WHOA! We had a near miss today. Our last blog entry left us in Auckland on Wednesday night where we met Tim (Hi Tim!) and his parents. The next day we decided to drive to Coromandel Peninsula and camp there for a few days. We stayed overnight at Thames before heading north to Fantail Bay (check out picture below) where we were planning on camping for a few days because there was supposed to be:
1. Good fishing
2. Diving/snorkelling
3. A campsite (which means toilets. This one was supposed to be equipped with a stream a shower as well)
See we found this Road Atlas (from Hema Maps) for 19.99NZD and decided to get it because Kyle likes maps and I liked the fact that it has campsites on its maps. AND it tells us if the roads are sealed or unsealed...which is great because The Beast's suspension isn't the greatest.
So we went...and it really was pretty nice...except it started raining not long after we got there.
And it rained.
And rained.
And rained.
And by the next morning we were both in low spirits from all the rain and wind...so we decided to leave and find some other spot to camp at.
Until we got to a bridge with a stream underneath which had turned into a river and was overflowing onto the road...and The Beast missed the side of the bridge and off its front left wheel went over the edge.
So now we're both sitting there in shock, water flowing all around The Beast, stuck, and possibly the car and engine taking in water as well. We jumped into action. Moved our macs to the upper compartment, took out our passports from the safe (which Kyle built) and decided that one of us had to walk back to the campsite to see if someone could tow us out.
By then a car had appeared on the other side of the bridge...but they couldn't get across obviously because we were in the way. I said a quick prayer and was just about ready to jump out to walk to the campsite when the people from the car got out and Kyle decided to go and see what they had to say. Turns out they had a sling with them and they suggested pulling us out. So I hopped out of The Beast and got into their car....while they hooked the sling up to both vehicles. And *POP* they pulled us out of our predicament...literally.
It was truly amazing! Well firstly because they pulled us out so easily as if we didn't weigh a thing...secondly, because there was an iron rod at the side of the bridge which I'm SURE we must have hit, but somehow or other The Beast came out without a scratch on her. Lastly, well lastly because we were very fortunate, God is amazing...it could've been so much worse. We could've been sitting there for HOURS before someone actually came along...we could've gotten swept away...we could've taken in water...we could've hit something and seriously damaged The Beast beyond repair...
But we didn't. We came away from it with nothing more than our nerves shaken a little bit, and a loose hubcap...
Which came loose about ten minutes after leaving the bridge...and we didn't realise it. But hey whadya know...up comes an Audi behind us....who drives up right next to us (because by then we were driving really slowly and carefully), the driver winds down the window and is dressed smartly in a blue office shirt...hands over our hubcap without so much of a nod...and the both of us are laughing and thanking him before he nods again and drives off.
:o)
And now we're both in much better spirits, just because the whole thing put everything in perspective and showed us that there are nice, helpful people everywhere and that God puts them in the most strategic locations to help other people out and...well...and we've much to be thankful for :o).
It's still raining and we're in the town of Whitianga now in the van happily connected to the internet, listening to news of flood on the radio. Guess it's gonna be a wet, wet weekend!
Hope you guys are having some sunshine!
1. Good fishing
2. Diving/snorkelling
3. A campsite (which means toilets. This one was supposed to be equipped with a stream a shower as well)
See we found this Road Atlas (from Hema Maps) for 19.99NZD and decided to get it because Kyle likes maps and I liked the fact that it has campsites on its maps. AND it tells us if the roads are sealed or unsealed...which is great because The Beast's suspension isn't the greatest.
So we went...and it really was pretty nice...except it started raining not long after we got there.
And it rained.
And rained.
And rained.
And by the next morning we were both in low spirits from all the rain and wind...so we decided to leave and find some other spot to camp at.
Until we got to a bridge with a stream underneath which had turned into a river and was overflowing onto the road...and The Beast missed the side of the bridge and off its front left wheel went over the edge.
So now we're both sitting there in shock, water flowing all around The Beast, stuck, and possibly the car and engine taking in water as well. We jumped into action. Moved our macs to the upper compartment, took out our passports from the safe (which Kyle built) and decided that one of us had to walk back to the campsite to see if someone could tow us out.
By then a car had appeared on the other side of the bridge...but they couldn't get across obviously because we were in the way. I said a quick prayer and was just about ready to jump out to walk to the campsite when the people from the car got out and Kyle decided to go and see what they had to say. Turns out they had a sling with them and they suggested pulling us out. So I hopped out of The Beast and got into their car....while they hooked the sling up to both vehicles. And *POP* they pulled us out of our predicament...literally.
It was truly amazing! Well firstly because they pulled us out so easily as if we didn't weigh a thing...secondly, because there was an iron rod at the side of the bridge which I'm SURE we must have hit, but somehow or other The Beast came out without a scratch on her. Lastly, well lastly because we were very fortunate, God is amazing...it could've been so much worse. We could've been sitting there for HOURS before someone actually came along...we could've gotten swept away...we could've taken in water...we could've hit something and seriously damaged The Beast beyond repair...
But we didn't. We came away from it with nothing more than our nerves shaken a little bit, and a loose hubcap...
Which came loose about ten minutes after leaving the bridge...and we didn't realise it. But hey whadya know...up comes an Audi behind us....who drives up right next to us (because by then we were driving really slowly and carefully), the driver winds down the window and is dressed smartly in a blue office shirt...hands over our hubcap without so much of a nod...and the both of us are laughing and thanking him before he nods again and drives off.
:o)
And now we're both in much better spirits, just because the whole thing put everything in perspective and showed us that there are nice, helpful people everywhere and that God puts them in the most strategic locations to help other people out and...well...and we've much to be thankful for :o).
It's still raining and we're in the town of Whitianga now in the van happily connected to the internet, listening to news of flood on the radio. Guess it's gonna be a wet, wet weekend!
Hope you guys are having some sunshine!
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