Spring 2024

Vaulruz - 25 April 2024

25.04 - Vaulruz

It’s probably a good job that when you wake up - you have no idea how your day will pan out…

We managed another night with no knock on the door. In fact, there were a couple of other, smaller mohos who joined us.

Tintin was driving today - many hours in the end. We started off going through the scenic route around Geneva suburbs for about 30 minutes to get to an Eni station - one of the few to sell GPL. We filled up, no problem.

We also knew we needed to service Dave, and the only place in Geneva was about another 45 minutes away from the GPL station - but needs must. Service stations are very few and far between.

We actually had to drive right through along the lakeside again. We don’t really understand, there isn’t really the volume of traffic - but it’s so slow! There seems to be pedestrian crossings every 200m - and we’ve never seen so many sets of traffic lights. I would hate to have to drive around there on a regular basis.

Anyway, as luck would have it, we were at some traffic lights and a taxi was gesticulating at us, he said we were leaking pink fluid - which couldn’t be good. We turned off the main road, and again, luckily saw a garage and pulled in.

Previously, we’d both heard the fan running, but assumed it was because we’d been struck in traffic for ages with the engine idling…

Tintin confirmed it was engine coolant. Boiler suit on and he was looking underneath - it was everywhere - he wondered if we’d have to do a rescue call out. He then found the culprit - a pipe not connected. He managed to connect it surprisingly easily. He bought 2 litres of clear coolant from the garage (beggars can’t be choosy - not the right colour!) and we topped him up. Didn’t make any difference. He then went and bought 3 more litres and topped up. We could just see it was getting near the minimum line - and more importantly wasn’t just leaking out again. He went and bought 1 more litre and we used most of that. CHF 49.20 for the coolant.

We then drove on - to the industrial site to service Dave. Waited for a big coach to empty who knows what! The water pressure was so strong we had to kink the hose to slow it down, or else we couldn’t fill it. Anyway - long detour - but done. In some ways, it’s a good job we were pottering around, and not on the motorway. Also good that it wasn’t raining 😉

We then high tailed it out of Geneva on the motorway for another 90 minutes. The coolant level was lower, but maybe we had some kind of airlock - we’ve topped up again, and will check tomorrow before we drive off. 🤞

So many Teslas and Maseratis today (no photos) - but saw how small Porsches used to be!

The views whilst driving are of Vevey, near Montreux.

So we had a late lunch, then chatted to Jamie for a while, followed by a short walk. Tintin has since been doing research about the problem.

The big mountain in front of us is Le Moléson - we can just about see cable cars going to it.

The other mountains are the Dent de Lys. Tintin wanted to look out over green pasture land with mountains in the background - chosen another good flat parking spot. Just the conundrum of parking for 15 hours only…