Week 19 – Time for a Change

Day 127 – Tewantin to Burpengary

Having decided to stay one more night at Tewantin and after a somewhat restless night for both of us, we set off early for our run down to Burpengary for the day.

We spent the morning probably making one of the biggest financial decisions for us and probably one that meant over the next week we would be turning ourselves inside out.

The exciting news is …… we bought a new van.   Oh yes, we did.   Oh yes, we are mad. Oh yes, we are both very happy with our decision. Really!!

Over the last 10 days whilst in Tewantin we put our van on the market and sold it 7 days later.    Lucky for us the buyer was happy for us to remain in the van until we picked up the new one and was able to transfer from the old van to the new one.

The new van we saw on the net on Saturday night and by Monday morning it was ours.   After signing the necessary documentation and parting with our deposit we drove back to Tewantin to pack up and move down to Burpengary.

Day 128 – Tewantin to Burpengary East – 100klms

Now having decided on the new van, drastic measures were now required.   More free camping and or cheaper camping places, less eating out and a strict budget for George and myself.      

I am not sure which George was more stressed about, the new van or the tighter budget!!

Our next camping spot for the next five nights was one a private property known as “Wescloud Lodge”.   Very rustic but plenty space to move around and no one camped on top of us.      

The manger of the camp, Frank, was very amenable and once we told him of our plans for the next week, he was more than happy to give a spot with plenty of room to park two vans and unpack and repack.

As time was required for the new van to be ready, the date for pick up was Friday and the pickup date for the old van was Saturday.   Yeap we would have less than ½ a day to carry out the move.

Day 129 – Bribie Island

Today we spent driving up to Bribie Island and having a look around the island.  

What a beautiful place, an island paradise that hasn’t been over commercialised.    What a change.     We could move around the island easily and were able to drive along the waterfront and take in the view. 

Bribie Island is a sand island forming part of the coastline sheltering the north part of Moreton Bay, it is 34 kilometres long and 8 kilometres wide.

The Bongaree end of the island was less built up than the Banksia Beach end of the island.

After exploring Red Beach, we were walking back to carpark when George ran into the Andrew and Elizabeth Nowasad, the previous owners of the Ulladulla Guest House.    They have moved to Surfers Paradise and were holidaying on Bribie Island.

After a quick stop for lunch we headed back to Burpengary to organise bits a pieces for the changeover.

Day 130 – Redcliff

Most of today was spent arranging bits and pieces for the new van before heading into Scarborough, Redcliff and Deception Bay before meeting my sister Lyn and her husband Vern for dinner at the Redcliff RSL.

The Redcliff Peninsula was one of the earliest settlements in Brisbane and there are a lot of historical buildings.

Our catch up with my sister and her husband was great as we have not seen them for a couple of years.

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Day 131 – Wescloud Lodge

Today was spent striping out our old van, taking off the bits and pieces that wasn’t to pass with the van and packing up inside.    The humidity was a killer, and we were so surprised how much stuff our little van could carry.

It was an early night for us although not a lot of sleep as we both tossed and turned, churning over the things that had to be done for the changeover.

Day 132 – Out with old in with the new

9.30am couldn’t come quickly enough.    We were on the doorstep of the caravan dealer for our change over right on 9.30am and spent the next two hours learning the ropes of the new van and parting with our money.

Whilst sorting out the paperwork in the dealer’s office, in walked the Swindales. You have got to be kidding! Of all the places to run into them. We shared our exciting news and were happy to hear that they had bought a van from the same dealer nine years earlier and were still happy with it. Great to see faces from home.

The afternoon was a big one, loading the new van, cleaning the old van and sorting out how everything worked.

George is an absolute marvel when it comes to working out the way things should be set up, so he left me to the inside and ploughed through with setting up the outside.

How exciting it was to be in our new van for the first night even if we were bloody exhausted.

Day 133 – Farewell to “Kickenback”

The new owner of little van came early and after running through all the bibs and bobs, it was time to leave.   However, the van had decided to give us one last farewell present by having the jockey wheel collapsing inside and the front stabiliser snapping off in George’s hand.   We couldn’t believe that this little van that had given us no problems whatsoever, decided to have the last say.     So, one new jockey wheel and stabiliser later, she was on her way.   

Day 134 – Burpengary to Guanaba via Pimpama

After a night of rain, it was a relief to know our new van doesn’t leak!!  Good start.

We set off this morning heading to George’s nephew’s place at Pimpama, to see the new home and pinch a bit of water before heading to our camp site for the next 8 days.  

On arrival at our new spot we were so pleased to see the beautiful green and spacious area on the banks for a small creek with lots for beautiful trees and cattle.

We set up and then headed back to Jason and Taryn’s for a catch up with them and Brody, Sienna and Jett.     

Well that is our exciting news exposed.    We are both happy with the new van and love the space inside.   George is happily snoring away as I write, the weather is a lot colder than we have been experiencing but nothing like the southern states.

We were very excited to hear that NSW is opening its border to VIC at the end of November and we are hoping that subject to being no more outbreaks in either NSW or VIC we will get to see the boys in December and have Christmas with them.

Our coming week will be busy catching up with more relatives, exploring the hinterland of the Gold Coast and spending more time with Jason and Taryn before heading further south.   We may even make it back into NSW or maybe not!!

It has been a year tomorrow since we lost George’s sister, Lynette so Monday will be somewhat sombre but we will spend the evening with Jason and Taryn and remember all the good times and funny things. Both George and Jason are still struggling to find someone that can cut their hair the way she did!

Love to you all, stay safe and healthy.

Stop laughing.