When one door closes (devo/stoke thread)

So…
After being offered a extra night at House Of Ullr last night we decided to take it, get a slide on Crackers Supertrail today before I drove PinkPrincess back to her mum in Wollongong, then drive back to video ski racing for tomorrow morning - a 1000km round trip.

After seeing the weather conditions (blizzarding) we plan not to hit the hill, take our time packing the car and go to the leisure center before hitting the highway.

I have a sneaky (illegal) parking spot in front of the pizza car - incidentally; I’m the only person in Thredbo that knows how to start it (dodgy starter solenoid) apart from the local mechanic (waiting for parts to arrive).

After packing the car, clearing the 15cm of snow off the windows, moving the pizza car and clearing snow from behind my car I got in to start it, but it wouldn’t fire!

After depleting my mechanical knowledge I go get the local mechanic (50m from where I’m parked) - no luck. He reckons it’s the fuel pump.

Call NRMA - roadside assist determine it’s the fuel pump in under 2min (after waiting 75mins).

Call NRMA Premium Care - they offer me car hire for 7days but I let them know the nearest car-rental is Cooma. I ask for them to look into providing accommodation since it’s going to take more than 24hrs to repair (need to wait for parts, it’s the weekend and the starter for pizza car has taken 4days so far). She needs to call me back in 30min.

Try to call PPs mum - so far all contact has been text message, surely she’s thinking I’m pulling something on her, which I’m not. This whole incident is for real!

Premium Care call back - they can cover $700 of accom, I tell them they won’t find anything in Thredbo for 2 nights for that during peak season in the middle of July school holidays. They call back later with 2 nights at Winterhouse for almost $900 which her manager approved to cover.

I explain to them my local knowledge, that I can get a room at Ullr tonight but the rest of the week Ullr is booked out, that I can find somewhere cheaper, for longer that they can and they agree to pay up to $700 for whatever I find.

Deceptively they say they cover s $3000 for accommodation but that is in a 12month period - it’s only $700/incident.

Being I’m in a extreme part of the country, in a snow storm, with a 9yo and they can’t get me hire car - I think NRMA should offer more than 2 nights and use the full $3000 to cover accommodation until the repair is done.

With snowbum luck on my side I might just get it.

Good luck spaz! Sending all my lucky vibes your way!! Hope you and PP get something sorted out!

Dude, there’s a stack of transport options from Thredbo to Cooma! Surely one of your mates down there would help you out too? Particularly as there is a child involved.

Still has his car in Thredbo though, AJ?????

Last season, mates of ours on the way up to Hotham, broke down in Omeo on the way up the mountain. RACV, paid for a taxi to take them up the mountain, loaded there car onto a truck heading for home. End of the weekend, a taxi was waiting to drive them home.

I think they said no to you spaz because they think you are trying to score a accommodation paid for holiday.

hehehe “a paid for holiday” of course that’s what I was pushing for.

After I explained to NRMA that I’ve worked every season for the past 15years and that without my daughter I happily rough it by couch surfing, sleeping in my car or sharing a room by sleeping in a bunk with other staff or even shared a bed, they realized I was only doing this because of my daughter. I didn’t even have to draw on my trump card - Federal Court Orders that prevent me having anything less than specific suitable accommodation.

As it turns out I have sorted out accom for the week within NRMA’s budget - I did have to trade the rights to one of my best ever photos to complete the deal. And that was through a close friend who manages a lodge - I actually feel I’ve lost out (until they told me the Peak season nightly rate, and that Thredbo is at 100% capacity for the next week).

This what you will soon see on all future advertising material for this lodge.

It is the best resort photo I have and worth thousands of dollars for the quality - I was pushing for them to have just a print but they convinced me to trade the rights to it.

BTW I ate at their restaurant on Wednesday night and the food was superb (or better since I was dinning with a chef who was also impressed), even if the service was lacking, let them know today and they said they have “restructured” the staff to improve the service. I also volunteered my waiter skills if needed at any time through the season.

dont you have accom for the season spaz??

Still working on that.
Who knows, maybe ill be able to work a deal out with the bed I’m in now. It’s staff accomm anyway.