Angel Update and Getting Ready for Trip to Sydney

Angel is doing well after the tick attack. Her breathing is still rhaspy and she is ever so eager to get out and do the beach walk again. I am under strict orders not to let her exercise too much and she is allowed only a very short walk out each day this week. I think she is past the danger period.

Bonny Hills Caravan Park has a facility that allows you to store your caravan for $5 a day for a period of up to 2 weeks. The van was in the forest area, which doesn't have many people around, so Rosy and I decided it would probably be better to move the van to the more popular open area. The Manager, suggested we put it in the lot that it next to their residence.

So this morning, we got the van ready for the move and headed out. There was a bit of a tight curve and some exposed tree roots that caused the van to jump. And jump it did. Right off the tow ball!! Luckily I had the chains on so it didn't run away from us. Also lucky for us, we decided to buy a bottle jack, just in case we needed to fix a spare tyre. We were able to get the van connection up high enough to get back on the tow ball. And then off we went to the other side of the park.

We got to our spot and drove onto it and amazingly the van wheel axil was level, which is the first thing you have to do. We were in exactly the right spot. Then the Manager comes over (Judy) and tells us that people who use this spot usually bring it side on, instead of facing down the slope. Remember I said the spot was near the residence? Well it sort of stops the drive through thing happening. So back and forth and back and forth I go, trying to get the van on the levelest part of the lot. Turning the wheel all the way. Back and forth and back and forth. Then....the steering wheel stops turning. I can't change the direction of the car. Shit!!!! We decide to leave the caravan where it is on a 5 degree lean from the left side of the van to the right, unhitch the caravan and try to move the Landcruiser. The power steering stopped working and it was like having to manually turn a semi trailer. Then I called the NRMA. Terrible thoughts were going through our minds as we were off to Sydney on Tuesday, or maybe not.

It was time for lunch, so Rosy cooked this great steak and we each had a glass of wine to calm our nerves.

An hour later the guy from the NRMA arrives and shows us what happened. All the manouvering of the van with putting the steering wheel in lock position (going all the way until it won't turn any more) caused one of the tubes to pop off. He said that the best thing to do, when manouvering a van is to not turn the wheel all the way and keep it there, but to turn it all the way and thing bring it back a little. He was a nice guy and it cost us $10 for the automatic transmission oil.

So the moral to this story is - follow your gut instinct and do what you are capable of doing. Irrespective of whether someone else comes along and tells you differently. Next time someone does that to me I am going to say "Thank you for the advice, but my experience level is only capable of doing this." I mean the caravan was initially in exactly the right spot. Why did I feel obliged to move it?

By the way the caravan is still leaning, but we are only going to be in it for two nights, so we will live with it.