"Mandy Mazda"

So we have started our adventure along the central eastern coast of Australia. We drove up from Sydney and are now in Brisbane, camping at some very nice NSW state campsites along the way. But how did we get there? With our "new" car, Mandy Mazda!

We had the lovely privilege to stay with a couple that live in Glenwood, a suburb of Sydney. Actually quite close to the Hillsongs church. Carolyn and Charles were so hospitable and helpful. They picked us up from the airport in Sydney when we flew back from Fiji and settled us into a spare room in their house. We knew the next day would be car-shopping. Tuesday morning we left with Carolyn for Paramatta Rd, a well-known auto sales road in Sydney. Many, many dealerships, new and used. Carolyn was helpful and had a few good tips to add, plus she knew where the dealerships clumped together along the way. After test driving a couple crappy, overpriced, not very nice looking used models, we found our car. We went to Sari autosales and saw a nice '97 Mazda, the interior in very good, clean condition and the exterior also quite nice, no dents, never has been in an accident. For a 13 year old car, it was taken care of. 184,400 km on it. The price, more than I wanted to pay, we haggled it down to 3,650. But it does have all the extra's my Tricia Tercel doesn't. Power windows and locks, adjustable steering, a/c, more interior lights, adjustable driver's seat and a much bigger boot! She's a station wagon, the back seats fold down and we can fit lots of stuff in her. Two things we've noticed now, with use, that don't work too well: the cigarette lighter is diconnected and the gas gauge on the dash goes completely to empty, once the tank is about half full. However there is a fuel warning light that comes on, when the fuel starts getting low, plus we are just using the trip meter to record our milege, so it's not a big deal. Normally who cares about a cigarette lighter, the only thing was the pump we bought to fill up our air mattress needs that outlet to function. So now at campsites we have to borrow other campers lighter outlets! Humbling maybe, but also a great way to meet some local Aussies. They are very nice and helpful, with the laid back personality that reminds me much of Canadians!

Wednesday, after we bought Mandy, we got her registered in our name, paid the tax for it, then went shopping for camping supplies. Carolyn again was a great help and she took us to Kmart (which is big here-kinda like Wal-mart) because we said we wanted to get what we could as cheap as possible. We found a great tent, Esky box and water jug, large water container, air mattress, camping chairs and camping cooking utensils for great prices. We also got maps, that Caroyln could get for free from NRMA.

Carolyn and Charles were such great contacts for us, and all from my boss in Chilliwack, Maggy. Carolyn and Maggy are cousins, and Maggy offered to help out when I told her I would be moving to Australia for a time.

Thursday was pack up day, picture looking time at Carolyn's neat scrapbooks and our wedding photos, and then off we were at 10:30 am to our first campsite along the way. The saga continues........