Following is the first of a series of updates Chips will be providing during his fundraising journey.

"Hi folks, got down here without a hitch, well so I thought. With the beefed up voltage we were sailing along, just cruising.

It was dirty weather on the Tuesday before we sailed so we had the headlights on most times and it was daytime so I didn't notice if the light were working or not. They weren't! This was due to the fact the old six volt globes had blown, caused by the higher voltage.

Not to worry as we will not be driving at night so this will give us time to get some new globes.

Through the VW club down here I contacted someone who could help. We went over so he could see what globes were required. We also had teed up a meeting with a fireman from the Hobart Fire Station who also raises funds for ACRF.

Val and I had the cook's tour through the station and equipment as well as the museum of old fire vehicles, very impressive!

They have a '63 VW that was Cadbury's fire tender and it has a VW Godiva pump mounted mid-ship; it certainly is an impressive old unit which has not yet traveled 2,000 miles.

We then travelled to Moona and the VW man is going to hunt up some globes. When we got back to base at Blackman's Bay, I could hear a strange noise in the motor and after an inspection found it was a shot bearing in the generator. I am half way in pulling it off.

Last night I forgot to turn the fuel off when I took the carburetor off in removing the generator. The tank was full but not any more. Pretty dumb, wasn't it?

Heaps more to go and this is only week one.” - Chips