So Mrs.Kearney had opened the surgery door, were we prepared to step through  ?

"Be brave, I'll be right here, beside you"

Werner diagnosed a "broken" battery…
What !!  Another one  ?
Why do we bother buying these expensive "Wonder" batteries  ?
It seems they're ALL crap.
6 batteries on Nyati… 3 replaced already.

I had planned to give Nyati a comprehensive mechanical service somewhere in Cape Town, &, of course the radiator needed serious expert attention sometime soon.
Right across the road from Werner's workshop was another that overhauled trucks & busses…

Can you believe it  ?
THAT'S NOT ALL… They were a Silverton Radiator agency AS WELL ! !

Mrs.Kearney'd brought us into a veritable NEST of EXACTLY what we needed.
Ah, but I'd "rushed in" before…
Got heavily shafted too.

It's time to step back, switch on the "gut feel" & ask awkward, probing questions.
Feel for integrity.
Look for deception, furtive eyes, ambiguous answers,  shuffling footwork… LIES.

Riaan, across the road, was another "grey beard".
"I used to work on these on the border with the SADF… Great trucks".

"Go for it… Look for ANYTHING that might develop into a problem"

A doctor we knew, used to say, "if you think you're fit & healthy,  it's only because you haven't had enough tests done yet"…He always said it with an evil little grin… Standing too close.

Ah, so it was with Nyati.

I was with Riaan, when he did a detailed examination of Nyati's intimate parts.
I wanted to make sure we did ALL the tests.
I wanted to carry out preventative maintenance too.
The final prognosis wasn't really what l wanted to hear, but rather now.

Over & above the normal routine service, & the radiator, of course.
Nyati had a broken engine mounting, & the main propshaft universal joint was badly worn…
They would need to be replaced.

Shit ! !

"It's okay, cowboys don't cry".
"But, I'm not a bloody cowboy".

Of course, Hermanus's one & only propshaft specialist had opened shop just 2 doors down, not more than 3 months ago.
Of course they had… by now I was expecting nothing less.

Thanks Mrs.Kearney.

Hansie, of Overberg Propshafts, that's him holding the new unit, the other guy, the one giving me the galjoen, is the boss…
Do I really look that hungry  ?

The girls gave me a complimentary "Overberg Propshafts"cap too…
Instead of a pensioner's discount… Hee hee… What a cheek… I just LOVE it.

Anyway, Hansie showed me why the universal was packing up after only 5000km.

It's the one gearbox & propshaft "ace" of Westmead built & fitted.
Enough said.
Those guys are dangerous. 

In the end it was quite painless…
Werner, Riaan & Hansie all did the work themselves… All the work.
They don't have any "untrained hands" in their workshops…
None of them…
Lifting, cleaning & carrying's completely mechanised.
Radiator repair shop too.

Nyati simply purred… New fluids, lubricants, coolant & filters.
Broken parts replaced or repaired, friendly spanners across every bolt, nipples greased, batteries all showing green with good numbers.
The "Pink Kalahari flash flood" mud, high pressured off & out… Finally.

A cap in the cupboard, & a fish in the freezer.

Oh Man… Life IS great again.

The Gypsy's getting twichy.

Despite parking under the magnificent coastal forest, breathing nice thick sea breezes & being lulled into deep sleeps by rolling surf, it's almost time.

I'm going to miss the early morning coffee, rusks & grapefruit on the "Davies pool" beach bench at Onrus, ogling the passing parade of assorted dogs.

Wishing I had one of the 4 legged ones with me…????

Oh how Barbara would've LOVED this…Amie too.

www.rv-nyati.com