We were visited last weekend by our fellow travelers the Cooksley’s – We ate far too much. Pork-belly on Saturday night followed by an excellent meal on Sunday of snapper, venison sausage and superbly cooked venison steak. Survived the over indulgence with only a mild attack of gout on one big toe. We said goodbye with much regret and envy as Janine and Steve carried on their journey coddiwompling around New Zealand.
At times our journey getting certified for New Zealand roads is similar to taking a Sunday stroll through a open septic tank. Every step just feels like you are sinking in the shit further. We have changed to drum brakes as the Certifying Engineer will not certify machined items i.e. caliper yokes to mount a handbrake. No problems we made the changes and installed a hand brake system within 8 hours. Bleeding the brakes worked well but we noticed that the electric controller installed in the truck was intermittent – 12 hours later we found that Alt-Ko had a faulty batch of controllers – No recall or engineering notice – Of cause there is a shortage of replacement controllers as they have no stocks and the Christmas break has delayed the production. BUGGER!!!!
We found out today there is 10 in the country for emergency and we have been allocated one of them. Yeah for us!!!!
During the conversion we had the privilege of parking overnight in the Deakin Truck yard. Yahoo. Even Mac and Rose were depressed with the environment.
Fitted new guards as the original guards were to wide and would make the 5th Wheel over width. They look smart even unpainted – I will get them painted when we get back to Auckland
We are now parked up at 122 Aritaki Road with awesome access to Havelock and its many bars and restaurants for me and the laundry and supermarkets for Donna. Well one is allowed a few unfounded dreams at my age some may call it dementia. Really our location is great with bike trails nearby. Rabbits and bloody more rabbits – Mac and Rose are totally besotted with the hippity hoopity behavior out every window.
We will be in the Bay longer than anticipated as we have been informed that the earliest the braking can be certified is the 27th of January. This is really only a delay of the anticipated by a week. The end is tangibly close which makes the anticipation even greater.
I am batching it this week end. Donna left this morning for her final drive back to Auckland where she will leave the car so as when we finally travel north we will travel together. I pick her up at Napier air port on Tuesday if I remember.
Another week gone – By the next post I will have started an new map which you will be able to follow our progress north.
