It’s actually the other way around eg: 14ltrs / 1000km’s….

For all you car lovers out there.

Oh GEEZ …

And so it begins..

Wayne and his attention to detail and my lack of curiosity (at times) is going to annoy both of us I’m sure.

This new car of ours has a display in the dash where it lists all kinds of helpful information, including the fuel economy. I know I said I wouldn’t be writing another blog until we were on the road, but this (for me) is something that I want to remember down the track..apologies if boring to everyone else.

When we purchased the car, the previous owner had told Wayne that he had also done a trip around Australia and the car was great on fuel, averaging around 11km/1000 ltrs ? (Does that sound right or make sense?) without the van on and around 15km/1000ltrs with van on. That being known to us now, Wayne is bent on keeping it at 11 or below and is obsessed, and I mean OBSESSED.

Driving towards the city last weekend, we were having a conversation and in the middle he cuts me off saying ‘Griffo, I’ve got it down to 10’.. I said ‘oh great’ and continued on talking….then… ‘griffo, i’ve got it down to 9’ and again I reply with ‘okkkkaaayyy’ and then I stop talking because he’s on a roll. He eventually gets it down to 8 where it remains for ages (whilst on the freeway anyway). He’s a dork plain and simple, but a lovable one.

Then comes the ineveitable question to me. ‘ What’s it at when you’re driving’ ? mmm let me see.. about 15/17 (really more like 21). REALLY he shouts, how’s that possible ? I have no clue how that is possible. Here comes the lecture ‘ you’ve got to NURSE the pedal and just cruise up towards the speed, no need to fang it straight away – I don’t think I’ve ever FANGED anything just to be clear – he is clearly baffled by this and it’s hilarious to me, not so much to him. He then tells me that’s the reason we are going through more fuel than we should be.

SO for the next week, I’m driving around being 100% distracted by the display that shows the fuel economy, or should I say MY offensive fuel economy. I managed to get it down to 17 which I thought was pretty good, but not good enough. It got to the point that I was hardly looking at the road ! I made the point that perhaps the reason he got it down so low because we were on the freeway and when I drive I’m mainly driving locally and stop/starting all the time. This was not the reason, until it WAS the reason. Something clicked in his wonderful brain and he gave it some thought.

So, I’m now back to driving the car and looking at the road and not being distracted as much, until I see those silly stickers of families stuck on a car in front. I sit there and count how many kids, how many parents, animals etc.. Trying to figure out if that’s a boy that has the tennis racket in his hand, and the girl who is wearing a tutu. If anything is distracting, it’s these. I really dislike them and if Wayne comes home with those for our car (I wouldn’t put it past him) my mission will be to maintain the fuel economy at my average of 25km/1000ltrs .. or whatever it is !

In 17 days we will be completely moved out of our home and staying with friends until our Caravan arrives. It’s starting to become more real and given that the kids are in their last week of school for 2012, it all seems to be happening all at once. 

I’m beginning to feel a range of emotions. Nerves, a little anxious, excited and plain old tired (mainly at the thought of what’s ahead in terms of packing and cleaning). I’m also starting to acknowledge that I am going to miss so many people and so will the girls. Thank goodness for email, blogs and Skype. 

We’ve had our new car now for about 2 weeks and in that time Wayne has wasted not a single second in modifying it. We just got installed the long range fuel tank, the roof racks have been ordered and the ugliest fattest roo bar you’ve ever seen will be installed on Thursday. He’s also ordered some built in dvd players for the headrests which the girls will love and I think that’s it for the moment. 

I had to fill up the car today for the first time. Wayne had to explain to me about the 2 fuel holes, and that I had to use the right one, not the left etc etc.. So I go to the petrol station, check that I am using Diesel and then off we go.. but nothing happens. So I take the nozzle out, put it back in.. nothing.. take it out again and in again and STILL nothing.. all of a sudden, this voice comes booming out of the loud speaker ‘ LADY IN # 6, YOU HAVE TO LIFT THE MANUAL LEVER FOR THE DIESEL PUMP’.. how embarrassing. Of course, I didn’t know what she meant, but the 2 kind gentleman in the ute next to me did (even more embarrassing) so they came over and showed me, then made sure that I was in fact supposed to be putting Diesel in my car.. YES I am.. I knew that much.. I blame Wayne for all of this (even though lady at the counter told me she thinks they are the only petrol station in Perth that still have a manual diesel pump).. did this paragraph interest anyone ? Purely for my recollection later on.. 

So, that’s about it. I am surrounded everyday by packing boxes, trying to pack whilst looking after Frankie has it challenges, but she seems to love sticky tape. 

Looking forward to our trip though, and to the many amazing places that we will discover along the way. I’m also excited at the thought of seeing my family and friends along the east coast.. going camping with a few of them too, so that will be awesome. 

So just a very quick update… 

Until next time where I will be writing from the comfort of my caravan. . .

The Morrells x