Relax, Bike Is Almost Here

Yesterday I told you that Bike had been misplaced and I wasn’t sure when Bike would arrive in Africa. Some people misinterpreted my post and thought I was stressed out, angry, or worried. The truth is, I was none of those things. After I learned that Bike was missing I sent some emails, made a few phone calls, and then took a nice long nap. Then I decided to relax and enjoy the warm weather of Cape Town. As it turns out, Bike was never really missing.

“We Know About the Delay”

I called IAG Cargo and they informed me that the shipping company (Navicon) had changed the shipping dates, and that explained why there were multiple dates on the tracking information screen. Dakar Motos sent me an email update explaining the situation.

We know about the delay as we are tracking it. We told you the best was you arriving before the bike to avoid paying extra storage, we also told you that even when your bike has booked a date is up to the airline change it as they manage the space in the way they need/want. When a booking is changed they tell the forwarder/customer that is because they have perishable goods that has priority, could be this or any other goods that pay more than your bike. We’ll never know. It’s not us or Navicon who manage the space or change bookings, we want your bike shipped as soon as possible.

How Embarrassing

Although I wished that I’d also known about the delay, it’s good to know that things were still going according to plan. I just misunderstood what that plan was. I asked Dakar Motos why I didn’t know and they kindly reminded me that they had informed me about the possibility of delay a few weeks ago.

On our first email reply to you on July 1st we wrote “… bike will fly in the next available plane with space for normal cargo, some products as perishable goods have priorities….”

Anyway as we do it with everybody at meeting we advise on the convenient of arriving prior to the bike and the possible delays for perishable goods seasons as is the common issue we can have from the last half of every year.

How Embarrassing for me.

I should have understood that meant that the “next available” plane could be days after I dropped off the bike. I understood that to mean that they would check the schedule and have me take Bike to the cargo terminal to catch the plane that was already checked for space. Linguistics are so fun.

IAG Cargo continues to tell me that the changes in schedule were made by Navicon, despite what Dakar Motos has told me. I’m sure I’ll never really know who changed what. And it doesn’t really matter.

Just Relax

They joy of taking a trip like this is that you learn to just relax. Things change, misunderstandings happen, events don’t go as planned – and that’s normal. I can’t tell you how many times something has gone awry, you just have to go with it. After a while you learn that most things don’t really matter much. Things are lost or broken. That’s just the way it is. It’s a daily lesson that reminds me to enjoy people, relationships, and the moment I’m in.

I’ll leave you with this video from Ted Simon, the author of Jupiter’s Travels (and many other books). He spent four years circumnavigating the globe in the 70’s, and then did it again in 2001. Yes, this guy rode around the world, on a motorcycle, when he was 70 years old. I love what he has to say about anxiety, the man has some wisdom to share…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqYAk9dArn0