For us, the screeching of the alarm at 8:00AM was a most definitely unwelcome beginning to the day. The purpose of our early morning wake up call this morning was on the other hand very much welcome. Well, at least we hoped it would be, as we had our fingers crossed that the technician who was due at 8:30AM to have a look at our heater would actually be able to rectify the fault.

Our savior arrived promptly at the allotted time, and quickly confirmed our diagnosis. The unit was assuredly not working. Well, that much we were able to figure out for ourselves, so I was then eager to find if our mullet haired dude would actually be able to competently analyse the precise origin of the problem and subsequently repair it.

Leaving us sitting inside, shivering in the cool of the morning that was frigidly assaulting the interior of the van, the technician propped his ladder against the side of the van and commenced working his magic. To the untrained ear, his banging, thumping and odd habit of talking to himself left us apprehensive. He was soon back however, explaining that a copper pipe had split, causing a complete loss of coolant. A not uncommon problem, he explained, that should be relatively simple to rectify, just as soon as he went back to the shop to collect the necessary equipment.

Given this information, that the problem was as a result of a broken piece of pipe, was disappointing. I have no doubt it was caused from the vibrations we encountered on the road to Kalgoorlie the other day, but we are talking about an air conditioning unit which has specifically been designed for caravan and motor home applications. I would expect that such a unit ought to be designed with constant vibration in mind, but obviously not.

By 10:00AM though, after a lot more thumping around and one sided conversation, the order was given to flick the switch inside, to crank the unit into life. A mere few seconds later, a blissfully warm stream of air was being pumped through the vents and circulating throughout the van. The warmth might not feel so blissful later, when I go to the factory to pay for the repairs however. The technician couldn’t give us a firm figure on the spot as to how much it was going to set us back, but alluded to the fact that it wasn’t going to be cheap.

To make the most of our new found warmth, we boosted the thermostat to the max. Of course, we nearly roasted ourselves, but after almost a week of going without the heater, we were just jubilant to have everything back in working order, and were happy to sit within the sauna like confines of the van to enjoy it.

It was after 11:00AM by the time we decided we needed to get out of the van to cool off somewhat. So we headed into town for a look around the shops in the main street. That didn’t take too long, and we were soon struggling to find things with which to keep us busy, while we wasted time as we waited for 2:00PM to roll around, when Bec had an appointment for a relaxing massage. Natty as she is, she had spotted a coupon in the information centre yesterday for a two for one deal. So she is booked in for this afternoon and Friday morning now to make the most of our time here.

After stalking the stores fronting the main street for long enough, we took up prime position in the soft leather wingback arm chairs in the window of a café where we could enjoy a lengthy lunch and the constant parade of people wandering by, before taking a calorie busting stroll along the foreshore with the dogs.

The pooches eye off the beautiful looking beach.

Still a few minutes early for her 2:00PM appointment, I dropped Bec off, while I went to get the bad news about the air conditioner, as I headed to the factory to pay the bill. As it turns out, $300.00 is the price of comfort and I put it on plastic, so it’s not like it’s real money anyway! Imagine how many blankets we could have bought for $300.00 though? It could have been a lot worse however, as had the break been in a slightly different location, we might have been looking for an entirely new unit at close to $2000.00. If that were the case, it would have been blankets all round for sure.

For the remainder of the time that Bec was getting pummeled and twisted like an origami swan, I went to check out the local museum. I was most excited about this, as they advertise as having the largest and most comprehensive Skylab display in the world. While I don’t remember the occasion, due to my modest age, Skylab came crashing to Earth back in 1979, the debris being spread over an expansive tract of Western Australia between Esperance and Balladonia.

Skylab display at the museum.

I can’t substantiate the claims made about the Skylab display, but it was indeed interesting. As well as a series of news articles and keepsakes from the day, there were several chunks of metal, which may or may not have really come from the space going craft. I have no doubt that they were all authentic, but can’t fathom how all the little bits of otherwise indiscernible rubbish were located after being spread across the outback. It would also stand to reason that there would still be bits of space station out there, waiting to be found.

Model of the Skylab and salvaged bits of the craft.

Along with the Skylab, the museum had innumerable other artifacts ranged across a vast array of subjects, but generally relating in some way to the local Esperance history. Many of the displays contained items that might not have been of museum quality, but had obviously been donated by local families, which was a nice touch, although it did lead to a crammed, haphazard feel to the tin shed gallery.

I collected a very tranquil Bec next, before making our next stop at an art gallery, which also boasted a craft shop and lookout. None were overly exciting, although the views from the lookout were pleasant. Seeing what the shoreline was like today, not darkened by clouds as it was yesterday, gave us a better appreciation for the quality of the surrounding beaches. With stark white sand reaching down to the turquoise water, it was only the icy cold wind that stopped us stripping to our togs and taking a dip.

The enticing view from the lookout.

Our final stop for the afternoon was at one of only nine fish leather tanneries in the world. Aptly named ‘Mermaid Leather’ we were given the grand tour by one of the owners, before sitting down in an ad-hoc theatrette to view a video about the tanning process. Far from what you would expect, the resulting leather is soft and strong, with a fantastic patina. Naturally, it also comes with a not so fantastic price, although we did pick up a few samples and off cuts to bring home to show everyone.

An unusual piece, a fish leather teddy bear.

Back at the van, we were relieved to find that the heater had sustained a loving warmth in the van all day and was still going strong. As the sun sank, with a corresponding dip in the outside temperature, $300.00 was sounding like the best money we’ve ever spent.

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