severe damage.

Clearing up the earthquake damage at the mall

Leaving these sad sights behind us we continued on to our lunch date, which was a bit like a mini caravan club outing.  Don and Pamela, Eileen and Geoff and us two gathered at a local café.  Don and Pamela have been out of action for a while following health issues, so it was great to meet up again and catch up with everyone’s news. 

Happy campers Jenny, Pamela, Don, Geoff, Robin and Eileen

Plates full of Big Breakfasts, Salmon Quiche and Corn Fritters were delivered to our table.  Followed by coffees, of course.  The heavens opened up while we were enjoying our lunch, the rain hammered on the roof, and the temperature dropped dramatically.  Living as we do now  in sunny Levin, we had forgotten how much cooler the Hutt Valley could be and we  hadn’t bothered to bring an extra layer of clothing with us.  After a very long lunch indeed (we had a lot to talk about) we noticed that the café had emptied out and it was probably time to go to our respective homes.

Driving home around the Pauatahanui  Inlet there was a new road of a different kind being constructed.  Actually, it was a road for feet, walkers, joggers, and cyclists – an extension of the walkway around the inlet.  Known as Te Ara Piko, the Wandering Path, the walkway is a Rotary Club of Plimmerton project with support from the Porirua City Council.

Extending Te Ara Piko, the Wandering Path around the inlet

Traffic slowed right down as we drove north along SH1 and we soon discovered why.  A trailer carrying a digger had flipped over on  the Plimmerton roundabout.   We slowly drove past the trailer on it’s side, with a large crane in attendance to put things right.  Oh dear, there is always something happening on the roads.

Yet another roll over at the Plimmerton roundabout

And we can’t drive along the coast line without another photo of Kapiti island, can we.  There it is, looking a bit moody under the clouds.

Kapiti Island

Our trip down to the Hutt Valley has been very interesting.  We’ve travelled along a new stretch of roading, seen some interesting sights and enjoyed a nice lunch with friends.  Its been a great day.