The CrossingA Day In Brisbane
Three HAAmigos, Three Campervans
The campervan went back to Apollo, who had already arranged a credit for the trouble we'd had. Then I took a quiet day in Brisbane before the final parkrun.
Yesterday I walked into South Bank, finishing the walk from Perth. Today we had to give the campervan back.
We picked up a hire car, cleared out everything that had accumulated during the walk, and took the van back to Apollo. This was campervan number three, and the one that finally got us to Brisbane.
The 18th was the date we’d originally booked the campervan until. After all the changes to vehicles and plans along the way, we were returning it on time.
We’d paid for the hire. Apollo hadn’t been able to come on board as a sponsor or move much on the price, and it took a bit of persuasion when the first two campervans failed. But they found replacements and kept us going.
When we returned the van, a credit for the days affected by vehicle problems was already on my account. They’d also covered what we’d spent on a portable heater and engine oil. I hadn’t asked for the credit, and they didn’t charge us for the window we’d broken near Sydney. After everything we’d had to sort out with the vans, that was excellent customer service.
I could still say the three HAAmigos had made it further than the three campervans, though :)
Looking at the three of us, not much had changed on the outside. Inside was another matter.
Back at Rydges South Bank, I had a view over Brisbane from the eleventh-floor balcony. They’d given us substantial discounts on two rooms for two nights, which had let me treat Ben and Ols to a hotel stay after all that time in the van. They’d even found somewhere for us to park it the night before.
I fancied a quiet walk by the river, some lunch, a haircut and a new pair of jeans. Mine were well past their use-by date. Mostly, though, I wanted a day to take in the fact that we’d reached Brisbane before going back to South Bank for the final parkrun in the morning.
Images From The Day
