Day 20. Challenges first thing.

Hi! Folks, after talking with the waitress last night I asked her what the chance of buying insurance for the vehicle was? Straight away she is on the phone to her husband for advice. This morning she arranged for the overnight receptionist to take Jen to an address in town to hopefully come back with a policy of some sort. This would give us a degree of security should the unthinkable happen, and we are involved in a collision. Before they left the hotel, I had a go at starting the wagon. Yes, it kicked into life briefly, then gave a misfire and died. Nope, wouldn’t fire up again. So, the hotel phoned the Land Rover agents to be told they didn’t want to know, but gave the receptionist the number of a mechanic who “knows about these vehicles”. His number was disconnected. So, again the hotel staff phoned a car haulage guy who took the wagon to a garage, not too far away.

No ability to communicate with the mechanic, but they seemed to be asking the right questions about where the diagnostic plug was. I am back at the hotel while Jen is still uptown somewhere, no doubt having lots of fun arranging insurance! I await her return with great interest. At least we now have Russian SIM cards and phone numbers in our respective phones and unlimited Russia wide broadband in our smart Russian modem, for four months, including three SIM cards all for NZ$140.  About £70.

Well, joy! Jen is back and she has good news. We are now insured, but don’t have a car! Only 3rd Party but we have it here in our hands and at a cost of only £117, compared with £600 quoted by our UK insurance company, maybe more. The off duty receptionist, who had just done a 24hours shift, took Jen into town and after trying a couple of different insurance agents was successful in the last attempt.

Maybe this issue with the wagon is a blessing in disguise? We have a place to stay if it takes longer than a day and people who are supportive. Rather than being stranded in the middle of nowhere.

Later in the day. The garage told the receptionist they think it may be a flywheel sensor but are not completely sure. I have asked if they have carried out a diagnostic test. It’s close to the end of the day now and we will have to await the morrow for answers. My guessing is that they have seen the work Biltrand in Tromso did, repairing the sensor wire. My thinking is we need to somehow get the electronic diagnosis confirmed and a compression test done to establish if the injector seals are faulty. Maybe tomorrow? Frustrating but not the end of the world.

While visiting the “Mall” again today for a USB connector to the TomTom GPS, needed so we can download updated maps of Russia, we also found a Post Office and visited a supermarket to check out the range of goods available and prices. Folks, it ain’t how it used to be. At one time you queued in a massive “shop” to select from the barest minimum range of produce available, such as bread or potatoes, ordered what you wanted, then queued with a chit at the paying kiosk and after you had paid, queued again to uplift the items you had purchased. Not now. A huge range of products at super prices. Oh! with the new USB lead, I sourced an updated Russian map on the TomTom UK website. Alas, it would not accept my credit card. After several attempts, the same result. Jen said, try my card. Again, rejected, two different cards. So I emailed the TomTom PR manager. Back comes an automatic reply, sorry, on holiday till the 11th June. Call our Sri Lanka number if you want urgent assistance!!! I don’t for the life of me know how you put up with this nonsense in the UK. Perhaps I will just leave it there…:) Grrrrrr.

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2 Comments:

  1. Short Wheel Base

    Diesel quality in Russia is OK?

    • So far Steve. We have bought a pair of tights to sieve it through, if the station looks dodgy.
      At about a NZ$1/L we are very happy.

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