anyone wanna buy a camper?

So, no luck with selling Biff yet. I kinda knew that we wouldn’t get much interest over the holidays. People distracted by beaches and presents don’t really think much about buying a clapped out old camper (We love you really Biff!) That said it has changed this week. We are starting to get a lot more interest in him but although we are expressing urgency to sell people seem to be chilled out about it. I guess they are in a strong position, surrounded by a market flooded with campervans and all the time in the world. We on the other hand would prefer to sell him pretty soon as we leave NZ in 10 days! We have had a few people come and see him, including a ex British family who loved him but wanted to keep looking. It would’ve suited them perfectly as Biff is huge and a small family would’ve found him quite adequate. We also got a call from a German couple who had just got off their flight and were keen to look at campers. They didn’t have a car so we drove over to them. They again, loved Biff but wanted to keep looking as he was the first van they had seen. I doubt they’ll buy him. Biff isn’t what I would call a backpackers van. A lot of backpackers, people who don’t mind slumming it or don’t have tons of money seem to go for the smaller older vans with a permanent bed in. We looked at that option but preferred to have a few creature comforts and a bit of space. I’m 6 foot 3 remember?

So I doubt ze Germans will want to but Biff. We have had a few texts and emails asking questions but no one else has arranged a viewing. We took him to the Ellerslie car fair yesterday. It’s a market for selling cars and vans. You just rock up, pay an administration cost and park up. They give you a for sale sign and provide a sellers information sheet and you sit and wait as hundreds of people wander around looking at all the motors. It was amazing and I’m surprised we don’t have something similar at home (maybe we do and I just don’t know about it). You get to see loads of different, well priced cars and vans all in one place. We got quite a bit of interest and gave our numbers out to a few people so we will just have to see if anything comes of it. We plan to go back next week, if we don’t sell him this week of course.

If we can’t sell him, Danny and Catherine have offered to take him until he sells which is a great relief as it means we will get a reasonable price for him instead of panic selling him for less than he is worth. Even if we sell him for what we paid for him we will make money as the exchange rate has plummeted to favour the NZ dollar. We are in a good position where we are not too dependant on the money from the sale for our further travels. Some people we met at the car fair were desperate to sell their cars or vans as they were relying on the money from the sale to keep travelling. For us, we would like the money before we leave just to tie up loose ends and so we don’t have to transfer money from back home which costs us.

We are still here in Auckland and although I have given it a bit of a slating at times, I am actually liking being here. I think it helps being out of the CBD (central business district or Downtown to the rest of us). We have been staying up in Northshore which was lovely and not too far from access into the city centre but our discount run out so we have moved to Avondale. It is the closest campsite to the centre of Auckland and easily one of the cheapest too. It has been a bit tricky planning to do things though with Biff on sale. We were driving out to the Waitekere ranges the other day when ze Germans called so we about turned and goose stepped our way to them instead. It was fine as I am gonna get my mountain fix in a few weeks anyway! Yeah baby, bring on the snow. I hear that the UK has had it’s worst winter in 30 years! Typical that the one person who would’ve been in heaven in all that snow (me) is thousands of miles away in tropical heat. Bloody nightmare. That said in a month or so I will be in Canada in –20 degrees so will probably be pining for the tropical heat again. Nah man, I am a winter person and can’t wait to feel the snow crunch under my north face boots again. It’s gonna be epic. North America is getting dumped on as well as the UK and Mt Washington on Vancouver Island, where we are going for Kates first experience of Canadian snow, already has over 250cm of snow! 2 and a half metres! I can’t wait.

My new years resolutions are going well too. I’ve been running pretty much every other night. Not for great distances as the heat is a problem but just to find my running legs again. Only 9 months until my triathlon though so have to get a move on. I have to beat my old time but am a little concerned that I won’t be able to swim or cycle until I get home in April. Should be plenty of time though to get my fitness up in those areas. I very much doubt I’ll be doing much running in Canada, unless they have gyms with running machines in our hotels, as it’ll be too cold and snowy but I’ll be skiing all the time which is good exercise for the legs. My diet has been awesome too. I think a combination of determination and reluctance to buy food as we are leaving soon has helped. The weight feels like it is falling off but without scales it is difficult to say how much. I feel slimmer already and my clothes are looser. Kate also said I looked slimmer the other day but it might have been due to the clever use of mirrors and lighting. I feel good though. I always do when I am losing weight or training, release of endorphins and all that I suppose.

The only negative (which I since turned into a positive) is work related. Looks like my job on the birth centre has gone so I have to work elsewhere in the hospital after all. Looks like labour ward is my only option. Not ideal as it is the hub of stress and strain but I reckon I can make it work. I have given myself an ultimatum though that if after a few months it isn’t working out I will look elsewhere for work. Maybe something outside of London, or even outside the UK. Who knows.

It’s amazing how life goes isn’t it? This time last week I felt snowed under with burden yet this week it has been refreshing and the feelings of dread have lifted as i have realised that no matter what happens, everything is going to be OK. I have looked back at the truly horrible things that have happened in my life and in comparison, those burdens were more like annoyances than actual problems. It’s true though eh? Sometimes we worry about stuff that in comparison to real problems, isn’t actually worth getting worked up about. In the words of the great John Mayer "When I find out what it REALLY is, I’ll worry about it. Don’t be scared about next Tuesday cos Tuesday hasn’t happened yet."

So keep your fingers crossed we sell the Biffatron 3000, as we sometimes call him, but if there is someone else who needs your thoughts or love, give it to them instead as we are actually OK. I will keep you updated.

Peace

D

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