3 minute read
ALL ABOARD
Is your refrigerator running?
Ali Jones Writer, broadcaster, and housebus adventurer
@housebusdylan @dylanthehousebus Mouldy cheese and smelly meat products – these were the first signs that something was wrong on Dylan’s refrigeration front. As we headed back to Christchurch from the top of the South Island, it became clear we needed to fix the failing fridge. It was old and struggling, finally giving up around Murchison. Using party ice and the chilly bin, we managed to get back without scurvy, and the hunt for a new fridge began in earnest. Once again, Clinton from Lifestyle Motorhomes in Ashburton provided excellent advice, but the problem was supply. Floor stock in various stores was all that was available for about four weeks. So, we bought the model we wanted off the floor. Welcome back, fresh food and cold beer.
In mid-Feb, I headed back to Christchurch for meetings and the weekly pub quiz. We’ve been playing as a team at Bailies in Edgeware for almost two years, and it had been several weeks since the team had been together. We came eighth. Not great, but we felt a little rusty, and there was so much to catch up on that we may have been a little unfocused.
Rob stayed back at Amberley Beach with Billy, Dylan, and Edith (our car, named after Edith Piaf). We’ve stayed there a bit recently as it’s only 40 minutes from Christchurch, quiet, close to amenities (supermarket and Brew Moon), and I love opening the windows to hear the sea. No sound relaxation apps are needed; it’s the real thing. On Waitangi weekend, two friends with motorhomes joined us. Nick and Rachel have a greyhound called Lucy, and Billy was pretty stoked to see her. Neil and Tony’s lovely little dog is fluffy and quite similar to what Bill used to chase around a track, so we kept him on a tight leash. Billy is not cat or small dog ‘friendly’, and although he didn’t try to eat Juno, he did lick his lips a lot as he watched her from a distance. Greyhounds are very happy around their own ‘people’.
Over the next couple of weeks, we will stay close to Christchurch as we look to park Dylan somewhere as a base. Meanwhile, there are so many great places close by Dylan and Edith can take us to – Methven (Ski Time is one of our happy places – AMAZING food and hospitality) and Hanmer, to name two. Next stop? Tai Tapu for a birthday, and the best part? We can park Dylan one minute’s walk from the pub.
P.S. New projects are getting underway on the bus – more on that next month.
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