Tears

As you have probably guessed the lack of blog updates means we’ve returned to Crick.  The internet was more off than on which meant only the odd email was received.  There was a hell of a racket when we arrived with the Biffa bins bouncing, rattling and jostling each other in anticipation of being fed.  At least two of them are likely to now be suffering from clogged arteries!

The second task was to collect our rental car from Enterprise.  We’d requested to be collected as told 8.30 – 9.30am.  They open at 8.30 so we didn’t leave Waiouru for the collection point until 8.40.  No sign of the car at 9.00.  Nor at 9.30.  Jan was starting to get both concerned and tired.  Then we thought the ride had arrived.

Apparently not!  The vehicle arrived just after 10am.  The lovely young lady from Enterprise was quite surprised at the collection time we’d been given informing us they usually collect 9.30-10.30.  The rest of the hire process was very quick and we were heading south by 10.30.  The plan was to visit our postal address and collect the last of our snail mail. 

You might think that after years on a boat the speed of the traffic might be slightly overwhelming.  That wasn’t the case as we were behind two ‘Westies’ where the vehicles didn’t have a suitable stern button.

The next day we packed everything on the boat that we’re taking back with us.  The rest will belong to the new owners.  With everything leaving the boat now in supermarket shopping bags Jan started the final interior clean under my watchful eyes.  Readers I love work…… and can watch it for hours!  From time to time I made helpful suggestions, which I know were appreciated.

After washing and polishing the exterior of the boat twice in the last month I was rather peeved when we had strong rain and wind last night.  This morning the roof was covered in leaves and twigs.  Furthermore every bird in England must have been roosting in the overhead tree immediately prior to the storm.  When they took flight the majority of them decided to do a pre-departure pump-out.  Moreover they had previously dined on a mixture of concrete and construction glue.  This morning I ended up scrubbing the roof to remove the droppings.

Whilst Jan did the final interior clean I packed all the bags into the vehicle.  Hiring a mid sized MPV was a good decision because it has been filled to the Plimsoll Line. 

At 10.30 we handed the keys over to ABNB and spent a further 5 minutes thinking of things to tell them in a subconscious move to avoid leaving our beloved boat.  Eventually we had to depart and had only just turned the corner when not unexpectedly Jan started to weep at her loss.   Exactly six years ago we had a rough start to canal boating but the satisfaction of overcoming that and rebuilding Waiouru made our life on board all the sweeter.  We didn’t just buy a boat. We were physically involved everyday in the build.  We know where every screw is and there isn’t a single nail.  Hopefully her new owner will love and appreciate her as much as we have.

What a great five years cruising the network and what a wonderful boating community.  Thank you!

So here we sit in a motel room at the Watford Gap Services on the M1.  Both of us smiling in the knowledge we know it’s only a short distance from here to the canal.  We’re also grinning at the size of the room. It’s almost a big as Waiouru!  Tomorrow we will head north for the next stage of our journey…… packing all the ”stuff” that will be returning to Australia by sea.