Bill's Holiday 2007
Bill's Holiday 2007


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Well my six week holiday has started. But I am stuck with an overheating van.


But lets start at the beginning. I finished night shift Friday14th September morning at 6am. I went and had a sleep by the Storage place were I am going to store my junk for awhile. I woke at 10am an put some stuff in storage. Next it was to my Nieces place and loading my stuff there. On Saturday morning I left and put more stuff into storage. I then went and had a coffee with my friend Terry. I then left for my first stop Kawerau were another friend Terry lives. But only about 40km down the road and just before Tirau my van overheated and I had to stop for an hour and let it cool down. It had not used any water or oil so I tried again. This time I got about 20km and it started to overheat again. Still I could see a few kilometres ahead the top of the Manaku ranges and knew it was mostly downhill from there to Rotorua. I have parked up at Rotorua for Saturday and Sunday, till a mechanic can have a look at my van on Monday. So we will see what happens!

Well it is now all over and I am back to work sunday the 28th October, and have to worked 12 nights in a row, mind you I will enjoy the money as I am broke.
I had a few more vehicle troubles, but the trip from Wanganui to Hamilton went well. As well as my vehicle woes, my brother managed to drive off the road and require a tow LOL.
I spent $1200 on repairs and $600 on petrol. The van cost 30c per kilometre to pay for the gas. I travelled 2000km or 1200miles and did 14.66mpg or 18.6lt per 100km. So most of my pay went on repairs and petrol. But hopefully the van will be OK now!


I am also putting up pics of my journey at picasaweb.google.com/leftfieldnz/BillSHoliday2007 And some videos at www.youtube.com/leftfieldnz

Rotorua

Sunday, Have not done much here except tidy my van sleep and do some computer work as it is raining most of the time.


Monday, 17th September, Had my van looked at and the thermostat replaced for $64. Left Rotorua and got 20k, till van started to heat up again, waited and hour and returned to Rotorua. It was decided that the radiator needed looking at, so it was removed amd sent to expert. He decided it needs a complete recore and can be done by Wednesday. So I played the relucant tourist and biked downtown to the lake. Was a nice day.

Tuesday, woke at 6am, went to loo and to get a paper and locked myself out of the van. Main keys locked in ignition and spare keys left hanging in back of van. Rung insurance roadside rescue and guy came and opened door. Great start to another wet day. So I am doing computer work in van using my 240v inverter for an hour to charge the laptop battery. Certainly testing out my systems LOL. BTW slept night in my van parked at the rear of the garage were I am getting repairs done. Wanted to stay in van as I have 2 computers and all my gear etc. One computer I am taking to give to my friend Laurie in Gisborne, of cause it has Linux Kubuntu installed, though it was a mission to get the sound to work.

Will upload all this stuff when I finally get to Kawerau as Terry has broadband. There is little access to broadband in Gisborne, so will do all I can in Kawerau.

Wednesday
Well I am awake and working on webpages, hopefully van back on road today.
Well I made but now have a small oil leak to fix on the van. I think one thing caused another. But at least I am back on the road, I also got paid all my holiday pay in one hit $2500, wipee. Still the money has to last six weeks!

Kawerau

Terry has just been in Malaysia at a reunion of army people who served there in the 60s when there was a communist threat! He had put some movies onto DVD and now cannot read the DVD. So I will have a look with linux and see what we can do.

Thursday
I am up and uploading all my stuff at 5:30am. Thought the internet might be a bit faster at this time.

Spent thursday and friday either fixing terry's laptop (windows is shocking LOL) or making DVDs from terry's movies from malaya. We also had a few beers and a nice bbq.


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Gisborne

Well left terry's saturday and slowly wandered off to Gisborne, on the way took some pics stopped at a few places and looked around. Weather was wet though so not too nice.

I delivered Laurie's new laptop when I arrived in Gisborne. Round to Craigs were I will stay and work on getting some of our books online and see if we cannot sell some copies.

I have one book ready to go and one in the pipeline. (BTW I have already published one book in 1993). That should be fun.
Have a look at www.lulu.com/leftfieldnz

Sunday
Worked on Craigs computer updated to windows ME. Only has 65mb RAM, what a pain!

Monday
Worked on van still missing a bit. Did some work on the computer. Man I hate dial up were is the broadband?
My brother rang on my cellphone, an aunty has died in Wairoa (just 90km from Gisborne).

Tuesday
Rang my cousin in Wairoa. Funeral on Thusday. But I will go to Wairoa today.


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Wairoa

Called into see two of my Aunties (Kath and Gladys). Will stay at Kaths in my campervan. Van still misfiring a bit!

Arrived Wairoa stayed with Aunty Kath. Talked about family and she showed me stuff about my Maternal Grandmother I had been finding out about for 20 years.
She had 300 years of the family tree from a reunion in 1985.

Wednesday
Went for morning tea at my cousin Jenny's farm. Van still farting a bit was fixed by a second cousin in the afternoon

Thursday
Aunty Tui's funeral at 1pm. Was a nice service. I took photo and video of all the cousins that were there.

Friday
At Craig's, doing books for going online, have applied for ISBN numbers. Also doing my log and pictures for uploading. will go to cyber cafe for broadband, and a friend of mines son has broadband.

Have been busy getting van fixed cost $300 for new plugs, points, rotor, distributor cap, tappets checked etc. Been working with Laurie teaching him computers LOL? And helping Craig get some more books knocked into shape.


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Tokomaru Bay

Went up to Tokomaru Bay Saturday 6th October, van went well! Took some movies and pictures. Visited Jill but Wayne not home. Was very nice to see Toko again, but you would not wont to dwell in the past and dream of how things used to be for too long!.
Back to Gisborne Sunday after having coffee with Jil and stopping in Tolaga Bay to take pics and movies.
Have put some more videos onto You Tube. [Youtube.com]

Plan on going to Wairoa Tuesday.


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Tolaga Bay


Called in and took some pics
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Wanganui

Arrived Wanganui Monday night, 15th October. Tuesday see my Dad and Cousin Lynette. Wednesday luch Cossy Club and see Mum. Thursday visit Aunties in Fielding.

We got home from Fielding and campervan has flat tyre, a job for tomorrow.

Friday, pumped up the tyre and went to town to get fixed! Got half a block and the oil light came on. Had a look and oil filter was leaking. This is the second time I have had trouble with it. I tired more oil but no good, so I walked back to my Brothers flat called a taxi and went to get some parts. Hopefully the correct filter this time. When I returned a cop was there, some ningnong had rung them. I also had a couple of people pull up behind and say some pretty dumb things, like why don't you move, I said feel free to give it a push it only weighs 4 ton! So I fitted the new filter and went to town and got some more oil and parts and a flat tyre fixed all for only $150. Got some petrol on the way home and now EFTPOS card has run out.
Got back to flat and transfered some money from my credit card. Lady accross the road came home and has been robbed, two police cars, police dog and security guys arrived. Man what a Friday and the same day as the 1987 stock market crash LOL!
Hopefully it is only going to get better.


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