We needed to do some maintenance on and tidying up in Poki, so we drove to the edge of the resort and found a quiet place with a large shady tree. After a hearty porridge breakfast, Dennis changed into his overalls and I set about cleaning out the food box, the fridge and the box containing all the washing and cleaning things.
It was a very quiet location, but a couple came down the sandy road in a ute and stopped. Neil and Tina. They were interested in our adventure. Just going out to do some errands, they invited us over to their house – the orange one, after they returned.
All was going very well and we decided to have some lunch. Still having bread, cheese and tomatoes and tea, we thought we would finish them off, rather than go and buy something. Dennis then just had to do some repairs to the inverter, which had decided to part company with its fittings and change over the batteries. I was lazy and sat in the back in the cool and read.
All finished we set off to look for the orange house and Neil and Tina. Poki started perfectly, but after a few yards,’poof’, smoke started pouring out of the hand brake and the engine cut out. Get out quick was the instruction from Dennis. The batteries are under my seat and it was obviously a battery issue. Out I jumped and Dennis removed the battery box cover to see what had happened. One of the terminals had touched the metal cover and shorted.
She wouldn’t start. What to do next? Dennis got the jumper leads from a roof box and managed to get enough charge from one battery to the other, to get us started. Off we went to look for the orange house again. It was quite difficult to find being off the main development and down an unmade road. However, with persistence we found it and spent a very pleasant hour or so chatting with Neil and Tina. They are from Washington State and had only driven down a couple of days ago. They were in the process of cleaning up their garden and house, which had been empty for several months. Neil used to be a pharmacist and opened the first pharmacy in Whistler about 35 years ago. A lovely couple.
When we came to leave, guess what, Poki wouldn’t start. So, Neil kindly gave us a tow and she started straight away. Tracey wondered what had happened to us as we had been gone so long and kindly invited us to eat with them and their guests again. A lovely Mexican couple and their son. Marley, a very interesting lady from Calgary, who had worked in the oil and gas industry and Jorge, who owns the RV storage depot where we are leaving Poki. We ate chocolate clams, which are apparently a delicacy and just found in Loreto. Delicious either cold with lime and a spicy sauce, or hot, cooked on the barbecue.
Baked Chocolate Clams 
It was a convivial evening, but I know Dennis is worrying about Poki.
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