With a plane ticket in my hand

Soundtrack: Boxtops – The letter

I am finally ready to leave, well if it wasn’t for the waiting another 14 days here at Table View to get a cheap flight with Malaysia Airlines, 2520 ZAR (240 €) excl taxes to Buenos Aires. I am not that concerned about waiting another two week’s as the backpackers here is very social.
Finally received my invoice from the shipper FCL which was more than a shock to me. I almost fell down from the chair, while I was choking in my hot coffee! At the first meeting with FCL in Cape Town I got an estimated cost of the shipping of my bike from Durban to Buenos Aires, which seemed reasonable back then. The price I received today looked far from the estimation back then, especially the amount custom’s had charged me to open up the crate. It went from 500 ZAR ( 48 €) to skyhigh 2.150 ZAR (205 €). That is quite an increase considering I have been waiting 3 weeks for their “service”. Meanwhile I am not accepting this price! The total price for the shipping of the bike is now 9.531,85 ZAR (907,38 €). An increase of of 3501,41 ZAR (333 Euros).

As we speak I am waiting on the response from the shipper, as I haven’t accepted the invoice yet.
When all this bad experience about shipping a bike over the Atlantic Ocean is over, I shouldn’t forget what a great feeling it has been riding down the West coast of Africa and finishing my first leg of the journey. It has been great. One of the most enjoyable achievements but also one of the most hard experiences of my life. I have been put into several test’s to achieve and reach my goal which ment riding from Europe to the very end of Africa. But in some way I have found it as my kind of heroine. There is nothing like riding a bike down the road, the freedom it means, what will be over the next hillside? That is what keeps me going on… I can’t stop now, not tomorrow, I have to continue…

Two hours after I wrote the text above I received an email from Michelle at FCL. The shipping company agree to cover the expenses for the custom’s. The story was that the custom’s wanted to open the crate again to check the details of the bike (hope everything is still there when I receive it abroad). Normally the charge for the custom’s is 500 ZAR which I stated above. After this procedure it was astonishing 2150 ZAR. This extra expense will almost cover my plane ticket. I guess it helps being a little hard sometimes, instead of being naive and just pay. A thing I learned from my mom I guess! Total price for shipping a VFR overseas from Durban to Buenos Aires is so far: 7.381,85 ZAR (703 €)

This is the ship my bike is going on. FINALLY “leaving” the 20th of July 2010 if I can believe that after so many cancellations. I waited three week’s for this ship to leave harbour in Durban.

My situation here at SaltyCrax has been upgraded from sleeping in a tent to be situated on the coach inside the house, though I am still paying for a tent. The bad thing is the other guys are doing the same.
The days go by watching movies, getting drunk with the guys. Guess what, Rene (Deutch) and the “Viking”, “The Homeless” (Candian) just arrived a few days ago, both on 1200 Adventures. I will miss the guys once I leave.
Thanks to my lovely girlfriend Bea for paying my way out here (bought me an airline ticket to Buenos Aires), it is not easy having a broke boyfriend from Denmark, sorry Bea.

Thanks to Geodis Wilson/ Thomas Klinke in Denmark for giving me a good price on sending out a new passport. I promised Thomas to say this: “Hvis det haster om natten, så er det GW der skal ha’ den!”. Officially my current passport is not valid anymore, as I have ordered a new one here in Cape Town! But I guess they will never find out at the border into Argentina. I am planning on giving it a try anyway…
Also a big thanks to Helsport from Norway. They are sending out a new sleeping bag to me, after my old one is starting leaking out its dunen. That was it from me this time – Over and Out!

NEWS: 20JUL2010 “It keeps getting cheaper”
Wednesday was the day I had planned to pick up the Carnet from the shipper down town CT, but things took a slightly change! Today I had the opportunity to get a lift from Rene on his GS1200 Adventure into CT. He was going to pick up his new passport from the German embassy on Riebeck Street just a couple of blocks away from my destination.
First the Carnet hadn’t arrived yet, so after a visit to the bar just across the street, Rene and I was ready to give FCL a visit again. This time I had the luck with me, the Carnet had arrived with the courier from Durban, and guess what, now with a Durban custom stamp, that the bike had finally left the country. Could it be any better? Yes it can. When giving the invoice a closer look I found out that I also was charged for Fumigation. This is included in the price when you get FCL to build the crate for you. If you provide the crate yourself, the price is 150 ZAR for fumigation, and not 751 ZAR (71 €) which they had charged me. All in all that saves me from paying 2901 ZAR (276 €). The final price for shipping the red devil to Buenos Aires was reduced to 6.630.85 ZAR (631 €) which I am quite happy with.
By now I can’t promise that you won’t here more about shipping a bike across the Atlantic Ocean. Things can still go wrong on the other side of the dam. But lets cross fingers that it will go more smooth this time.