We’ve pressed pause on the travels for a few days and rolled just a few kilometres down the road to Beeliar, settling in close to family for Christmas. It feels a bit strange to be “home but not home,” still living out of the van and half in holiday mode, but there’s something comforting about being near familiar faces at this time of year.

For now, the adventure takes a gentle breather. The big miles can wait — there are grandkids to squeeze, too much food to eat. Lets see what the new year brings.

A big thank you to Ross and his team at Aus West Auto Electrical.

A week out from Christmas — arguably the busiest time of year for most businesses — our electrical system gave up the ghost. Thankfully, Ross and the crew swooped in and had us up and running again in quick time, and for a very reasonable price. Couldn’t be happier with the service.

As expected, things don’t always go to plan.

Tonight finds us sitting in semi-darkness after the battery system on the Mobi decided to throw in the towel. I’ve checked every fuse I can find, but once I start following the wiring, it quickly turns into what looks like a bowl of spaghetti — and about as easy to understand.

The end result? No fridge, no water pump, and only half our lights. The good news is that we still have air-conditioning and cooking facilities, so we’re hardly roughing it and will survive the night quite comfortably.

Tomorrow will be spent hunting down an auto electrician, though being this close to Christmas doesn’t exactly improve our odds. Still, this is all part of the adventure — plans change, patience gets tested, and stories get written.

Having been here for a few weeks now, we’re starting to earn the trust of the locals. Every afternoon at tea time there’s a familiar line-up — quendas, pigeons, wagtails and skinks, all waiting patiently for their share. Even the kookaburras are getting braver by the day, watching closely and edging ever nearer.

Coogee Beach this evening.