[Ulladulla, 3 November]
It was at the end of the day. I was washing the dishes inside while Mike packed up car and caravan on the outside. This includes packing away the slide-out kitchen. It is like a long drawer tucked inside the body of the caravan under the bed. And it comes with a gas line that connects the gas cylinders at the front of the caravan.
A sudden jerk. Something wasn’t quite right. The caravan shook. Instead of being coiled up in its usual place, the gas line got jammed under the drawer making it impossible to slide the entire kitchen in. And with the kitchen sticking out at the side we wouldn’t be able to leave in the morning.
Mike, who felt responsible for it, tried for hours to find a solution, but to no avail. All sorts of scenarios went through our heads. How difficult would it be to get the gas line dislodged? How long would it take to find a mechanic who could fix it? Would we be stuck in Ulladulla for days, weeks, or even longer? And how much would it cost?
We went to bed churning with the unknown. In the morning Mike called a local gas plumber. Grumpy on the phone at first, he appeared at 7 am and besides being able to help us, he also was a great guy. When Mike explained the issue to him, he grunted, “Haven’t we all done something like that?” He went straight ahead, pushed and pulled, got Mike to hand him tools, and finally cut the line with a hacksaw. Once in two parts, it could be pulled out okay. All we had to do was go to the Ulladulla hardware store and buy a replacement and attach it.
The whole saga ended on an cold morning at 8 am in Devonport at the gas fitters to give the kitchen a final check. Again we had a great old guy assessing and fixing it in no time. On the picture you can see Mike kneeling in front of the pulled-out kitchen and the plumber. The wind was icy.
Liz Mike Travels 