Finally our car arrived.
Our new car purchased in June has traveled a lot already, but only had 80 km on the counter. We bought a brand new Suzuki Grand Vitara from a Dutch import company. They where giving a considerable discount on the old model, but they only had white left, so we went for white.
This Japanese car was shipped to The Netherlands and then shipped to Bangladesh for us, a long way round.
Guess how long it took to go and collect it 7 km further.
The answer follows below.
We left the embassy around 14.00, the way there was good for Dhaka standards, it took about half an hour.
The importer phoned someone shook a few hands and finally some men came to show us to the container, one was carrying the big cutter needed to break the seal, all good signs. The sky is a bit grey, but we should be in time for the rain.
They even found the container quickly among all the others without any system.
Check the container number: Yes, correct, please open.
And:
It definitely looks like a white Grand Vitara.
Now starts the fun bit. I count 9 people in this picture and there are more.
Obviously I don't speak Bangla, but the conversation must go something like:
"That is a car. Is it. Yes it is. It is in a container, it is a white car. It must be the car of that white man. Do you think so? Is he going to drive it? I don't know, he must have a driver. It is a car. Yes, it is a white car....."
They decided it helps if someone pushes the car to get it out on the container.
I found the key in the glove box. The driver turns it, nothing.
The battery must be disconnected, lets have a look.
No, it is connected.
Someone else turns the key, nothing.
A long discussion.
Someone turns the key.
Check if it is connected.
Long discussion.
The battery must be flat.
Is the battery connected?
Let's try turn the key.
.....
I am staying at a distance, any question or remark would just lead to another, no sorry, the same discussion and prolong the process.
Maybe it would help to push it to start it. So there we go.
Two times, and we give up. It is decided that a tiny amount of battery is needed even to push start it, this is new for me. Even the importer helps pushing.
I like the style of the man pushing with one hand in his pocket.
Obviously I am too important to help, and how else would I make photos?
Part of the whole discussion progress is to check each others status. The importer is important and the embassy driver is competing with that. The men doing the hard work are considered less important, but like everywhere in the world, without them nothing would get done.
The car gets pushed off the terrain, because there it is easier to get help. From somewhere another battery is produced, this is connected to the battery. It gives just enough energy to close the one open window, which gives a bit more protection from rain and unwanted hands. Just as well as it rains just after, not for long though.
Another discussion.
The whole problem would have been solved within minutes if a jump-lead had been present, however they didn't have one. What I don't understand is that there are tens of trucks around and men can be found anywhere, yet there is not a single jump-lead available.
After I said it is OK to spend a bit of money the battery gets disconnected, a man jumps with it on a rickshaw and we wait, and wait, it should take half an hour, but this half an hour is very long.
So I spend the next hour and a bit hanging around making a few photos of the traffic (see last blog post) and hanging, being amazed about the risks taken in traffic, the amount of people and stuff that fits in a small taxi etc.
The traffic back was worse adding some more minutes, at least we have a car. The driver likes it and does a good job getting me to the embassy.
No I am thrown into the deep end and have to drive home before going for dinner at a colleagues by car at night. I manage to ruin my name by stalling in front of the embassy's guard, but manage rather well otherwise, if I might say so myself.
So to answer the question, I was home around 19.00, so it takes 5 hours.
At home I realized that at no point actually anybody checked who I am, but I did sign a paper.
Our new car purchased in June has traveled a lot already, but only had 80 km on the counter. We bought a brand new Suzuki Grand Vitara from a Dutch import company. They where giving a considerable discount on the old model, but they only had white left, so we went for white.
This Japanese car was shipped to The Netherlands and then shipped to Bangladesh for us, a long way round.
Guess how long it took to go and collect it 7 km further.
The answer follows below.
We left the embassy around 14.00, the way there was good for Dhaka standards, it took about half an hour.
The importer phoned someone shook a few hands and finally some men came to show us to the container, one was carrying the big cutter needed to break the seal, all good signs. The sky is a bit grey, but we should be in time for the rain.
They even found the container quickly among all the others without any system.
Check the container number: Yes, correct, please open.
And:
It definitely looks like a white Grand Vitara.
Now starts the fun bit. I count 9 people in this picture and there are more.
Obviously I don't speak Bangla, but the conversation must go something like:
"That is a car. Is it. Yes it is. It is in a container, it is a white car. It must be the car of that white man. Do you think so? Is he going to drive it? I don't know, he must have a driver. It is a car. Yes, it is a white car....."
They decided it helps if someone pushes the car to get it out on the container.
The battery must be disconnected, lets have a look.
No, it is connected.
Someone else turns the key, nothing.
A long discussion.
Someone turns the key.
Check if it is connected.
Long discussion.
The battery must be flat.
Is the battery connected?
Let's try turn the key.
.....
I am staying at a distance, any question or remark would just lead to another, no sorry, the same discussion and prolong the process.
Maybe it would help to push it to start it. So there we go.
Two times, and we give up. It is decided that a tiny amount of battery is needed even to push start it, this is new for me. Even the importer helps pushing.
Obviously I am too important to help, and how else would I make photos?
Part of the whole discussion progress is to check each others status. The importer is important and the embassy driver is competing with that. The men doing the hard work are considered less important, but like everywhere in the world, without them nothing would get done.
The car gets pushed off the terrain, because there it is easier to get help. From somewhere another battery is produced, this is connected to the battery. It gives just enough energy to close the one open window, which gives a bit more protection from rain and unwanted hands. Just as well as it rains just after, not for long though.
Another discussion.
The whole problem would have been solved within minutes if a jump-lead had been present, however they didn't have one. What I don't understand is that there are tens of trucks around and men can be found anywhere, yet there is not a single jump-lead available.
After I said it is OK to spend a bit of money the battery gets disconnected, a man jumps with it on a rickshaw and we wait, and wait, it should take half an hour, but this half an hour is very long.
So I spend the next hour and a bit hanging around making a few photos of the traffic (see last blog post) and hanging, being amazed about the risks taken in traffic, the amount of people and stuff that fits in a small taxi etc.
The traffic back was worse adding some more minutes, at least we have a car. The driver likes it and does a good job getting me to the embassy.
No I am thrown into the deep end and have to drive home before going for dinner at a colleagues by car at night. I manage to ruin my name by stalling in front of the embassy's guard, but manage rather well otherwise, if I might say so myself.
So to answer the question, I was home around 19.00, so it takes 5 hours.
At home I realized that at no point actually anybody checked who I am, but I did sign a paper.
3 comments:
Poor Lon!!!!
BUT a fantastic story and pics for your readers:)
I love your description of the ranking of importance....
veel plezier met je nieuwe vriendin, Suzi.
je Pa
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19716687
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