Wednesday 12th May - Fremantle

We were apprehensive as we neared the logistics company where our Land Rover was to be quarantine inspected as the AQIS officer had turned up early and was already waiting.  Things didn’t get any better when we were warned that we’d been assigned a “right bastard” and told to act humble.  Unfortunately we failed our inspection, which seemed to be a foregone conclusion as the AQIS officer said that 80% of cars are sent for cleaning and almost 100% of 4WDs.  He managed to find a bit of mud mixed in with the waxoyl on the inner chassis rail alongside the gearbox, but at least he cleared the inside and our belongings, so cleaning would be limited to just the underside.  I just about managed to hold Anne back from pointing out the ute parked next to us in the quarantine area which had been passed by a different inspector the day before and had a considerable amount of dirt in the tray at the back (she scooped up a good handful); we were obviously unlucky with our AQIS officer.

Somewhat forlorn we accepted our fate, but Jan was a star and arranged collection of the Land Rover for transportation to the cleaning station back out near the airport.  Super efficient Dirk turned up within half an hour with his recovery truck and it was lucky we hadn’t left as he had trouble with the ignition key (for some reason he couldn’t get it to turn), but it behaved when we tried.  Having been warned that it might be a couple of days before the vehicle could be cleaned as the company was very busy (although nothing like the six week wait at the cleaning station near the port) and then the Land Rover would have to be re-inspected, we drove back to Fremantle in order to return the hire car.  We cheered ourselves up a bit by taking Butler with us, although Anne and dog were deposited around the corner from the depot to avoid any trouble with the hire company.  We then wandered back to Annie’s house as neither of us was in a sightseeing mood.

About 3.30pm things changed when our Australian mobile rang and the cleaning company was on the other end saying the Land Rover was ready for collection!  They said that there wasn’t much to clean off (well, we knew that!) and it had been re-inspected and passed, so we could get it tomorrow as they were about to shut for the day.  We couldn’t quite believe it - we had prepared ourselves for having to wait until after the weekend.  Annie kindly said that in exchange for vacuuming her car we could borrow it to go and collect the Land Rover - another one we owe her.  We’ll have to stop en-route at the vehicle licensing office to get temporary cover before we can drive it to an examination centre for the Australian equivalent of a MOT test tomorrow morning, but we’re edging closer to Land Rover freedom.

This evening Annie amused us with the story of the time she spend in France being a nanny to three children.  The job was going fine until one evening, after having been out to the zoo, the children appeared rather too eager to go off and have their baths.  Upon investigation, Annie discovered three penguins in the bath which had been smuggled out of the zoo by the children in their backpacks.  The parents of said children thought that, whilst Annie got on extremely well with the family, they were concerned that failure to observe the children stuffing three penguins into their backpacks might not bode well for their future care and thought it best to get a new nanny!  Anne has now resolved never to take any of her nieces and nephews to a zoo as she doesn’t rule this out happening to her.