Oh Yeah, the caravan.

We didn't quite manage it that badly. But here we are half way into a service station in the Christmas holidays on a busy intersection in Dubbo. Our first big trip.

The van won't fit under the station's canopy. The traffic is piling up behind us and I can't get the space or the nerve to reverse out anyway.

Fortunately the servo is on a corner and part of a small group of shops. A prayer, a tight but slow and careful turn, lots of preemptive thank you waves and we're off through the car park next door to go around and try again.

A couple of lessons:

1. There's often an easy-to-access diesel pump around the side or back for trucks and morons in 22 foot vans

2. Always, always, always check before you enter a service station, shopping centre, camping ground or otherwise confined space.

A good question to ask yourself:

"Do I really want to back this thing out of there in front of all those people?"