Border Tales

We got to Plumtree  boarder post just after 11am. We phoned the clearing agent, tasvika tsano (we are here mate). He arrived within half an hour. 

We are lucky to be alive thus far. The kombi (minibus) driver on our journey from Byo had been falling asleep at the wheel and meandering from side to side. Hey driver!!! I shouted once or twice. The other passengers seemed not bothered??? Occasionally he was rubbing just above the eyes so as not to give himself away that he was sleeping? He then drank almost a litre of water. After that he was much better but kept changing songs with his remote controlled music player as if to keep himself occupied and avoid sleeping?

We were glad to get there alive. At one point the driver even used his mobile phone. Mobile phone? This can't happen ku side uku I say. He will be fired straight away! Hahaha unoudza ani (who would you tell)? Hapana (nobody)!

Within 30 minutes we had paid duty, 86%. For USD150 the clearing agent had processed everything. 1201 we make our way to get the keys to the Beamer! Ah, vaenda ku lunch (they've gone for lunch)! It's two of them but they choose to go for lunch at the same time! For an hour! 

So we wait. Lucky enough one returns on time! 1pm. We can get the keys! We get the car! But there's a problem: we need the engine number to get the log book done, the CC they call it. We open the bonnet but can't find it. The VID guys are around but 'can't find' the engine number. There's even a pit at the boarder, we drive the car over the pit and use mobile phone torches but no luck. So we are advised to go to the VID depot 10km away. It's now 4pm. We are hungry but there are no shops, no toilets. Just a few vendors on the Zim side. But one of the immigration workers is selling cans for USD1 each! She only has Stoney Ginger Beer left. But I have no choice. We buy! We go to VID for another hour and a half. By 530pm we have the engine number! We drive back to the boarder, to get that illusive CC. It'll be another 90 minutes before we get it. The computers are down they say. Now I need painkillers for my headache. It's dehydration I know but there's no water here. Next time we should carry a cooler box! Well stocked! Just 2 weeks earlier a relative had collected the Polo I hit the baboon and cow with in less than 2hrs! Why us!!! It's getting dark and it's 8 hrs later! We finally get the CC and drive home but not without a roadblock in the DARK IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE! What a day.