Plan G - FAILED.
It was proving difficult, we were now on Plan H after all, to sort things out in the bonded warehouse. We were also very conscious of abusing the time of the people from the freight agency and the bonded warehouse so we all decided the best thing was to get the bike out of the Port. Luckily Paul had had spinach for breakfast and was able to push the bike to the Customs office where it took about 2 minutes to get the paperwork done which allowed the release from the Port into Uruguay. Paul then pushed the bike out of the Port and across the six lane road to the waiting Pablo Paella with his small furniture van (and ramp) and where, surprisingly, Pablo and Paul managed to push the bike into the van. Must have been that excess of spinach.
Next stop was Bernardo Paula's workshop. Bernardo had been recommended by Gonzalo and he has a super little workshop - super clean and tidy and ordered with his Ducati and Triumph certificates on the wall. He was also wearing a Harley T-shirt. Not sure whether Pablo Paella was a mate of Gonzalo or Bernardo or both - there is a little community here. But Pablo rides a Buell Ulyses and a Ninja, whereas Bernardo is a man with an MV Agusta.
We spent a couple of hours there with no more success.
Plan H - FAILED.
So we leave everything on charge for the night just incase a little more encouragement for the battery might do the trick. Very kindly Bernardo and his lovely wife drove us back to our hotel.
Our hotel is modest - exciting views of peoples back yards from the window that doesn't shut properly. But it has a substantial breakfast and is very well placed. There also two restaurants which are more like Diners 30m away. We are usually pretty tired in the evenings so we don't stray far. They know now that we start with two glasses of wine before ordering - it is cheaper than tea after all.
As in many restaurants around the world there are the walk -in ambulant flower sellers. But it is the first time we have seen a smiling man in a white coat doing the rounds between the restaurants asking whether you want your blood pressure measured - he comes fully equipped and all you have to do is roll up your sleeve. After seeing him , Paul insisted on having salad rather than the chips with everything that is on the menu.
Hope was still there on Tuesday morning. But it was dashed when we went to see Bernardo.
Plan I - FAILED.
Bernardo is trying now to download software onto his computer so he can do a plug-in download diagnostic scan of the bike's electronics. It's rained all day today too and we are now contemplating how we might get the bike to a Harley dealer in Argentina though we don't think Bernardo wants to give up trying yet. We spent time in a funky coffee shop converted from an old Pharmacy and decided to send some postcards. Clearly the Post Office seemed to have a similar address to someone else. Oh, and there is a Bank Holiday this week which is another spanner hurtling towards us.
Rather peculiarly children at state schools wear white coats with blue bows instead of ties as uniform which must be embarrassing for them at a certain age.
Wednesday wasn't a day of much progress and neither was Thursday to be honest. Bernardo had succeeded in getting a diagnostic of the bike's computer which confirmed that the computer wasn't talking to the buttons and switches on the lefthand side of the handlebars. We were now contemplating all sorts of options - but giving up was not one of them!
The rain had also set in. During the day we visited what was once South America's tallest building built in Montevideo's 1920's heydays before heading for the workshop. We left Bernardo in his workshop on Bank Holiday Thursday at about 1600 in the afternoon agreeing to meet again at 0830 Friday. Thursday was the 2nd of November and to celebrate All Souls Day which was the day before. Halloween had been interesting with the children walking into the Restaurant/Diners to get their treats.
Being a Bank Holiday there were things happening. Artigas was the main man as far as Uruguay is concerned and the flags were flying and soldiers were marching - not quite the King's coronation but...
Friday morning we walk to Bernardos. It had been raining heavily since 1600 the previous day. Bernardo met us with a beaming smile whereas we were feeling pretty much down in the dumps. Somehow he had sorted the bike! All was working. We still don't know what the problem was, what actually caused it or what Bernardo did to solve it. Something to do with configurations and from his hand gestures electric shock treatment!
No longer sure what the Plan was but it WORKED!
We might find out more tonight as we are taking him and his wife out to dinner - not at our local Diner so there might be something else on the menu other than chips.
Tomorrow we ride!
