NEW FORD EVEREST -
Falling In Love With
One Spring Afternoon
#fordthinking #voicesof2015
(This post comes with a warning - stay tuned for gratuitous car-porn photos!)
I first saw her across the car lot. She was sheathed mysteriously in a red cape, hidden and mysterious. When she was revealed to me I was taken aback at her strength and her size, but also all her shiny bits! She looked friendly, but not something to be taken lightly. This was the NEW FORD EVEREST, TITANIUM actually, top of the range, brand new, and my new friend for 6 weeks. I decided to call her EVE (short for Everest of course).
Like any new relationship, I was nervous at out our first meeting, but I took her home, promising to keep her safe and look after her. She sat patiently under the carport, awaiting some attention. My husband had already got to know Eve a little, desperate to take her to work and show her off. So he did, very proudly, and was greeted with lots of oohs and ahhhs from jealous workmates. I had to wait a little longer... I had Friday earmarked as my quality time with Eve day. Our first proper date so to speak.
But like all plans, things change. Instead of bounding out of bed, I was feeling pounding in my head.
A thumping great headache. There was so much I needed to get done! Apart from Eve, I had a really REALLY important letter to send. But I know the way this goes, no point fighting it. So I took some tablets, lay down in a dark room and slept. Eve would have to wait.
I awoke hours later, feeling much better, with no pounding... but feeling stale and dopey, stiff and sore.
Shower, dress, water, camera, phone, wallet, sunglasses. And a drive to the post office. It was time to get into that magnificent beastie that stood sparkling red (sunset actually) strong and powerful but very lovely in my driveway and get the show on the road (bad pun). Not filling up its 7 seats with bums, but just me... and leather seats, leather steering wheel, panoramic power sunroof, ace music system, dual climate control air conditioning, chrome everywhere... Oh yeah BABY...I was feeling much better already! In fact I was feeling damn comfy, special and quite luxe!
Then again, maybe my brain was still in autopilot. Because I forgot that bloody letter didn't I! But that's okay, because using the bluetooth mobile phone integration/SYNC 2 system,(I sound like I know what I am talking about! LOL) I rang my daughter at home, did a speedy but safe U-turn (thank you Electronic power assist Steering or EPAS to those who like acronyms), and the letter was in my hands ready for posting.
Feeling like I was all over this shizz, I drove down to the post office. Before I suddenly realised that I had never parked Eve before, and I was about to hit afternoon traffic. Slight panic as I realised the only park available was a parallel park. GULP.
Now this is the truth. I promise. I am not a 'car' person. I am not a competitive or competition crazy person. The whole 'getting a car' for #fordthinkingand being in Kidspot Top3 #voicesof2015 is more than freaky and weirds me out. I have just been doing what I love, what drives me (bad pun again), motivated by what is in my heart and makes me happy, certainly not monetary benefits or aims of being the great or rewarded for it (though it is lovely). So just being part of this excellent competition means I am still AWED. Gobsmacked, freaked out, ravingly happy, ecstatically befuddled and super blown away and proud to have the opportunity to be part of it all... but also super conscious of the immense responsibility and trust placed in me to take good care of this formidable, rugged, powerful but refined and precious car... Eve. So that kind of nervous scared anxious twisty feeling in my tummy made me NOT want to get a scratch on her. GULP.
Turns out I am a real DOOFUS. I was worrying for nothing.
Because Eve has this thing called an ACTIVE PARK ASSIST,(APA) as well as rear park senses and rear view camera (glad I do not personally posses one of those - I have no desire to see my rear view constantly). Just by pressing a button and listening to information and advice from APA, selecting reverse and controlling the speed of the car... EVE ACTUALLY PARALLEL PARKED HERSELF FOR ME!!! Yes, like some new age science fiction thingy, this magical thing APA parked itself! I did not even have to touch the steering wheel! WHOA!!!!!OMG!!! Talk about amaze balls! As a technology challenged individual, if I can use this, anyone can. Yes, I am still freaking out about it. Wow. After gathering up my jaw, I got out of the car, and posted that letter. Yahoo! Tick box, deed done, and time to hit the road with Eve. And me falling in love just a little bit, so impressed.
Sunroof open, music on, cruise control in play, seats and mirrors electronically adjusted for me to perfection, feeling damn good, I headed off to find some haystacks I had been told about, that apparently were pretty cool, and to find some canola fields to photograph. Freedom!
And found them I did. Stunning stuff. The canola is almost finished, almost beyond bloom, but I did find some. I also discovered another one of Eves' positives. Her 20 inch wheels and step-uppy thing (running plates? side steps?) mean she is quite high and has great scenic views, and makes an awesome place to stand when taking photos! Unexpected bonus!
I really could have gone home at this point, I really did not need to linger. But it was such a lovely day, and I was enjoying this so much, I decide to just drive and see where I went to... and so I found myself on the road to Greenethorpe and Iandra Castle (yes, a castle). I have friends who live out this way, a talented artist and his beautiful wife. I am not sure where they are, but I know I can use the SYNC/blue tooth thing to ring them if I need to, or use the navigation system. It's great to be spontaneous and just head off, the journey not the destination is the bit I love!
Guess what? It was a good idea. I had a blast! Because I ended up stopping suddenly (thank you excellent brakes) to avoid a cute algae covered turtle, pulled over and saved him by taking him to a creek, then 20 minutes later I was having a chat with a local farmer driving a truck (who wondered why some woman was driving up his driveway with a camera). I got some great landscape photos of lovely trees, verdant hills and rolling pastures, and then surprise surprise (after chatting to the truck driver) even found my friends house.
As it happens my friends live down a long winding dirt track, peppered with potholes and ruts not unlike a mini-grand canyon. Rocks, channels, heavy duty erosion and cracked dry mud pools. HMMMMM.... no worries, I simply turned a dial and the Terrain Management System Dial (TMSD) and Eve did her thing beautifully, torque engaged, suspension rolling, and me feeling quite chuffed with myself. So all over this shizz! (Granted, she did all the work, but I pressed the button. But it made me fall in love just a little bit bit more).
A kilometre up the track I saw another car coming towards me, and it was my friends. Didn't they get a shock! We greeted each other with hugs and smiles, then we stood there, surrounded by paddocks, magpies, gum trees, a huge blue sky, and laughed and giggled, told stories of things we had been up to, and I told them all about how I came to be driving Eve. It was a great natter. But the sun was getting low in the sky... and just as I was thinking I should probably head back, my hubby rang me THROUGH THE CAR (technology amazes me) and asked if I was coming home anytime soon, or was I going to drive off into the Sunset with the Everest???
A tempting as the idea was, I took some last romantic sort of photos of Eve in the dusk light, and then headed homeward. The cobwebs had well and truly been dusted and blown away, and I had managed to end up having a great time and incredible drive despite the dodgy beginning of the day. I felt on a real high, very very happy, and content, and a little bit thrilled. I guess falling in love a little bit will do that to you! And so, you might say our first date went very well, and I am looking forward to spending more time with my lovely Eve... sigh.
AND BONUS!!!
here is my FIRST EVER video...
AN AFTERNOON WITH EVE, linky here!
For those who were wondering...
This post written as part of my #FORDTHINKING #VOICESOF2015 Kidspot Challenge. As a Top3 Finalist in this prestigious challenge, I am being loaned a NEW FORD EVEREST for 6 weeks, as well as completing other blog challenges. I am supporting these posts with other social media platforms also - like Facebook, Instagram, Youtube Vimeo and Pinterest. I would LOVE for you to look at what else I have done. It's been totally weird and totally fabulous!
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