TWO LONG WEEKS IN MT ISA

Yes! Two weeks now. Whether you believe in the odds or the Gods we have been dealt a bad hand or are being well and truly tested.   This is the end of 14 days in Mt Isa and we may not get away tomorrow.  Last weeks post brings us up to last Sunday the 3rd of May so here is the next week.  Keep in mind while I describe what is going on with the mechanic there are another 23 hours in the day - between us Jim and I have read 6 books - sat in the dog park with Sammie for around 14 hours - been food shopping everyday because it gives us something to do.  It is pretty dull.

Monday - ordered the replacement rings (remember they sent the wrong size last week)

Tuesday - nothing happens

Wednesday - new rings arrive - mechanic says all good you will have your bus back tonight.  We book out of the motel - Sammie very disappointed was really getting used sitting on the step each morning waiting for the cleaner and scaring her half to death when she turned our corner to our unit.

Wait Wednesday is not over yet - we are at the mechanics watch the apprentice take 4 big bottles of coolant from the workshop over to the bus - yeah that means the engine is back together.  But wait - there is a lot of jibber jabbering going on with the mechanics a bit of a rush back and forth to the workshop and finally one of them comes over and has a chat to Jim.  Jim mate we are not happy with the engine looks like the head needs machining.  That means it all has to come apart again and the top or head sent off to someone (in town luckily) to machine. Back to the motel for us.

Thursday - The engine comes apart again so the head can go off for machining.  Ok this we can deal with however in trying to get the head off the gasket has been ruined (you might guess what I am going to say next) yep the gasket has to come from Brisbane.  Gasket ordered Thursday with a promise from the company that it will be on overnight freight.

Friday - book out of the motel again.  Mechanic says once we get the gasket all is go.  Courier comes goes but no gasket!  Courier does not deliver on Saturdays - not good enough for me I push a bit and find out that you can go to the airport and pick deliveries up yourself.  We get a promise from the mechanic that if we get the gasket he will do the work on the weekend.   Ok we move into the bus for the night in the mechanics yard.

Saturday - go to airport at 10:00 check what came in last night - nothing!! Girls says another flight at 11:40 and she will call us.  Wait, Wait, Wait bad news it did not come on the 11:40 either.  Mechanic shrugs and says well I ordered it Thursday it should have been here.  We stay another night in the mechanics yard.  Sammie starting to feel like a junkyard dog,

Sunday - nothing to do but read and eat.  Woolies and Coles aren't open on Sunday so lucky I had got some supplies Saturday.

Here it is Sunday night - Jim is reading and I am writing.

Some photos for the week -

Engine with head off - difficult place to work in between to the two seats at the front of the bus.

Sammie the junkyard dog

Sammie has decided we are taking to long and got his own ute to get on the road. Check out the number plate.