SmartBar Mackay Festival of Arts Floriade Darwin International Film Festival
Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
Click here for the Grey Nomads website -> The Grey Nomads Forum -> The Grey Nomads - General -> The van is hooked up, the shake down trip starts tomorrow.
Post Info TOPIC: The van is hooked up, the shake down trip starts tomorrow.
Boothie


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 193
Date:
The van is hooked up, the shake down trip starts tomorrow.
Permalink  

I have the van hooked to the car, the fridge is packed and on, the gas is off, the battery is charged, the chains are crossed, the water tank has water in it, I have a spare gas bottle, Coco the greyhounds bed is packed, why do I feel as if I have missed something or is it just first trip jitters?

First trip, shake down to find out where we have put things in the wrong place, what we should have packed and what we don't need.  The opera house nets are in and the yabbies are going to taste good.

I have a week left of my christmas holidays, I go back to work, put in for some long service leave, meet some friends for a sixtieth birthday, houseboat on the Murray, go back to work for a week or two, couple of more months long service and off to Cooktown via a station north of Wilcannia for the missuses oldest and best friend reunion.

Back to work for a couple of weeks, then some more Long Service Leave, then it is the big adios from the man, 54/11 retirement on the old CSS.

Why do I feel I have forgotten something?

 



__________________

Never growing old, just getting dusty around the edges.
Rip and Rosie


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 2238
Date:
Permalink  

lol..........in 2 days you'll realise that it doesn't matter.

You'll either live without it, or find a way around it until you get it.


Have a great time.

__________________

Rosie
Boothie


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 193
Date:
Permalink  

Love that reply, got me giggling!  The problem is, the thing I might forget is the missus, and I can't live without her!



__________________

Never growing old, just getting dusty around the edges.
Dougwe


Chief one feather

Status: Offline
Posts: 17444
Date:
Permalink  

As long as you have your poota to keep in touch with us all and some refreshments in that fridge, oh! and a seat in readiness for happy hour what does it matter I reckon.

Enjoy the playground Boothie.



__________________

Live Life On Your Terms

DOUG  Chief One Feather  (Losing feathers with age)

TUG.......2014 Holden LT Colorado Twin Cab Ute with Canopy

DEN....... 2014 "Chief" Arrow CV  (with some changes)

 
Gerty Dancer


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 6997
Date:
Permalink  

Coco! dont forget Coco!!!!

__________________

Cheers,  Gerty. ... at home

"Leaning forward to see whats coming"
                                                                   
golivers travels


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 644
Date:
Permalink  

Sounds like a great plan Boothie. We both retired early and so pleased we did. Gotta love the 54/11. Also used LSL up prior to finishing. You will have a fabulous time, nothing like that feeling of heading off on a trip. Remember to take your sence of humour, gets you through some tight spots. Happy vanning. Cheers Glenda

__________________

Glenda and Gary Oliver 2010 Pajero with 2008 19 ft Jayco Sterling Our Blog: http://www.birdshootaustralia.blogspot.com http://www.birdshootuk.blogspot.com.au
chicken


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 145
Date:
Permalink  

Wow, that is sooooo good - all hooked up and just waiting to go.  Don't worry about what you have forgotten, it won't seem important once you get started, just don't forget to close the door behind you and then you are OFF!!  Have a great time and travel safely.



__________________
Pam


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 1227
Date:
Permalink  

what is the 54/11 ?

__________________

From  NSW
Onedodger


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 535
Date:
Permalink  

EXCEPT FOR EMERGENCY GEAR.

When you use something mark it with a texta then when you get home if it is not marked then leave it at home next time.

This really helps sort things out.

Oh, and it is MANDATORY that you have a good time.

 

Cheers Dodg.



__________________

I was tired yesterday and I'm tired today betcha I'm retired tomorrow. he he.

