Get up early, leaving Bec in bed to grab a few precious extra minutes of beauty sleep, while I put a load of washing on, worked on uploading a few more pictures to Flickr and then pushed some dishes through some soapy water. That was the plan for this morning. It even worked out fairly well, with Bec getting up just as I was about to put some elbow grease into getting the dishes washed.

For the rest of the day, we planned on tootling around town, doing a bit of sight seeing mingled with a spot of shopping here and there. A positively splendid way we thought to spend a cool, but sunny day. It was nearly midday before we got going, stopping at the homemaker centre on the outskirts of town first, then moving on to the main shopping centre in town. We had well over an hour, or so we thought, to browse through the dozen or so stores, before we planned to be at the visitor information centre for a bi-weekly tour of the old hospital.

Things came a little unstuck though, when as we walked away from ‘The Beast’ Bec noticed something hanging down from within the front wheel well. On closer inspection, it turned out to be a slither of fan belt, which became more ominous when I popped the bonnet to find the entire leading edge of the belt had been stripped and was now strewn about across the engine bay.

Between the phone calls to John at Trucks ‘N’ Toys where I bought ‘The Beast’ and climbing on, in, over and under ‘The Beast’ to try and ascertain the exact cause of the belt disintegration, we were at a loss as to the cause. I was glad for all of the assistance that John offered over the phone, but without him to have a proper look at things, it was difficult to diagnose. Thankfully I have a spare belt in the back, which I had hoped I wouldn’t need while away, but will now have to figure out how to fit. My primary concern is that should I fit the new belt, it will also self destruct due to an as yet indeterminate problem, leaving us stranded.

With that in mind, our sightseeing and shopping was all put on hold while we did the rounds of the mechanical workshops in town. The first two we visited were sympathetic to our plight, but just too busy to be able to assist us within our required timeframe. We were on the verge of conceding that we might have to remain in Geraldton for a few extra days when we managed to locate the local Cummins dealer and workshop.

I had hardly explained my predicament to them before a couple of mechanics were heads down beneath the hood. Helpfully they agreed that the belt was indeed in a sorry state. That much I already knew, but was there any reason for it to have worn out in such a short time was more the question for which I was seeking an answer. There was evidence that it had slipped forward on a couple of the wheels, but how and why was still a mystery.

An hour later, with the old belt stripped clear of the pulleys and the new one fitted and adjusted, we were all still none the clearer. I was at least more confident in the knowledge that this new belt, should the same problem reoccur, ought to at least last us some time. A check of the belt will now be included on our daily checklist and if it does start to show similar signs of irregular wear, I will have to book ‘The Beast’ in somewhere for a more thorough check of the pulley alignment.

With the mechanics dusting their hands off, having been hard at work for an hour or so, I was steeling myself for the bad news. Surely the personal attention of two mechanics wasn’t going to come cheaply, but after a quick discussion among themselves, it was decided that the effort to create a new job would outweigh the cost. I was sent on my way, without a bill and even a refusal to accept any tip or cash for their efforts. Just a cheery wave and a smile as we drove off. Now, how is that for country service? So, whether the actual problem has been rectified or not, I can heartily recommend the fantastic customer service at Geraldton Cummins (they’re at 12 Beaver Street if you’re up this way).

Unfortunately, by the time we had all this sorted out, we had well and truly missed our planned tour and there was very little time left in the day for shopping. We still headed back into the main street where Bec was able to relax with some much needed retail therapy, leaving me to wander the street which was strangely devoid of people. There were a few people milling about here and there, but it was hardly what you would call bustling. We walked into one store, where staff outnumbered us, and as we browsed the overflowing racks of clothes strewn haphazardly about the old church hall like building, the fall of our feet reverberated noisily around the walls.

As a result of Becs shopping expedition, she helpfully saved us a small fortune. Something to do with cooler climes and needing a new wardrobe, she had to spend money to save us money though, but she grabbed a couple of bargains along the way apparently.

Surely the phone signal in Geraldton isn’t that bad?

No, she was just interested in getting…

…a photo of the unusual cloud formations.

It was then a rush to reach the supermarket, which closes at 6:00PM. We needed to stock up on dinner supplies and we’re not used to having to schedule our food shopping, being accustomed to open all hours availability of groceries at home. Despite the haste, we managed to collect enough provisions for tonights dinner, as well as a few extra bits and pieces that kind of just fell into the trolley as we walked the aisles.

Then it was back to the van, where after the last couple of days of below par dinners, we finally managed to turn out a delicious supper of spaghetti bolognaise. What a treat to actually be able to enjoy what was on the plate before us tonight, before sitting down to watch TV for the remainder of the night.

Thankful also, are we that we still have tomorrow here in Geraldton, to maybe take in a few of the things we missed by necessity today.

Until next time, stay safe, have fun and don’t forget to write.