Travelling Vets - 11. TV Chapter 11

We did not have that much time to get fully organised. Marc and I decided that we would only take our portable Vet bags, which have all the required necessary equipment and supplies, without any of the drugs, and we would purchase new sets of overalls, gumboots, gloves, shield masks and breathing masks, before leaving.

We also spend a half day buying new work clothes for the boys, including slip-on steel cap boots, chequered shirts and felt hats, so they will fit into the surroundings of the rodeos, and Marcus and I also bought some new clothing too, which included new matching work shirts, which we would have our business name on it – Limestone Veterinary Services, and our names under that, we decided to get the same for the boys too since they are now our family.

We decided that we would not buy the small vehicle that goes with the trailer, and instead, we would purchase a four-seater Polaris buggy, that would take up a lot less room, and allow for us to install additional shelving, more cupboards and work benches for our mobile veterinary work, with the laundry area incorporated into that area, but we would not advertise on the bus, that we are vets, just on our work clothes.

The area where the buggy will be stored at the back of the trailer will be a reception/waiting area, with fold-out chairs stored in the cupboards available for those waiting, and with the cupboards and shelving creating a ¾ high wall, there is a half door that can be opened, to be able to communicate between the waiting area and the clinic area of the trailer.

It was while Marcus and I were planning out the layout of the trailer, that we realised that we both needed to get our licenses upgraded so that we could legally drive the bus with a trailer, and after a few days of reviewing the traffic laws and regulations, we spent another two days doing driving lessons on a bus to get used to driving a larger vehicle, and after sitting the written test, we also did the practical test, which happily we both passed easily.

We have booked flights for all four of us to fly from Kununurra to Darwin, leaving at 12.55 in the afternoon, which is only a one-hour flight, but because of the time difference, it will be 3.25 pm when we land in Darwin. We would be doing some additional shopping, and a bit of looking around for two days, before flying to Brisbane, leaving at 12.35 pm and arriving at 4.55 pm, once again because of the time difference, for the nearly four-hour flight.

The short flight to Darwin would be in the economy due to the smaller plane, and the short distance that we would be travelling, but for our long flight, I had made sure that we all had business class seats. From there we would spend a day, before travelling down to Yatala by train, and from there, I had arranged a local bus service, with a twelve-seat bus, to transport us the twenty kilometres south-west to the town of Tamborine, where we would be collecting our new home and transport.

Arriving at the small country town a say ahead than planned, we went to the local Hotel, “Welcome to the Tamborine Mountains, will you be staying with us for long?” the receptionist asked when we arrived. “Err, no, we only came to collect our new motor home, then we will be on our way,” Marcus responded.

“Oh, that is a shame, we have a lot here to see. Did you say you are buying a motor home? That wouldn’t be the big double-decker and trailer, would it?” the receptionist asked, “Why yes, it is, we bought it so we can use it for work and accommodation for the next ten months,” I responded. “It’s a small town, so word spreads when something interesting happens in the district, but the owner of the double-decker coach is actually in the town of Tamborine, you are in Tamborine Mountain, which is 16 kilometres away from here,” the receptionist informed us.

“Oh, well we better give the owners a call and tell them of our transport mix-up. In the meantime, we have spent a few long days travelling over from northern WA via Darwin and Brisbane, so a good night's rest here would be ideal for now,” Marcus said. After booking into our rooms, with the boys sharing a twin room adjoining our room, we spent the rest of the afternoon resting, and I contacted the owners of the bus, to let them know where we are, and they said they would be happy to drive the bus over to our hotel in the morning.

After a brief phone call home to check on things at Newry station, as well as at work, we settled down for a nice quiet evening, and while I was watching a movie with the boys, Marcus was on his Lap Top Computer, and when I heard “Oh, oh,” from him I stood up and walked over to the dining table.

“You are not going to like this… the bastards have just emailed us to say our veterinary services are no longer required and to cancel our plans for travelling to Queensland,” Marcus announced, “They what!” I exclaimed a little too loudly. The boys looked over at us and I just indicated that it was all ok and to continue watching the movie. “Don’t they know how much time and money we have put into preparing for this change in our lives, I should go over there and give them a good slapping,” I said angrily but in a soft voice, so as not to disturb the boys and their movie.

“I would agree with that, but for now, let's concentrate on what we do now. We have already paid a substantial deposit on the double-decker, so I guess we had better continue with the purchase. Do we do some travelling and see some of the countrysides, as we slowly head home, or what do you suggest we do?” Marcus asked me.

“Drive the bus through the front window of their office for starters, but not doing that, I think we should buy the bus and spend a few days looking around, so it gives us some time to get settled into the bus, and we can spend a bit of time thinking about what to do,” I replied.

Feeling a little disheartened about the sudden change of plans, we finalised the purchase of the Double Decker Bus, and we spent most of the day settling in, as well as going for a drive towards the town of Tamborine, which although it was only 16 kilometres away, we were in a mountain range, so the drive as a little nerve-racking at first, especially when we came across a few tight hairpin corners on the way, with me been the first one to drive the bus.

Not long after tackling a very tight hairpin corner, we came across a sign for Thunder Park, so I decided that we stop and take a look at it, so I turned down the road and shortly after into the driveway for the park, and we saw a side parking area before getting into the park, where I pulled over and parked, as I was concerned that we may be a little bit too high and too long to get in and out of the park.

“We will have to walk the rest of the way,” I announced, which brought groans from the rest of the family, and I just smiled, as we gathered our coats, wallets and cameras, and after locking up the bus, we set off down the slope towards the reception office.

“Good afternoon, we would like to enquire about staying in the caravan park, but we have a rather large bus, and we are not sure if we will fit in?” Marcus said as we approached the reception desk, just as a teenager rushed in the door behind us, “Mum, you should see this whacking big double-decker bus and trailer that is parked up in the side parking bay, I think it is the one that you said you have seen before,” the boy said.

I smiled, “Err, that would be us, we just purchased the bus and we need a place to stay. We are fully self-sufficient, so if we must stay where we are now, that is fine with us,” Marcus said, “I see, well the only condition is that we get to have a tour of your bus, we have seen it around, but never had a chance to look inside,” the lady at the desk replied, “You have a deal there. I am Marcus Sanderson, and this is my husband Jex Kendrik, and these two lads are Jexon’s wards who are also his cousins,” Marcus said.

“Husband? … I am not sure about this?” the lady said as she screwed up her face in disgust, “I think not, you can turn around in the car park, you will have no problems getting around there, just don’t enter the caravan park, as there are too many low trees, good day to you,” the lady said, before stepping through a door behind her.

I looked around and the teenager had also disappeared and so sadly we exited the building and walked back up to the bus. “Sorry boys, it looks like we have some homophobic arseholes here, we will just have to find a better place to stay,” I said to my two cousins, who looked like they were about to cry.

After turning around, we continued to the town of Tamborine, where we stopped at the local hotel, to have a meal and work out what to do about where to stop for the night. Pulling over in the parking area, which luckily had plenty of space to park at the back overflow car park, we headed for the hotel. “G’day Gents and young men, how can we assist you today?” a lady said cheerfully as we entered.

“We are hoping that we can get a decent feed and maybe some ideas on where we can park our monster home for the night,” Marcus said in response. “You own that double-decker? Nice job on parking it as you did,” the lady replied, and I blushed a little which made Marcus laugh. “That would be my husband’s doing, we only just bought it today, from one of your locals,” Marcus said.