Dance of Happiness: Applejack Saves The Day!

Resting Applejack near Manilya Roadhouse....as you can see he and Kristy were being nursed.

THE sun was out early in the Bay and although I wasn't feeling crash hot from the night, I knew I had to get Kristy and Oliver cracking.
I looked up and saw feet hanging from the top bunk. The English guy had pleaded for us to let him sleep in Apple so we folded out the bed up top and let his rest his head. He was snoring his head off, laying flat on his stomach with his feet hanging over the edge.
Yes it was such a lovely sight and sound to wake up to...not!
I was thankful Oliver had willingly chose to step in his hammock every night.
This English guy had been sleeping in his back seat or on a surfboard every night so even Applejack's hard top-bunk was a treat for him.
Then to make the morning even more delightful we discovered someone had squeezed Kristy's toothpaste throughout Apple.
Ol mate thought he may have stepped on it while trying to climb onto bed.
Nice work champ!

I pulled at his feet and told him his beauty sleep was over. We were hitting the road again!

My next destination of interest was Monkey Mia.
Before I fuelled up I had a brilliant idea that Oliver should put his bag in with the guys and travel south with them.
He still no comprehend!
Wow some men just don't get the hint do they!

Monkey Mia was about 350km south but I wasn't sure if we'd go the distance that day. Applejack decided for us.
Not far out of Coral Bay he started loosing power. As soon as I would get up to 90km per hour he would fight against me and I knew he was sick.
We put on his song "Applejack" by Dolly Parton, but his spirits didn't lift.
It was seriously the slowest drive ever.
I think we sat on about 40-50km per hour.
I had no reception so when we finally reached the Manilya Roadhouse I rang my mechanic George, on the payphone.
I couldn't reach him so we found a free campsite down the road and called it a day.

I checked his oil when he had cooled down and thought it may have been the heat that was knocking him around but when we got back on the road that morning, nothing had changed.
He started off good but quickly lost power.
Carnarvon was just over 100km down the road so I gently drove him into town.

The first mechanics we saw, pointed us straight down the road to the man they said knew VW's.
The mechanic was on his lunch break so we went for a drive to check out the area and kill some time.
Oliver got his chocolate milk and away we went sight-seeing.
I hear in the back "oh shit".
"Oliver what did you do?" I said.
"Agh I spill chocolate milk."
We pulled over at a park to discover the milk everywhere.
I started cleaning the van to kill some more time and of course no one likes sour milk on their lap. ha

I was gone only a minute to take a bag of rubbish to the bin but when I got back to Apple I noticed my toolbox missing.
I asked Kristy if she had seen it. Yeah we both giggled...silly question.
I walked around the back and here is Oliver with his head in Applejack's bum (yes his engine).
"What are you doing?" I said.
"O I think I know what problem is."
"No I really don't think you do, please don't touch anything because I'm taking it to the mechanic in a few minutes."
"Agh sheet" he says.
He had taken the distributor cap off and couldn't get it back on.
Lucky George had showed me how to get it on and off before I left Queensland so I grabbed some rope and said "please move".
Or maybe just "MOVE". I can't really remember.
I put it back together and told him not to put his head in Apple's rear again.
Killing time wasn't working very well so back to the mechanics we went.

I was lucky to have George who would gladly get on the phone and talk to the mechanic about Apple.
I can't remember the mechanics name but he was a friendly guy and helped me ASAP.
He had a look and tinkered with a few things and after taking it for a drive, thought the problem was fixed.
So off we went, back on the highway.
Apple drove well.
Well for about 20km.
"You're kidding me" I thought to myself.
I turned around immediately and screeched back into the workshop.

Back on the phone George got and I was told what I thought was the worst news of my trip.
"I have to order in a fuel pump and the part might take up to a week to get here" he said.
Kristy and I looked at each other with horror! Carnarvon was not a holiday destination!

The part for Apple had to be ordered no matter what so I sucked it up, booked a campsite and had a laugh at the position we were in.

I said to Oliver I thought he should look at finding another lift because he wouldn't want to be stuck in Carnarvon for a week doing nothing with us.
He didn't say much but before we went to sleep he suggested we drop him off at the servo so he could hitch a ride.
What a GREAT IDEA I quietly thought to myself.

I slept well that night despite the news of staying in Carnarvon.
I didn't really feel like we would be staying and now I know it was a gut instinct that I'm glad I had.
Next morning we said "Common Oliver lets go!"
He said "why don't I come with you until you know about Applejack".
"No I think it's easier if we drop you off now" I said.
"O OK but if you fix you pick me up yeah?"
Kristy and I didn't respond with words. Just a smile.

When we got to the mechanic we got the best news ever.
"We have the new fuel pump," he said.

Champion!
He worked on it for a couple of hours and told us the back way out of town.
Applejack had done us a huge favour! He helped us give Oliver the nudge out of the kombi he needed. Well the nudge out that we needed.
Maybe Apple was over the man in the back aswell.

We had made friends with the mechanic and he told us we should stick around for some bike and buggy race.
"Big weekend" he said.
We laughed and said "oh maybe not...hate to get stuck!

We jumped in Apple, beeped the horn and spun his mighty little wheels outta town.
It was just Kristy, me and Applejack again. Free atlast!

"Shit I hope Oliver isn't on the side of the road up ahead!"