One Step Closer
I said I wasn’t going to go into gory details, so I won’t. Let’s just say that there was a lot of sadness leaving Braga, but also plenty of reminders about why it’s really nice to leave Portugal. So many little things (not the least the drivers) that I’d gotten used to bugged me after only a couple of weeks in The Netherlands/Germany. So much about life in Portugal is not normal . . . by modern standards. The adage of “Why provide an efficient service when you can make them fill out 5 forms and make 3 visits to get it done” permeated my week. By the time Friday hit (2-3 days later than when we were hoping pick-up day would come), I was happy to get it done and was ready to return home (read: Dutch house and, more importantly, Ann).
In grand Portugal tradition, it happened a lot faster than I’d expected. I’d expected a text from the shipper letting me know when they would be at EuroCamping, because they told me on Thursday not to be there when it opened because the driver probably wasn’t going to be there by then. They would let me know when by text. Of course, 20 minutes after EuroCamping opened I get a WhatsApp call from the owner of EuroCamping. In Portuguese; we switch to text (which I can translate). He’s there. So 20 minutes later (yes, I hadn’t lost my Portugal driving skills after only being away a few weeks), I was at EuroCamping and signing documents so they could take the bimobil away.
Seeing it rolling again, filled me with hope that soon, it will have yellow plates on it (don’t ask me why, but The Netherlands have yellow plates with black letters, unlike the rest of Europe that generally has white plates with black letters) and we’ll be the ones driving it.
The driver was a real professional. After pulling out the vehicle, he stopped and photographed all around the rig.
Given that it’s never been driven (ok, the odometer went from 301km when at bimobil, to 302 km when he loaded it up, but . . . no, it’s never been really driven), he said he didn’t see any damage at all.
Sure, there is a lot of dust deposit (she/he - yet to be determined - needs a really good bath) but everything is like new. Probably because it is new, though I guess by now it can be properly called “new old stock.”
After recording the inspection, the driver loaded her on the transport truck.
I wasn’t there when they loaded the rig at bimobil, and was for the most part in awe when they unloaded it at EuroCamping last time, so I didn’t get many photos of the process. This time was different.
After they have the rig in place (centered over the rear wheels), the driver put chocks (that lock into the metal grating) in front and behind each wheel, and then strapped each wheel down, ratcheting it tight.
It’s a process, but it holds the bimobil in place.
And just like that, it was time to take off.
The driver’s next destination is Spain to pick up a car on Monday. Then he heads north.
In about a week or so, we should have our rig up with us in Didam. Then it will be time to register it!
As for me, afterwards I headed back to Braga to drop off house keys with Sr. Gomes (what a wonderful person), and then to Porto to spend the night in a hotel (and write this post). My fight back home leaves at 5:00 am! That too should be another story, but you’ll have to wait for it, and see why I’m confident there’s a story in it.