Welcome back to New Life On The Road. We were finally ready to depart. All the required insurance and temporary registration had been obtained. We had checked and adjusted the tire pressures, fuel, oil and radiator coolant. I had also replaced the windscreen wiper rubbers. Nothing could go wrong now. Or could it?
Would we be getting on the road?
There was a lot we didn’t understand about Getting The Bus Ready for traveling – that was still to come!
A Taste Of Life On The Road
We departed from the south side of Batemans Bay with Geoff driving. To say I was excited was a bit of an understatement. I was as excited as a dog at a cat show. We were finally on the road, It was one of those warm clear days that you get at the start of winter and we were about to drive up through the South Coast of New South Wales where I had spent many holidays and long weekends in my younger years.
The first hour was spent driving north until we reached Ulladulla . Geoff was happy with how the bus was running. It was handling ok and the motor had a reasonable amount of power for something that was forty years old. We pulled over across from the harbour in Ulladulla so that I could have my first bus driving lesson and to also work out which of the ancient unlabeled switches worked all the headlights before it got dark.
I took the time to take in the harbour views before we set off again. It is a place that I had been to many times before. It is one of those places that I will never get tired of going back to. The view of all the fishing trawlers and yachts safely at anchor behind the protective harbour wall and surrounding cliffs, highlighted by the setting afternoon sun brings a feeling of peace to the sole that you don’t often get living in suburbia.
Want to see how he painted our Motorhome Roof Easily?
Another Aspect Of Life On The Road
I was about to experience another aspect of life on the road as I prepared to pull back on to the Princess Highway. Driving a bus on the open road was a first for me. I had driven haul trucks on mine sites before but those roads are quiet compared to a major public highway. I had quickly gone from excited to being slightly nervous. Moving off I found the gear changes a bit of a challenge as I had to double clutch when changing gears to stop grinding them. Geoff had made it look easy but I was finding myself to be a bit uncoordinated. My left hand and foot just couldn’t get their act together.
I continued north passing many of the old areas that I used to go camping at. Jervis Bay, Nowra (where I gave Geoff some grey hair as I came close to the curb a few times whilst getting used to how wide the bus is), Kiama and the Illawarra district before arriving in Wollongong where the bus was about to face its first real test.
We were about to climb a mountain. When heading north from the South Coast towards Sydney the only way is up one of two mountain passes. I had chosen to go up Mount Ousley. It is the longer of the two climbs but much straighter and not quiet as steep. Would we get to the top ok? Or would we overheat part way up?
You will have to wait for the next post to find out when I continue with First Taste Of Life On The Road Part 2
Cheers,
David Wood
New Life On The Road
Hello Dave,
The blog is looking good and I am looking forward to reading more about New Life On The Road…good to see how you got home safe and sound to us!!! Love your writing – you are getting really good, Hmm wonder who your teacher is?
Just kidding – looking good.
Cheers
Lisa
Lisa Wood recently posted..Welcome To Free Book Summaries
Thanks Coach:)
Hi Lisa and Dave
Enjoying your blog, my husband is a truck and bus nut. Can you please show us a picture of the outside of the bus.
Hi Kerry and Jeff,
I will put up some Photos and better describe the bus in the next post.
Thanks for reading our blog:)
Cheers,
Dave
That photo of Jervis Bay is one of the best beach photos I have ever seen!!