Another one rolls off the production line to the deafening sound of cheering and the sight of the biggest grins you could ever imagine........just another day at the
Bushtracker factory....wonder if they ever get blase about it all? "They" being the workers there, are the nicest bunch of people you could ever hope to meet. Ian and I duly presented at the factory (after turning up at the old address due to ignorance) at around 8.45am after surviving the Brisbane morning peakhour traffic, and there was Paul, all smiles to start us on our hand over tour. A very long haul from the 1st tour I (Jan) did waaaay back in around 1997 to have a look at these new caravans, and return to where we were living in Tassie at the time ,to tell Ian about them! We took video of everything in order to refer back to it later, but honestly, we feel now that it was a waste of time. The pair of us were like sponges and soaked up every little detail....but that's just us.....others may want to film it all. Paul did the "Oh I am not good with video" thing, and we filmed him anyway!!! Our new home is all we could have hoped for and then some! To be honest, it has been so long since we ordered it, that the colour scheme was long forgotten, and to actually see it for the first time was a lovely surprise, and I am glad to say, it works for us! Every one of the interior pics I took of the layout and colour, is out of focus, because I a bit blind, plus the excitement made me check photos as I took them and see a perfectly focussed picture every time.......the digital's little screen is very hard to see in bright sunlight too. Will post some later after I re take them.....meanwhile you can see some in our photo album. Paul was just great, and very patient as he took me up to the registry office and Sound In Motion and all over the place to finalise the sale and get the van registered in Q'ld. (Trust me to find something silly in our number plate eh?) It was around lunch time that a fellow in a natty little bright blue sporty looking car pulled up and came over to talk to us, and we finally met the legendary "Anthony" of BOGGERS fame. Had a great natter to him before we had to go and get a tow hitch for the car....but he was still there when we came back so we talked some more! All I can say is, if it's as easy to make friends at Copeton as it was to meet and do the same with Anthony, then we are set for life with friends we have yet to make! He could not do enough for us with advice on stuff we would not have thought of, and for this we thank him again. BTi should think about having roving ambassadors like him fair dinkum! He would have an entire pavillion of people interested in what he had to say at any of the caravan shows. (Was that enough praise...did I do good ??) All too soon, it was down to the wire to get us on the road......the bit I had been dreading....traffic, heavy van with nothing in it to make it tow nicely....you know, all the usual stuff you do on any given day...NOT!!! Ian being a real country boy won't drive in any traffic at all (YET.....I am training him!) and I actually enjoy a challenge like this, so, Paul gave me specific directions to get us around to the Forest Glen caravan park which is literally just up the road, and........I blew it. Stress gives me tunnel vision, and I just didn't see the caravan park signs (huge, by the way!) pointing me to the right turning road, and we gaily sailed on by.......straight up the road which takes you over Buderim mountain......................oh *@% !!!!!!!. This is a road to be taken seriously by mountain goats, with a big dipper in the middle which makes you wonder if you will ever make it to the top....especially if you are in first gear to get there like I was!!!! The poor car was screaming, due to the fact that I was not driving it properly and due to the fact that I was so scared you could smell the fear, and I am NOT being rude here folks! Anyway.........long story short......we managed to find a service station to turn around in and went back DOWN the mountain, found the turn off, all marked well, and spent a night in one of the best run parks we have been in yet. Spotlessly clean, peaceful, a fantastic restaurant (and the bloke can really cook!) because I was too wound up to cook anything, and we were the subject of quite a bit of furtive envy from those around us in their little Jaycos and suchlike! Felt GOOOD! So,after all that, we drove back to Brisbane via all the tollways, and arrived at our mate's place in leafy Kenmore none the worse for our ordeal the previous day. Now all we are doing is packing the van with "stuff" ready to move on to the next adventure back in Tassie, and then back up to NSW for a while before we head to Copeton. Saw the Bett's van (very nice blue tones etc, from what you could see under all the plastic sheeting) and lots of other ones, but who's they were was impossible to say as there were no names on them yet. The factory is really roaring along with literally dozens of vans on the move along the assembly line. The one and only Steven T Gibbs made an appearance to measure our van for rego and he certainly looked the part in his wranglers, stetson and RM boots (of all things!). His interest in us seemed minimal, but that's o.k......we are only plebs I guess when you have so many lining up to give you lots of dollars.....must get tedious. Paul literally chucked us a huge basket of goodies when the time came to leave, and we duly sank the cork from the bottle of Chardy that night. It's a lovely feeling...sitting in your land yacht admiring the view from the window in the aircondtioning while watching your flat panel tv and listening to the sounds coming from your 4 speakers in the roof........while the neighbours struggle with the wind up roof and the fold out beds.....in the rain. I better stop......we are having a celebration bbq today and I have to get cracking and do stuff.......see you all at Copeton I hope. Angie I will post more pics soon...promise! Cheers from Jan & Ian (ROCKGOCS)
