The day started with a lovely breakfast at 6.30pm served with another interesting variation of tea with milk - a teabag and a cup of cold milk. I had to ask for 'agua caliente'. It was a lovely breakfast though, and set me up for the trying day ahead.
When in Guadalajara with Tas he encouraged me to download the Uber app, (alternative taxi service - not unlike Airbnb) which I decided I'd try out. It worked perfectly, and within a few minutes, a taxi was outside the hotel and ready to take me back to the airport. The traffic was a little lighter this morning but far busier than one would expect at 7.45 on a Saturday morning. The costs was under half the price of the taxi I'd taken the previous night and the ride was more entertaining with a bubbly señorita for company.
The cargo and customs area was like Fort Knox with a heavy security presence and every guard asking to see my passport. Well over the top, but I was directed to the shippers warehouse and once inside, saw my Bonito with no visible damage, which was reassuring. I was told I had to wait until the office administrator arrived at 9pm. Once she arrived the paperwork was quickly completed, photocopied in triplicate and I was escorted to the Customs offices some 400 metres away.
My escort was a large set, taciturn guy who clearly didn't enjoy smiling. If as I anticipated, I would be spending sometime with him, I had to make every effort to get to know him and get him to open up, and if not that, then maybe an odd smile every now and then. The office was reasonably empty by the standards of my previous experiences. It looked promising as we were instructed to sit at a desk and wait for the Customs Officer to return. During my wait I noticed one of the officers, who had nobody to process, was busily cutting paper in an industrious manner. She was doing this all the time we were waiting for an Officer to complete our paperwork. Below you can see what she was doing.
Take a close look at the glass screen
An hour later he returned, asked a few questions and gave us a form to complete. He then called over an attractive lady who had entered while we had been waiting and started working on her case. I was annoyed on two fronts, firstly the form was only a two minute process and secondly 'Lurch' had taken the form to complete on my behalf and took 15 minutes. I should have taken it off him as I was now the expert on completing these blasted forms.
An hour later the señorita had been processed and it was now my turn. Those who know me will appreciate that I was fuming, and in this instance, it was a good job that I did not have enough Spanish. What had happened during the long wait was my original minder was called away and replaced with a young man of similar stature. He was more engaging and through smartphone translators had a conversation of sorts. I vented my frustration through him and made a couple of ironic and rude comments about the officer. It made him smile and helped pass away the time. The officer was a stickler for detail but also incredibly slow and double checked every piece of information on the numerous forms. He also sought verbal confirmation as well. It was taking an age - everything on the form was entered onto the computer. Honestly, the form was so simple and really should have taken five minutes to complete and input, it took an hour! He eventually pressed the button and walked to the printer to collect three copies of my paperwork. I was then asked to sign in three places on each copy (nine times in total) and just for good measre to enter my passport number against each signature. At this point I could control myself no longer, I had the choice to swear or to laugh, I chose the later. He handed my minder the paperwork, I placed my phone in my pocket and as we walked away my phone translator went off, with a very loud 'Incompetente'. I didn't know if to laugh- or run, but a smirk crossed my face and I decided to just keep on walking.
I was pleased it was all over and I could be on my way, BUT NOTHING is ever that simple in Latin America! I walked to where my bike was and my accomplice along the way took a detour with the reams of paperwork. I sat and waited by the bike for half an hour before I completely lost patience. I took myself off to the offices to find out what was happening. Guess what? They had to photocopy everything three times, which was the reason for the delay. I honestly cannot believe that these poor people have to live this experience every working day of their lives. Xerox must export millions of pounds worth of machinery each year to this obsessively pedantry nation. How can this have become the modus operandi? My theory is that the more autocratic a nation, the more fear there is surrounding being accountable and making mistakes. How else can one explain the excessive checking and rechecking everything - though it does have a plus side - lots of people are employed and they all have good self esteem as they all seem very important.
After all of this I was wrecked, I drove through the busy and dangerous streets (taxis cut straight across you and force you out of their way) and back to the hotel. I had intended to go to the Gold Museum but instead chilled out in my room. My family will know what happened next - I fell asleep!
Not an exciting day, a frustrating one. But I have my bike and I'm ready for the next leg. What may surprise you all is that Bogota is not hot at all, in fact it is just like Britain, cloudy and quite temperate. Tomorrow if it is not raining I will venture up the Monsoratte mountain which has great views of the city and if raining, the Gold Museum.
Well done Pete surviving these frustrating procedures. Back together with your bike now and the road ahead to discover :-)
ReplyDeleteWell done Pete surviving these frustrating procedures. Back together with your bike now and the road ahead to discover :-)
ReplyDeleteLovely day today, forgotten about yesterday already
DeleteWhat a palaver Pete your patience tested to the limit eh? Now that you are reunited with your beloved Bonito the true Adventure can begin ! Look forward to the next chapter xxx
ReplyDeleteGood day today so yesterday a distant memory. Nice country, just officials I don't like
DeleteWell done Pete -I'm sure you'll like Ecuador and Peru.
ReplyDeleteGo for it!
nICK, Columbia is great and enjoying being here, it's just bloody officials I don't like!
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