Worth the Weight

Well against expectations I am at last on the road in the van which was released last Friday. I had actually quite enjoyed my time in the Jucy as the staff were all very friendly and the depot location gave me 3G internet access and was within walking distance of the shipping company offices. The incident with the compound's sliding gate was a classic comic interlude but for Thursday I returned to the excellent YHA at The Rocks with its superb terrace view and completed a number of tasks in the city.
I collected the van with a stern warning that it should have been steam cleaned before leaving NZ – not what we had been told in Auckland and then headed off to friends at Turramurra. I spent the weekend there being very well looked after and fed whilst I sorted out the various boxes, repacked in to cupboards and sourced new gas cylinders and a SPOT PLB.
Two good pub meals introduced me to the concept of 'barbie your own' and reacquainted me with Guinness before on Monday I obtained a second spare wheel for which Draig Engineering knocked up two fixings.
Later that day I stocked up with food before heading north to Freeman's Campsite at Lake Munmorah where I have spent today Tuesday just relaxing after a rather hectic fortnight. A 12v computer fan to enhance the fridge cooling has been fitted and the locator beacon and contacts activated alongside a few other jobs that will prepare the way for us to head off – my plan is to circle anticlockwise around northern New South Wales returning to Sydney in early November to collect Sarah.
Warm sunshine but a refreshing breeze set the scene – tomorrow might see the emergence of the solar shower!