Across the Americas in a FJC - Page 17

***Shadow-Warrior*** · 06-30-2008, 09:30 AM

Wow, sorry to hear about all the red tape, just think, you'll have to do it all again in reverse.

Make sure when the container is "SEALED" to be there when it is unsealed too.

Mike

gsrthomas · 07-01-2008, 09:31 AM

Maybe I missed it but why ship the car there? Wouldn't it be possible just to drive?

FJC8871 · 07-01-2008, 09:52 AM

Shreesh, keeping up with your thread. Amazing trip! What will your route be back to SF? Will you pass So Cal by chance? I know it's not anytime soon but I am sure many of us would enjoy a Meet and Greet in your honor (Neena too) and celebrate your once in a lifetime trip!

I am waiting to see how the trip goes through Peru. Peru is where I was born, though I would not look like it (Japanese decent).

Shreesh · 07-01-2008, 01:43 PM

Quote:

gsrthomas previously said:

Maybe I missed it but why ship the car there? Wouldn't it be possible just to drive?

Wish that that were true! There is the small problem of the Darien Gap, a dense forest where there is no road and is populated with all kinds of lawless hoodlums, FARC being the foremost.

Hence the costly and time consuming exercise of shipping past that gap...

Shreesh · 07-01-2008, 01:49 PM

Quote:

FJC8871 previously said:

Shreesh, keeping up with your thread. Amazing trip! What will your route be back to SF? Will you pass So Cal by chance? I know it's not anytime soon but I am sure many of us would enjoy a Meet and Greet in your honor (Neena too) and celebrate your once in a lifetime trip!

I am waiting to see how the trip goes through Peru. Peru is where I was born, though I would not look like it (Japanese decent).

We plan on shipping the car back to the US when we are done in South America and we would love to participate in a Meet and Greet!

We are really looking forward to Peru - we have been there before and had had a wonderful time. It is very culturally rich and interesting.

Shreesh · 07-01-2008, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Shadow-Warrior previously said:

Wow, sorry to hear about all the red tape, just think, you'll have to do it all again in reverse.

Make sure when the container is "SEALED" to be there when it is unsealed too.

Mike

Hi Mike,

The container is sealed and we do plan on being there when it is unsealed. We went over to the docks today and were told that the vessel was late! So now we have to deal with it tomorrow.

Supposedly bad things happen when they open the container without your presence. I've read stories of using fork lifts to unload the vehicles, resulting in considerable damage. One guy came out with a bent prop shaft...

***Shadow-Warrior*** · 07-01-2008, 07:12 PM

I hope it all goes well tomorrow.

Akillez-13 · 07-01-2008, 08:55 PM

Just started reading this thread, this is so cool...This definetly is an expedition for all to enjoy, thank you so much for sharing your adventure for the less fortunate FJ owners (Myself included)....I must ask though, is there anyway you could conjour up a Map containing your past route...This would be very interesting to visually see where you are, your mileage, time-line destination...

Shreesh · 07-03-2008, 10:37 AM

What a long strange trip its been! Finally we have negotiated the Darien Gap!

Yesterday we got up mighty early to get all the formalities completed. The first order of business was to get the "final" bill of ladings, which, inexplicably could not be printed until the very day the ship arrives in port. Arriving at the company offices we were told that it could not be printed for several hours! But I waited around, annoying and badgering them and suddenly it was ready!

Then we had to get the importation procedure done at a customs office in another neighborhood, a short cab ride away. Arriving there we found we were at the wrong office and had to go to yet another customs office. Some people were shuttled between three offices before finding the right one.

Then it was back to the docks to wait for the container to be unloaded. After several hours and bad chinese food later a woman rushed in to tell us our container was unloaded! Whoopee!! But wait, the seal had been cracked open and they had also taken the liberty of busting the personal lock we had put on! At this point a hot-headed Argentine lost his cool and started yelling at the port official. Not a very good strategy!

Despite the rape of the lock everything was fine with the cars (we were sharing the container with another van). Then an inspector had to inspect the car, I guess to make sure we weren't smuggling drugs into Colombia

With his clean report we had to hop in a cab and head back the to the first customs office (the wrong one). By this time it was past 5:00 and the dock offices close at 6:00. The boss was on a coffee break and we spent some tense moments waiting for him. We did NOT want to leave the FJ in port overnight! Luckily we got his signature and rushed back to the docks, at about ten to six.

Barely getting in under the wire, the car was free around 7:00, leaving us to negotiate the streets of Cartagena at night. So there you have it, if any of you want to do this!

**Crotalus** · 07-03-2008, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Shreesh previously said:

What a long strange trip its been! Finally we have negotiated the Darien Gap!

Yesterday we got up mighty early to get all the formalities completed. The first order of business was to get the "final" bill of ladings, which, inexplicably could not be printed until the very day the ship arrives in port. Arriving at the company offices we were told that it could not be printed for several hours! But I waited around, annoying and badgering them and suddenly it was ready!

Then we had to get the importation procedure done at a customs office in another neighborhood, a short cab ride away. Arriving there we found we were at the wrong office and had to go to yet another customs office. Some people were shuttled between three offices before finding the right one.

Then it was back to the docks to wait for the container to be unloaded. After several hours and bad chinese food later a woman rushed in to tell us our container was unloaded! Whoopee!! But wait, the seal had been cracked open and they had also taken the liberty of busting the personal lock we had put on! At this point a hot-headed Argentine lost his cool and started yelling at the port official. Not a very good strategy!

Despite the rape of the lock everything was fine with the cars (we were sharing the container with another van). Then an inspector had to inspect the car, I guess to make sure we weren't smuggling drugs into Colombia

With his clean report we had to hop in a cab and head back the to the first customs office (the wrong one). By this time it was past 5:00 and the dock offices close at 6:00. The boss was on a coffee break and we spent some tense moments waiting for him. We did NOT want to leave the FJ in port overnight! Luckily we got his signature and rushed back to the docks, at about ten to six.

Barely getting in under the wire, the car was free around 7:00, leaving us to negotiate the streets of Cartagena at night. So there you have it, if any of you want to do this!

Congrats!