I can't check what i last posted because of my limited connectivity so
I'll just try and cover the things I can remember.
Sunday was spent fixing the radio, doing the oil change and checking
out a bit of Broome. We went to dinosaur fossils, walked around
Chinatown and basically just burnt some time. On Monday, after dad
contacted the RTA to confirm with them what needed to be done to renew
the cars rego (which i had called them about when i was in Sydney, but
then dad called and they told him a different story, then he called
again and they said something different again) we went off to a
mechanic to have the car inspected. As i had failed the inspection in
Darwin for an oil leak at the turbo i bought some degreaser and
cleaned the turbo and engine sump of dirt and oil. We were at the
mechanics around 10 and he said he would fit us in some time that day,
but we had to leave the car there. So we duly left the car there and
then walked the 5 k's back to town. We spent the day doing nothing,
just walking around and looking at touristy things, using the free
wifi at mcdonalds, went to the beach etc. The mechanic was meant to
call us when the inspection was finished so by 3.30 we were getting a
bit worried and called them up. Yup the inspection was done the car
was just going for a test drive (why does he need to drive the car??),
the guy would call us back when the car comes back. No call at 4.00
and then we realize shit it's going to be past 5 by the time we walk
back and they are going to be shut. So we started fast walking back
And luckily about 20 mins in some nice French girls pick us up and
take us the rest of the way.
Anyway The mechanic failed me on having a loose battery (BS); bald
tyre, uneven wear on a tyre (soooo) and wheel bearings needing
adjusting...
So what can I do but pay the $80 and then the next morning go about
getting new tyres ( $600 on two new tyres), then going back and
waiting at the mechanic to get ripped off again. He charges me $60 to
adjust the wheel bearings, and then charges $60 more to re inspect the
vehicle again. So I previously failed for two wrong tyres (two new
ones are clearly on the vehicle, not hard or inspect, a loose battery
(tightened the shit out of it) so ten seconds to inspect, and then
wheel bearings that needed adjusting... THAT HE JUST ADJUSTED
So $60 for about 30 seconds work... Ahh mechanics, they fuck you over
but they'll do it with a smile...
So that was a fun Monday and Tuesday, we got out of Broome (which i
actually found to be an ok town, relaxed with nice beaches but hell
every night the wind went wild) around 4 pm, drove a bit and then
spent the jight at a rest stop beside the road. The next day we drove
southish paralleling the coast (still about 10km from the coast).
Checked out 80mile beach and a few other whenever we could, very
little dirt road heading to the coast off the highway has a little
carvan park charging exhorbitant rates and warning you NO CAMPING
anywhere else. 80 mile beach was really nice, spent a few hours just
relaxing there, then headed on towards Port Hedland.
You can tell it's a mining port as there are heaps of mines, road
trains, four wheel drives outfitted for mines etc all floating around
the place. We grabbed some fuel and then pushed through, stopping at a
homestead called Irinjie Station for the night. At 6 pm eveyone
staying the night at the station is invited into the dining room where
a long table has been set up with snacks. Much nicer that most other
carvan places where it's hard to have a real conversation with other
people.
I'll just try and cover the things I can remember.
Sunday was spent fixing the radio, doing the oil change and checking
out a bit of Broome. We went to dinosaur fossils, walked around
Chinatown and basically just burnt some time. On Monday, after dad
contacted the RTA to confirm with them what needed to be done to renew
the cars rego (which i had called them about when i was in Sydney, but
then dad called and they told him a different story, then he called
again and they said something different again) we went off to a
mechanic to have the car inspected. As i had failed the inspection in
Darwin for an oil leak at the turbo i bought some degreaser and
cleaned the turbo and engine sump of dirt and oil. We were at the
mechanics around 10 and he said he would fit us in some time that day,
but we had to leave the car there. So we duly left the car there and
then walked the 5 k's back to town. We spent the day doing nothing,
just walking around and looking at touristy things, using the free
wifi at mcdonalds, went to the beach etc. The mechanic was meant to
call us when the inspection was finished so by 3.30 we were getting a
bit worried and called them up. Yup the inspection was done the car
was just going for a test drive (why does he need to drive the car??),
the guy would call us back when the car comes back. No call at 4.00
and then we realize shit it's going to be past 5 by the time we walk
back and they are going to be shut. So we started fast walking back
And luckily about 20 mins in some nice French girls pick us up and
take us the rest of the way.
Anyway The mechanic failed me on having a loose battery (BS); bald
tyre, uneven wear on a tyre (soooo) and wheel bearings needing
adjusting...
So what can I do but pay the $80 and then the next morning go about
getting new tyres ( $600 on two new tyres), then going back and
waiting at the mechanic to get ripped off again. He charges me $60 to
adjust the wheel bearings, and then charges $60 more to re inspect the
vehicle again. So I previously failed for two wrong tyres (two new
ones are clearly on the vehicle, not hard or inspect, a loose battery
(tightened the shit out of it) so ten seconds to inspect, and then
wheel bearings that needed adjusting... THAT HE JUST ADJUSTED
So $60 for about 30 seconds work... Ahh mechanics, they fuck you over
but they'll do it with a smile...
So that was a fun Monday and Tuesday, we got out of Broome (which i
actually found to be an ok town, relaxed with nice beaches but hell
every night the wind went wild) around 4 pm, drove a bit and then
spent the jight at a rest stop beside the road. The next day we drove
southish paralleling the coast (still about 10km from the coast).
Checked out 80mile beach and a few other whenever we could, very
little dirt road heading to the coast off the highway has a little
carvan park charging exhorbitant rates and warning you NO CAMPING
anywhere else. 80 mile beach was really nice, spent a few hours just
relaxing there, then headed on towards Port Hedland.
You can tell it's a mining port as there are heaps of mines, road
trains, four wheel drives outfitted for mines etc all floating around
the place. We grabbed some fuel and then pushed through, stopping at a
homestead called Irinjie Station for the night. At 6 pm eveyone
staying the night at the station is invited into the dining room where
a long table has been set up with snacks. Much nicer that most other
carvan places where it's hard to have a real conversation with other
people.
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