Success is getting what you want; happiness is liking what you get

Monday 23 September 2013

Helping the Aussies

There was a “rat-a-tat” on the caravan door on Saturday morning.  The Aussie tourists had got their rental motor-home bogged down in the sodden ground at the Greytown Campground and couldn’t move.  Could someone help them?  Sure, they were told, but not till we had finished  watching the America’s Cup race on TV.  Once the race had concluded, all the blokes went outside to help.  The Aussie started up the engine, put the camper into gear, and five caravanners of assorted shapes and sizes started pushing.  Not that their combined muscles made the least little difference, the van remained firmly stuck in the mud.

P9210001First they pushed from the back

Perhaps if they rock the motor-home from the front it might relieve some of that pressure and get those wheels loose?  So they tried, and tried, but no – the vehicle was still stuck fast.

P9210002 Then they tried from the front

Onto Plan C.  Just as well Robin has a big grunty 4WD – he could tow it out.  He backed the Toyota Landcruiser to the front of the stranded motor-home but………..  what shall we use to pull it out?  Did anyone have a rope?  Luckily Peter had one tucked away, and it was soon attached.

P9210004 Attaching the tow rope

Robin accelerated slowly and carefully and the rope tightened.  Success at last, the motor-home was freed from the muddy site.  But the moral of the story is that Robin put his towing strop in the 4WD as soon as we returned home – you never know when it might be needed again.

P9210006 Landcruiser to the rescue

The Aussie campers were pleased to freed and could finally get on their travels again.  It turns out that they are olive growers from Yackandandah, Victoria.  As a token of appreciation for our help, he gave our group a couple of packets of Dukkah which his company produces.  That certainly made for quite a different type of nibbles later in the afternoon at 4zees.  We purchased some French Bread from  the trendy French Bakery up town, plus a bottle of extra virgin olive oil.  Not everyone had tried Dukkah and olive oil before so we had a quick run down of how to taste it.  With the bread cut into rounds, take one and dip it in the bowl of oil.  Then dip the oiled bread into a dish of Dukkah, and enjoy.  We had two to try, golden spicy nut made with macadamia nuts and sesame seed, and the darker olive and tomato variety.   Mmmm, just love those tasty Mediterranean flavours. 

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