Cheers Dodg.
Boothie


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 193
Date:
Permalink  

We are all set up at Darlington Point on the banks of the Murrumbidgee having arrived with a slight delay.  I had to cut down half a tree to get the van out of the driveway.  Don't ask me how I got the thing in there in the first place but it wasn't coming out in a hurry.  So we were an hour late leaving!

I am into my first cold one and Coco and the missus are chilling out.  Enjoying all the bird life etc.

Pam, 54/11 is an option on a lot of older super schemes.  If you resign before 55 years of age, for instances 2 days before your 55th bithday, you can then retire at 55 getting a pension based on 2.5 times your super contributions.  I withheld every attempt by my employer to change to the newer schemes that did not have this option.  Because of the early retirement and being a self funded retiree there are certain tax benefits as well.  I figure that what I will get as a pension is not going to be worth the $3000 dollars extra I would get by staying at work!  That is to say $3000 dollars does not come anywhere near paying for the stress of work!

One other thing I must say is that I was astounded to see a gentleman towing a decent sized van overtake me on a stretch of the Newell.  I was doing 85-90 ks and he left me for dead.  How he could tounbelievablew at those speeds with the van swaying the way it was was unbelievable.  We didn't see him wrapped around anything but I reckon it will only be a matter of time.  The van was swaying easily 3 foot in either direction.

Oh well, we are here and safe and I'm onto my second coldie.

Cheers all



__________________

Never growing old, just getting dusty around the edges.
neilnruth


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 3683
Date:
Permalink  

Have a great time Boothie. It's not when you leave that you might forget something, just don't leave the missus or Coco behind when you're out there.
Friend left his wife behind one time because he thought he heard her say she would just stay with the dog (in the van) until they got down the road. Why did this happen? Because they had pulled into a Big $ in pouring rain and didn't confess they had a dog in the van. Next morning, feeling nervous about having the dog, she thought they should leave her in the van until a bit down the road. Little did they know the park manager would catch them out when he chased them for a gate key (which they didn't get because the storm had taken the power out) and found her running after the van to close the door and retrieve the dog!!
Take care. Have fun. And don't try and hide the dog.

__________________

NeilnRuth
golivers travels


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 644
Date:
Permalink  

Pam wrote:

what is the 54/11 ?

Pam, very simply, it is to do with an older type of government retirement scheme where it is worth money to you to retire before your 55th birthday, most do so when they are 54/11 months. This scheme has since been replaced with the new scheme and retirement is now usually at 60. Cheers Glenda

__________________

Glenda and Gary Oliver 2010 Pajero with 2008 19 ft Jayco Sterling Our Blog: http://www.birdshootaustralia.blogspot.com http://www.birdshootuk.blogspot.com.au
golivers travels


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 644
Date:
Permalink  

Sorry Boothie, you must have posted while I was typing

__________________

Glenda and Gary Oliver 2010 Pajero with 2008 19 ft Jayco Sterling Our Blog: http://www.birdshootaustralia.blogspot.com http://www.birdshootuk.blogspot.com.au
Boothie


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 193
Date:
Permalink  

Coco has settled in and found a comfortable spot as the picture shows.  The missus has found a comfortable spot on the bed watching Hewitt getting done.  She would not let me take a picture, violence was threatened.  Still relaxing with a cold one and chilled out to the max.  All the stress and tension has gone.  I think this life is really going to suit me.  I find some where tomorrow to put the yabby pots in and a feed of creamy garlic yabby tails could be on the menu.

Anyway, here is Coco settled in a comfortable spot, she did get into a little trouble cause she had a dip in the Bidgee and was a wee bit damp.

 



Attachments
__________________

Never growing old, just getting dusty around the edges.
Page 1 of 1  sorted by
 
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.
Click here for the Grey Nomads website -> The Grey Nomads Forum -> The Grey Nomads - General -> The van is hooked up, the shake down trip starts tomorrow.
Tweet this page Post to Digg Post to Del.icio.us
Purchase Grey Nomad bumper stickers Read our daily column, the Nomad News The Grey Nomad's Guidebook