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Roaming Kiwi

Stupid Fridge

OK…  one fridge duly repaired.  Looks like the thermostat (a very simple device that gets stuffed into a little hole and plugged into the circuitboard) had fried itself.

The little silver metal thing on the end can rotate all the way round, like a child’s head in a horror movie.  The new one has more backbone, and cannot rotate at all – I assume this is a “good thing”.  All in all, a simple (if disappointing in the first place) fix.  The fridge is currently in testing with a load of beer, but things are looking good (its down to 5 degrees, from close to 30 when we began…).

It is still going home to NZ in the other car, where my brother has kindly volunteered to keep it gainfully employed and full of beverages.

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Build Update from Galway

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So… due to circumstances out of our control (i.e. Phil had a rather bad reaction to some jabs that we need for Africa) we ran out of time to complete the landrover build before heading to Ireland. We have only got one of the steel bumpers mounted, the winch is bolted but not wired in, the replacement sunroof visors aren’t fitted, the “light cannon” spotlights are languishing in the garage, and the water tank and filter set isn’t fitted either. Still lots to do once we get back from this trip!

However, the Taniwha is running pretty well, with just the expected moans, groans and niggles that settling into a new chassis and bushes entail (a bit of tightening up to do I think, plus one wheel hub needs replacement).

We have been spending a lot of time talking over packing strategy and modifications we need to make to the way we are doing things (nothing worse than a handful of felt tip pens shooting forwards off the day fridge and ending up under the pedals…)

Speaking of the day fridge, we have had a disappointing experience with our “old” Ironman 30l fridge.  A few days befiore heading off on this trip, it started madly freezing everything while insiting the temp was 11+ degrees…  clearly the thermostat has failed. It’s under warranty still, so we will get it fixed, but will not trust it for Africa.  We have sourced a replacement (36l SnoMaster) which is South African, and is the same brand as the big fella in the boot.  The Ironman will be sent home in disgrace in Margaret’s car.  We are also rather disappointed with the PVC “truck awning” cover for our rooftent – the seams in the corners are splitting, they are only single stitched.  Lazy design. Easy to reinforce – we will sort it before Scandinavia – but it’s highly irritating –  products designed for offroad should be better thought out.  Time for a shitty email to customer service methinks.  (Nakatanenga, Germany, if anyone is curious).

We have been really lucky with the weather so far – a few spots of rain today, but the sun is back out again.  Off on a daytip to the Aran Islands tomorrow…
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Ship of the Desert?

It was stupidly hot in London today.  An appropriate time to turn my mind to the onboard water tank that has been languishing in the garage for the last month or so – this guy needs to be fitted imminently, as we get the Taniwha back from SpannerMonkeys tomorrow or Tuesday, and are off on our shakedown trip to Ireland and the Isle of Man on Friday…

The tank is a 60l stainless rear footwell tank (with baffles to stop sloshing and the corresponding rapid weight transfer).  It will bolt in under the kids feet, and is shaped to fit exactly (I hope!).  I have noticed that it gets REALLY hot (untouchable) in the sun – not good with small paws in close proximity, so time for a wee craft project.  I have leftover automotive carpet from another job, plenty for the task at hand.  Carpet + Scissors + Contact Adhesive, job done!

Once we have the Taniwha back, I will fit the tank and plumb it in (electric pump, 3 stage filter to sieve out the nasties).  Running water, super fancy…  We will have a filter bag and a 20l jerrycan which will be used to fill the main tank, however no need for that until we get to Africa really, so still mulling over our options.

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A Giant Meccano Set

ejector.jpegSo…  it’s been awhile since I updated the world on vehicle prep progress.  As I write this, I am gazing at an empty driveway – the Landrover is up in Newcastle at SpannerMonkeys getting its underbelly tickled, and the Jaguar is at the chop-shop having all its ailments treated in preparation for shipping back to NZ to be put on ice for awhile…

SpannerMonkeys – great people, I can thoroughly reccommend them to anyone else wanting open heart surgery on an aging Land Rover.  The list of jobs they are ticking off for me is significant: a new hot-dip galvanised chassis (painted black so as not to scream “steal me”), new bushes all round, new brake lines and calipers, a 2″ suspension lift (heavy duty springs at the front, +2″ spacers under the bags at the rear), the engine bay and underside will be stripped and coated in “Lizard Skin” to enable easy cleaning, a bit of cutting and welding, new high pressure hydraulic lines for the ACE system (Active Corner Enhancement).  There are also a few electical niggles that are being sorted, and they are fitting my front and rear airlocking differentials as well as some Safari Equip long range stainless fuel tanks – we will have 160l in total onboard, plus a 20l jerrycan – so should get around 2000km before sucking fumes.

Waiting here in the garage for fitting is a 60l stainless water tank that will go in the footwell under the kids feet, angry steel bumpers front and rear (I am still deciding on what winch and rock sliders to get).  I need to fabricate a shelving solution that takes my rear fridge/freezer into account as well…  it slides out halfway for easy access, but Scotland taught me that unpacking around it a few times a day is a pain in the bum.

I have delayed the writeup on rear electrics and onboard air, as I had to strip the vehicle completely before delivering it to SpannerMonkeys, when I reassemble I will take better photos and do a proper writeup.

So – only a few big purchases left: a winch (choices, choices…), tree/rock sliders, anti-truckdriver spotlights… maybe a fat airhorn.  16″ steel rims and agressive tires (I am a bit torn on what tires to buy, down to BFG or Cooper).

I have also started the painful process of working out what tools I *really* need to take. Harder than it sounds…

Getting there, slowly but surely.  Ireland and Isle of Man in a few weeks for more shakedown time!
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Eleanor’s Hebridean Road Trip

*** This is the first Blog post by Eleanor Jack, age 7 and a bit***
For the last week and a half I have been in Scotland with my sister Vivi, Daddy and our friend Bos.

I went on 5 ferries on the last one I went on I saw a porpoise and on the first one I went on was the longest.

We bought a shopkin fairy cake mix and baked it on the bbq. They were really yummy and I put shopkins on them.

Daddy bought me a very nice blue Harris Tweed hat which my Mum wants to steal.

We camped every night in our roof tent and Daddy got midged 8556 times.  He said some bad words.

We went to 14 beaches. Some were stony and some were sandy.  Some had rockpools. We saw some crabs and rescued a starfish by putting him back into the water.

We went to Dunvegan Castle for breakfast and saw lots of fairy homes and the Fairy Flag. Its famous.

We went on a treasure hunt in Portree to find a present left by my friend.  It’s on Skye.

My holiday was the second best ever because Mummy wasn’t there.

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