GLENN INNES to SWANSEA

02/09/05. Left Stanthorpe early, and once we hit the N.S.W. border the rain came down in bucket's - a bit scary at one stage, but Sandra said that I handled the wet road like an Old Truckie, she is getting used to the bad roads and slippery condition's. We were going to stop at Deepwater at the back of an old Pub for the night, but there was no room, so we drove on and pulled up at a Road House - Truck Stop in Glenn Innes, as we drove in a guy (Charlie) waved for us to stop and said that there was a deep pothole in the direction that we were going, so I pulled up behind his converted bus. The ground was flooded we could not see the pothole's so we were very lucky that he was watching us come in, he asked if we were staying for the night, I said yes, we stood under his tarp out of the pouring rain for a yak and a cuppa.
Charlie told us that he had been on the road for 14 year's and he has been using mostly freebies and hardly stays in caravan parks.
We started up our new Generator that night (bought it back in Gayndah), and it was running a bit rough, Charlie tickled the throttle a tad too fast and it revved up so fast that it Blew all the 240 volt light's, we were lucky that we still had 12 volt lights to see with.
I put the Generator in the tunnel boot then retired to the van, San cooked dinner on the L.P.G. stove. As we were tired and stuffed from the days event's it was an early night for us or so I thought, San said she could smell petrol and sure enough the generator in the tunnel boot was leaking, there was petrol dripping down the side of the boot and a lot of the camp gear was wet from the fuel leak, it also came through the side of the boot into the van's wardrobe on Sandra's side of the bed, we cleaned everything as best we could - throwing the ruined cleaning towels over a fence to air out with whatever else that smelt of petrol, and put the generator about 200 meters away from the van, we had to leave the windows fully open as the smell of petrol was so strong, we got into bed, put all the blankets that we had on top of us (it can get to minus 13c in winter at Glenn Innes).
Sleep was hard to come by as the Fumes were still strong - and trucks were stopping and going - the Truckies were checking there tyres, and all you could hear was bang, bang, bang all Bloody night. As we awoke the next morning the petrol smell was not as strong, we had Cereal for breeky as we could not light a match, Sandra said she was going up to the Fire Brigade to ask for advise about the gen leak, I thought that it was a waste of time as the fumes had subsided and only the smell remained.
About 20 minutes later San came back with a Fireman and he said that a Fire Engine was on the way, and that he was going to Blockade the Highway in both directions (Bloody Hell), and low and behold down the street she came with the Siren Screeming out jumped 6 firemen and straight into our caravan - mud dripping from their wet shoes,and now there was more mess inside with mud and water all over the floor - Sandra was not Happy - the fire officer said that we had done a good job of cleaning up and that we could go on our way (great stuf). We cleaned the inside of the van as best we could. San had some old Brussel Sprouts from the fridge that she chucked to some horses over the fence, well bugger me dead she Sconed one right on top of its head - the poor thing reared up on its back legs and tried to take off but it slipped in the mud and fell over, all I could do was laugh and almost cacked myself, San said that it was good to see me laughing again (wot else can ya do) . We said goodbye to Charlie we will stay in touch. It's back to the road for the Geriatric Gypsies.