Fridge Glitch - some notes.

Stuff - inane reality - has the happy knack of making an unexpected visitation the moment you are at risk of being engulfed by sentimentality. So my nostalgic reminiscences regarding the joys of 'le Gurp' were rudely interrupted by the discovery that the fridge was not working properly. Moho technical failures follow a strict six stage pattern:

1. Discovery

Pete: The fridge won't work on gas....
Gill: Have you turned the gas on?
Pete: (exits van, peers in rear garage, fiddles with cylinder knob, re-enters van) Yes...

2. Denial

Gill: It can't be broken it was working yesterday.
Pete: reads fridge manual, runs through 'troubleshooting checklist' - clicks fridge switch five times in quick succession as per airlock clearing instructions. No luck.
Gill: consults Google, reads out many posts from technically savvy blokes concerning ignition unit spark gaps, gas feeder sooting issues and loose electrical connections and shows Pete helpful photos.
Pete: exits van, gets tool bag from garage, removes exterior fridge vent, compares gubbins with photo, plugs in 12v vacuum cleaner, removes dust, scratches head, replaces fridge vent, has glass of 'warmish' wine.

3. Realisation

Gill: Without the fridge on gas we cannot use Aires.
Pete: Without the fridge on gas we cannot leave the van to sight see during the day.
Gill: We need someone to fix it (20 minutes of Google later - moho service co. found in
Biscarosse, GPS co-ordinates downloaded, street view perused, ACSI sites nearby located.)

4. Catastrophisation

Pete: The fridge interior light keeps flickering.
Gill: Aren't the indicator lights on the front usually brighter than this?
Pete: Perhaps the electrical supply is failing, the butter's a bit soft and the lait cru Neufchatel smells like goat manure.... Perhaps I should check the fuse. (consults LMC manual, electrical block photo blurred and labels in German. Goggle translate to the rescue - kreis = ring circuit, internes Lademodul = internal charging module, (crawls like potholer into the darkest recesses of the rear garage with torch, peering into the far corner of the electrical cupboard) Eureka! kühlschrank = fridge, find spare 20amp fuse, change it....has no effect on sickly fridge whatsoever... Give up, drink wine, go to bed.

5. Dudeist acceptance

Next morning:
Pete: There's some coolness in the fridge...perhaps it works a bit on electric
Gill: Well  nothing can be done 'til Monday, we should be ok so long as we find EHU.

Relocate to Moho Aire with hook-up at nearby Hourtin - nice lake, naff French 1970s tourist tat (so bad it's good), take photos.

The moho aire at Hourtin is next to the lake.

Pleasant walks..

Astonishingly ugly buildings..

putting a giant lime green plant pot in front of them does not help...

All the frog litter bin does is underline that irony is not a native characteristic..

Good to know that as a tax payer I have earned the right to use the lavatory...

A vibrant local cultural scene....

After lunch - get bikes off and go for a ride on the forest tracks (Pete gets puncture).

The forest bike tracks are  delightful

getting a puncture isn't.

Life goes on...heading for the Dune de Pilat tomorrow.