A new Machine (part one)

Wombosi and me

Today is a happy day. Even I can’t stop smiling. Since I wrote the last time, quite a number of things have happened. First came the trouble. I had sent my Passport to the Syrian embassy in Berlin, from Bergen, already on the 15 of August, and thought it would be at my grandparents with Syrian visa, when I got there, but it wasn’t. On Tuesday the 6^th I called the Embassy, and asked if it would still take long, but there answer was depressing. The passport hadn’t come to them at all. I had sent it registered, but I had thrown away the tracking-number, so I had to call the Norwegian Post, and ask them to look for it. They said they’d call when they knew more, but haven’t called jet.

Second problem was that I had no car, and as I have said earlier, I didn’t look forward to buying one. My main targets, the Defenders, were few on the market, and when I called, they were either sold, or not for sale to private persons. This left me with only one opportunity. There was one car that suited me very well, but the seller couldn’t say whether it was for sale, nor the price, since he sold it for someone else, whom he couldn’t reach. Even with nothing sure, I decided very spontaneously to go to southwestern Germany (close to Basel), visit some friends, and hopefully buy the car.

Birthdaybreakfast - Franziska and her parents
Hubert and Marion

After almost 9 hours train I got to the Kienzler-family in Schopfheim. Franzizka, a good friend of mine celebrated her 20 birthday on Friday, so the timing was good. The celebration was nice, and the Kienzlers are lovely and hospitable people. On Friday I also got a call from Pat Pfluger, a rover mechanic, who had helped me find the car. He said that the dealer finally had gotten in touch with the seller, and that the car was for salt for 7000 Euro.

Playing farmer. Picture taken by Phillip Kienzler

On Saturday, one of Franziskas friends, Eileen, drove me to the other Kienzler family. They have a farm in Buchenbach (close to Freiburg), and did the last “grass-harvest” that Saturday, so I was farmer for a day. I did a lot of traktoring, which was great fun.

*Christoph in the sunset at Buchenbach

Monday I left the Kienzlers very early in the morning, to finally get me a car. I took the train to Bühl, where the Pflügers live, and from there, Dani, Pats wife, drove me all the way to north of Stuttgart(2,5 hours driving). We looked at the car, and decided to buy. We loaded it on the trailer, and drove back to Bühl. There I got a license plate, and could drive it up to the Pflügers garage. In the afternoon Pat checked the whole car with me. We changed oil, welded the exhaust, and fixed some minor problems, all while Pat explained all the parts for me, and how I’d fix smaller damages. He also gave me a lot of parts, like a spare wheel, for free, and sold me some parts. I don’t know if Pat and Dani realize how much they helped me, but they really made the difference. Without them, I would never have known about the car, and would not be confident of it being ok. That Dani used almost a whole day, and Pat all evening to get me a car, and make sure it is in a good condition, and did it free of charge is amazing, and I am very grateful.

Schupphof, the Kienzler-farm

I have baptized my lovely Defender 110 Mr. Wombosi. I drove him more than 400 km yesterday, and he is a really good boy. Except for a leak from the “roof-window”, that I hope to get fixed, he runs fine. He’s from 1997, and has done 185700 kilometers.

On my way home yesterday I got great news. I called the Syrian embassy. They had got the Passport, and already issued a Visa, and even sent it to my grandparents, and believe it or not, it has come home, with a beautiful visa for Syria!

*Sunset in Buchenbach

As you can see I have every reason to be happy. People are so nice and helpful, and there are many I should mention, like Wiebke and Hans-Jörg Willig, but I think even this is to long for most of you. Now I’ll enjoy the last two days with my grandparents, buying all the food, medicals, tools and other equipments I still need tor the trip. Friday is departure day. I leave before 6 in the morning, because I have to reach a date I have with the ADAC in Munich at 10.00, for my Carnet de Passage.

*Tree, edited with fish-eye and color-reduction filters
on the camera

P.S: Jørgen, the pictures with a * are taken with my new soligor 24mm lens. It takes lovely landscape pictures=)

*Fern at Roudolphstein

Goodbye blue sky

Wombosi