For those of you that haven't heard about the adventures buying my bike...here goes
Locally a regular road bike (on average) costs around 1,000 Sfr ($860). So I got the brilliant idea that I would buy one during my last trip to the U.S. (in New York). So that was pretty easy. The bike shop shipped it to my hotel in Philly (where I was ending up for business) and I was able to take it at no extra charge on the plane with me. The bike was broken down into a bike box, I checked it at the airport in Philly (watched them put it on the belt). So me, my two suitcases, and the bike box all got on to the British Airways flight and flung across the ocean (or so I thought). Upon arriving in Basel (having made a pit stop at Heathrow - total nightmare) two suitcases (yea me!) and no bike! It's difficult to even get pissed off anymore (although I wasn't saying that when my suitcase didn't come on my flight on the way out, but rather at 4.30 a.m. the next morning!). File the paperwork with the lost luggage department in Basel and as usual they can't figure if it's still in Philly or at Heathrow (due to being checked by US transportation authority or at Heathrow). Bike arrives that evening, but trying to get it through customs they deem it "new" which means I have to go out to the airport to pick it up and pass it through customs and pay the tax. But according to the guy that e-mailed me British Airways would reimburse me for the return taxi to the airport (yea right!). A friend came with me for the adventure but neither of us could figure out how to get "back behind" passport control. Finally figured it out, we grabbed the box and guess what...there was NO ONE AT CUSTOMS! Apparently it's only staffed when a flight comes in. My friend Hilary and I were like Lucy & Ethel dragging the bike box. It was hilarious!
Fast forward a week when I was finally able to deal with having the bike put together. Now it's not that easy to do things in Basel. I couldn't find a bike shop online in my neighborhood and remembered one being on the tram line I take several times per week. Drag the bike on the tram and get to the spot only to find out that it was a seasonal place!! Argh. So I'm standing on the street with the bike in a box text messaging anyone who might listen to find a place to drop the bike. Finally heard back from a friend, dragged the box on the tram (again!) and couldn't find the place. Almost gave up...got back on the tram and saw it as we were riding past. Finally dragged the box to the shop and thank goodness they spoke English and were able to help me, albeit quite expensive. That's always the case whenever someone engages their hands here in Switzerland!
Picked out a basket for the back of the bike and tossed the brand new lock in the bike to keep everything together. Bike took a few days to assemble. Picked it up and realized that they had thrown away the instructions to set the bike lock!! Never ending saga of the "economical" bike from NY! Found part of the instructions online, called for the rest...and three weeks later all is good and tomorrow I will ride to work!
This is totally an "Erica" moment!
Stay tuned for the next post on off-site (work) meeting!
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1 comment:
Well said.
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