Some Introductions

We have a glorious day today with a frost to start the day.
Below are the views we have from our caravan.

Looking South. Whale Island is just visible

Looking north towards Coromandel Peninsular

The sea is lovely and calm and there is no wind, which makes a change as it has been quite stormy over the last week. I went for a walk up Mt Maunganui last Thursday. I was sure I was  going to get very wet so I took a towel, but the rain stayed up on the Kaimai Ranges and all I got was wind blown.

Over looking Matakana Island with the storm clouds 

Storm clouds over Mt Maunganui

I have to introduce you all to Browning. He came with us when we went truck driving in the USA in 1996. He sat on the dash board and watch the world go by and didn't get into any trouble. I took him with me to South America and he got into all sorts of drunken mischief. (See Three Amigas on Facebook for our adventures and Browning's). We will have to see how he behaves now. So here he is below. Not as innocent as he looks. 

 

We decided to buy a small car after all. We weren't able to use our bikes on the main road in Katikati because of the heavy trucks thundering past. It would have been too unnerving. No doubt it won't be the only place that we won't be able to use the bikes. We have bought a 1997 Ford Laser. Bright green, so I am the green full stop following behind the Bronze Whaler when we travel. I have called her Elvira. Eddie isn't so sure, so may be the green full stop will be the name yet.

She looks blue in this picture but she is really more green.

We went to Ngaruawahia yesterday to visit friends. Elvira didn't like the Kaimai Ranges at all and really struggled to go up. We were down to second gear a lot of the way. Eddie thought it was a fuel problem, so when we got to Matamata we went to Repco and bought a fuel filter and some injector cleaner. We went to a friend's house in Matamata and used his tools to change the filters. The old one had brown watery stuff in it. It went  better after the repair, but still struggled with the Katmai's coming home. Tomorrow she is going to the work shop to have a tune up. Hopefully we will then have a reasonably reliable car to get us out and about in.