We had just rolled into our site at Lake Tekapo. Newt (our hire campervan) was all snugged in, and Kelly was busy unwrapping cheeses and crackers and olives and wine in readiness for some beer-o-clock sundowners.

That was until we realised that we were probably totally facing the wrong way to best enjoy the view out over the lake as we sat at Newts table with the fare.

OK, no problem. We quickly stowed all the spillable stuff, I unplugged Newt from her power umbilicus and I backed her out, spun her around (in an eight point turn…the van park was tight), and backed her back into a more feng sway position.

This was all super duper until I went to plug the power cable back in. It was short. Only by 1 inch, but pull it as taught as I might, I could not make a connection.

“Um, Kelly…..Im going to have to move Newt again. I cant quite connect her to power.” I couldn’t quite make out the short muffled response. But Im pretty sure it was a bad word.

No problem. Secure all the wine and nibbles for a moment. Forward. Across. And reverse.

This time the cable reached easily.

“We are all good to go!” I shouted.

Kelly slid the door open. “Oh while you are out there could you be a champ and fill our fresh water tank? We’re totally empty.”

I pulled the hose out and connected it to the tap…and I think you know where this story is going. The hose would not reach from the tap (that was on the opposite side to the power socket) into the receiving port on Newt. And it was just a bit too far away for me to squirt it accurately into the opening.

And if I were to move Newt again so the hose would reach…you guessed it…the power cord would no longer reach.

“Um…Ke-lly. I think we might need to move again….Twice”

There was another short muffled reply. I’m pretty sure it was a very bad word.