TUESDAY 24 FEBRUARY     HEALESVILLE

We were up really early and left the park at 6am!  It was still dark. The reason for this unlikely behaviour was that Truck was booked in for a service at the Frankston dealer’s, where we bought it. John is also getting mudflaps and Polyair suspension airbags fitted, and the tyres rotated. Frankston is a long way from Healesville. At least, we were so early that we were before the worst of the traffic, and we had Truck there by the required 8am.

We had several hours to fill in somehow, and without our own transport. John’s first idea was to visit one of his sisters, at Seaford. He thought we could walk it – turned out to be about 4kms, and by the time we got there, she was not home. He had not contacted her in advance.

Rather than walk back to Frankston, we managed to catch a bus to the centre.

Spent over an hour browsing in an Office Works shop. Actual shopping had to be very limited because of having to carry anything we bought, for hours. Had a coffee. Then to Lincraft so I could browse – but there was some pressure on me not to take too long! We bought rolls for lunch and ate them outside the shop.

John wanted to go to the cinema. We saw “As Good as it Gets” and enjoyed the film. Jack Nicholson was very good; the dog was excellent!

Took a taxi back to the Landrover dealership, about which John was not particularly happy, but I was tired and it was just too much effort to walk, or try to find a correct bus. I needed easy mode! The taxi only cost $7.50, anyway.

Work was all done. It all cost $650, which we were satisfied with. But we are starting to suspect that nothing associated with Landrovers is cheap!

Also bought some coolant for Truck – to be emergency supply. The “recipe” is 3 bottles of this into radiator and fill up with water. Hope we don’t need this.

It was a tedious drive back to Healesville, through the building late afternoon traffic.

John’s younger daughter was expected to tea tonight – only time she had available, but not the best timing for us.

I cooked steak and mushrooms, served with salad. Fruit to follow. Not particularly fancy, but time was restricted.

While I was preparing tea, I heard a great crashing noise outside. Further along the row of sites, a large branch had fallen from a gum tree. It fell neatly between two adjacent vans, with the only damage very slight, to a car. Very lucky in the way it fell – would have squashed the vans had it landed on them. I am pleased that there are no sizeable trees hanging over us.

Pleasant enough evening, and R did not stay late, which was good as we both needed an early night.

We drove 185kms today. Two big days of driving in a row.