I had intended to write part two of my holiday over the weekend but the weekend was busy, nor did I have the inclination. I think the past week had depressed me somewhat.
I arranged for my dead car to go to the wreckers and they needed paperwork signed on Friday. Daughter had the car for the day so the logistics of getting to them was nigh impossible. I was tired, grumpy and headachey anyway that morning so since it was all too difficult and misery-inducing, I took a mental health day.
That done, daughter joined me in looking round car sales yards for a potential replacement before doing the stuff she wanted the car for. It was depressing. Cars were either over-priced, too big, or white. I hate white cars. I can never see myself driving a white car. Again I saw a car like my daughter’s – an early 90s Toyota Corolla grossly overpriced at $4500. We did see a nice little black Mazda hatchback but at $5000 it was over my budget. We went for a test drive anyway but I found it noisy and the automatic gear changes were jerky. It had low kms but was far too basic for the price. I was later advised to avoid that particular car sales yard because of bad post-purchase customer service.
On Saturday we went around any remaining car sales yards we’d missed and I was disappointed. It seemed everybody was selling bigger cars in order to buy more economical smaller cars – just my luck. My one last hope was a contact number for a Toyota which had been seen by a work colleague. I got in touch and we went round to have a look. Coincidentally it was another black hatchback but 1500cc instead of 1300cc and $1000 cheaper. We went for a drive and I liked it immediately. The owners were an elderly couple who had cared for it fondly and they said they’d miss the car because their new one wasn’t as good. I decided there and then to buy and haggled the price down and up to an agreed $3800. Daughter and I were desperate as she wanted to drive to Wellington this week to get aspects of her car fixed by an auto-mechanic cousin. Relief indeed after a visit to the bank (thank the gods they now open all day Saturday) and paperwork done. Daughter went on her way to the boyfriend’s and I headed home in the new jalopy.
Later, that evening, car and I went on our first real journey together to the annual bellydancing event in town. I had been very nervous about the performance of the dance I dislike but after a large glass of red wine I was mellow enough not to worry. Daughter and friends turned up a bit late but saw most of the performances (including mine). I managed to dance the choreography with only a minor hiccup which I hope no-one noticed.
Back home and parked my little black friend behind the dead Nissan (which was due to be picked up on Monday). You’ll notice the new car has a personality unlike the Nissan which was just something to get me from A to B and for which I felt nothing at all. The Toyota will have to have a name…
Back to the grind but at least the sun is shining.
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