Jobs to do today: Call DHL about picking up the carnet, visit a couple of different clearing agents to get quotes for dealing with customs on Monday when the ship arrives, buy some string to hang the mozzie net as the fans and Baygon aren't doing the job, and see if the roof top bar (see photo) we found next door (RESULT!!!) has free wifi. Easy.
We had a variation in breakfast stuffs today as Amelia bought a jam bread roll, some small plain rolls and a couple of bananas. We then headed to the internet cafe near by to check the carnet's progress on line as no one was answering the phone numbers we had. Sure enough, it had arrived, so we changed plans and asked our tuk tuk/auto driver to first take us to the DHL office where Andrew had been assured our precious parcel would be. Of course it wasn't.
After some discussion, a phone call and some 'niceties' - we jumped back into the auto and headed for the port region. We'd have to return to get the carnet later in the day. It's a truly brilliant way to see the sights of Chennai, riding around in an auto. We laugh as our driver negotiates intersections at speed so confidently, and take notes.
Finding any of the listed clearing agents that we had addresses for proved to be a nightmare. No street signs and various systems of numbering (Old #123/New #746 are the same property!) meant we had to stop to ask for help repeatedly, until 'George'' who knew Britain and England were the same place, jumped in the front with the driver and started yelling "Where to Miss! Where to?!". The small congested streets were filled with mechanics on the street, welders, fruit markets, childern on their way to school and women washing clothes. Certainly NOT what we were expecting these shipping agents to be located within. When we failed to find the first place, we settled for the other just because we accidentaly ended in the right street. Pulling up outside a small dishevelled building, we were told to head inside. Our driver, Mr Pizwan, waited patiently.
We headed to the 1st floor and were soon directed to the second. We waited as people came in and out of offices, and once we'd explained what we needed, we were taken to the floor above. Using a thumb-print scanner, a man lead us into the offices of International Shipping and Clearing Agency. A very professional set up with some confident people who had just cleared another landcruiser through Chennai customs a month ago. We originally had considered shipping to Bangladesh to avoid Chennai as customs here have a reputation of being impossible to deal with. After looking over our B/l and old carnet, we were told that because we'd followed instructions in Melbourne and declaired all the items within the vehicle as 'personal affects', we had now put ourselves at the mercy of customs. They see the carnet as the car only. Everything else inside could possibly be things we could sell for profit here in India. We now have to convince them that the fridge, and anthing else not ESSENTIAL to our trip, is for our own private use. With port charges, transfer costs and the clearing charges, we are looking at a minimum of US$750. Also realised that as we couldnt remember what we packed exactly, our 'declaration' list omits, among other things, our new sh1t shovel. Hmm hope this doesnt cause us any grief, we will probably just blame Canadia.
We now have to get the new carnet to the company tomorrow, with an itenerary of our travel in India to prove what we are doing. Oh, and as luck would have it, Monday the 26th, the day the ship arrives and we should be getting the car, is a national holiday here.
We did get some rope for the mozzie net though, and didn't bother getting other clearing quotes. It's time for a beer.
We had a variation in breakfast stuffs today as Amelia bought a jam bread roll, some small plain rolls and a couple of bananas. We then headed to the internet cafe near by to check the carnet's progress on line as no one was answering the phone numbers we had. Sure enough, it had arrived, so we changed plans and asked our tuk tuk/auto driver to first take us to the DHL office where Andrew had been assured our precious parcel would be. Of course it wasn't.
After some discussion, a phone call and some 'niceties' - we jumped back into the auto and headed for the port region. We'd have to return to get the carnet later in the day. It's a truly brilliant way to see the sights of Chennai, riding around in an auto. We laugh as our driver negotiates intersections at speed so confidently, and take notes.
Finding any of the listed clearing agents that we had addresses for proved to be a nightmare. No street signs and various systems of numbering (Old #123/New #746 are the same property!) meant we had to stop to ask for help repeatedly, until 'George'' who knew Britain and England were the same place, jumped in the front with the driver and started yelling "Where to Miss! Where to?!". The small congested streets were filled with mechanics on the street, welders, fruit markets, childern on their way to school and women washing clothes. Certainly NOT what we were expecting these shipping agents to be located within. When we failed to find the first place, we settled for the other just because we accidentaly ended in the right street. Pulling up outside a small dishevelled building, we were told to head inside. Our driver, Mr Pizwan, waited patiently.
We headed to the 1st floor and were soon directed to the second. We waited as people came in and out of offices, and once we'd explained what we needed, we were taken to the floor above. Using a thumb-print scanner, a man lead us into the offices of International Shipping and Clearing Agency. A very professional set up with some confident people who had just cleared another landcruiser through Chennai customs a month ago. We originally had considered shipping to Bangladesh to avoid Chennai as customs here have a reputation of being impossible to deal with. After looking over our B/l and old carnet, we were told that because we'd followed instructions in Melbourne and declaired all the items within the vehicle as 'personal affects', we had now put ourselves at the mercy of customs. They see the carnet as the car only. Everything else inside could possibly be things we could sell for profit here in India. We now have to convince them that the fridge, and anthing else not ESSENTIAL to our trip, is for our own private use. With port charges, transfer costs and the clearing charges, we are looking at a minimum of US$750. Also realised that as we couldnt remember what we packed exactly, our 'declaration' list omits, among other things, our new sh1t shovel. Hmm hope this doesnt cause us any grief, we will probably just blame Canadia.
We now have to get the new carnet to the company tomorrow, with an itenerary of our travel in India to prove what we are doing. Oh, and as luck would have it, Monday the 26th, the day the ship arrives and we should be getting the car, is a national holiday here.
We did get some rope for the mozzie net though, and didn't bother getting other clearing quotes. It's time for a beer.
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