Mum&Dad and I are going to the Leonard Cohen concert in Christchurch tonight. So yesterday Mum&Dad and my 98-year-old grandfather Henry drove down the island from Tasman, planning to spend a few days in Christchurch either side of the concert.
They got to Maruia Springs when their radiator burst, all the water went away, and the engine seized. Fortunately they were in an area with cell-phone coverage, so they were able to call AA. They sent a vehicle recovery truck in good time, and the car and its occupants were eventually transported to the nearest garage, at Springs Junction. There they were told that the engine was a write-off, and they’d have to install a new one. So they made arrangements to ship the car back to their mechanic in Mapua. Then they looked at transport options, and quickly found there were none. So they rang me and asked if I could come and fetch them.
I took the call while at work, so I cycled home as fast as I could, leapt aboard my trusty (ha!) car, and vrooom! I was off on a rescue mission.
The car performed well, eating up the miles without problem. Traffic was light, I made good time, and I got to Springs Junction at about 3:30. We loaded the suitcases and Mum&Dad and Henry got in, and away we went.
After a while I noticed that the engine was running hot, but I wasn’t unduly worried, as the temperature dial was at about 80% where it normally sits at about 50%, and I just thought that it was running hot, what with four passengers plus luggage plus hills.
Coming down a gentle slope just past the Hanmer Springs turnoff the engine stopped. No noise, no fuss, no bother: just one second it was running and the next it wasn’t. So we drifted to a stop on the side of the road, opened the bonnet, and found that a hose had burst, and the last of the radiator water was steaming its way out through the hole. So we pulled out our cell-phones to call AA, to find – no coverage. On either network.
Fortunately a nice policeman happened to happen by just a few minutes later. He used his radio to get in touch with the Hanmer Springs garage, and about twenty minutes later another vehicle recovery truck turned up. My car was winched onto the deck, and the four of us clambered up into the dual-cab, and we rumbled our way to the garage.
Once there, the mechanics replaced the burst hose, filled the radiator up with water, turned the engine over and… nothing. Not a sausage, vege or otherwise. The mechanic reckoned that the motor was kaput, and my only options were to get a new engine or scrap the car. So I arranged for my car to be transported to my mechanic in Christchurch, and the garage owners very kindly drove us in to Hanmer Springs proper to get a motel for the night.
On the way in, it turned out that they were driving down to Christchurch the next day – as they were going to the Leonard Cohen concert too! They offered to take us, and initially we were thrilled to accept, but on reflection we changed our minds as they couldn’t leave until late in the day, and we couldn’t see how we could get everything we needed to get done before the concert.
So, after a very pleasant evening and morning and two fabulous meals in Hanmer Springs, we caught a shuttle which took us to Christchurch without further mishap.
As always when things like this happen, we were stunned by how terrific everyone was. Every single one of the strangers we had to interact with was pleasant, supportive, helpful, and laid out our options without angling for any advantage.
So, after totalling not one but two cars getting my folks to Christchurch, the concert had better be good!
