Streak of bad luck continues

Written by Nadine Zangerle on 26 August 2012. Posted in USA

The next morning we had to get up early since we wanted to check out a 5^th wheel, 1994 built, 27 ft long. It seemed to be in great condition. Just before this we had to find the address, where our parents had mistakenly sent us a package. Funny wise it was a highly secured building from an internet company.

After filling out a report at the postal office we hoped to find our package somehow. Cloth and lonely planet was somewhere in Boston or still on the way. Hard to find when the German Post office provides us with the wrong tracking number.

Registering truck and 5th wheel seems to be a problem. Micha did already a research one year ago writing American Vehicle Insurances, asking about registering a car with a German address. Every time we got the answer that this wouldn’t be a problem.

Well why should it be so easy? So we need an American address to register the car.

Luckily Troy’s parents in Arizona helped us out and we could use there address. But Arizona is not around the corner so we got a temporary tag for our truck worth 6 month. For the 5^th wheel trailer we organized the title and the power of attorney that Curtis, Troy’s dad could register the trailer for us. Thank you so much Family Slife!

Well first of all we have to pay the 5th wheel in order to get the title. Black clouds were still hovering above us so Micha’s credit card was empty since we have payed the truck with it and mine didn’t work at 90 % of the banks. What a stupid thing that we have the money on our bank account but we have to transfer some first on our credit card account.

After several hours and 25 banks later we decided to go to a teller in a bank and luckily they could help us.

So finally with the title we could send Curtis a night express package for the trailer. Since Arizona needs an Emission test for Diesel trucks we can’t register our truck this way.

We miss the uncomplicated rego in Australia. Walking in, paying $30 and 15 minutes later we are on the road.

So much about America and the land of freedom.

USA and a streak of bad luck

Written by Nadine Zangerle on 25 August 2012. Posted in USA

Getting from Nandi/Fiji into LA/USA went unexpectedly smooth even if they check you quite thorough. Afterwards we had to catch the flight to San Francisco and Boston.

After a 36 hours trip we picked up our rental car and searched for a Motel. We ended up in Seabrooke, New Hampshire and rented a room for 1 week. After some rest we started to check for trucks and 5^th wheels.

The jetlag was pretty tough since we crossed the date line and gained one day. Micha was surprisingly fit but I had really issues. In the night I couldn’t sleep and during the day and felt like Frankenstein. So Micha had to do all the research.

We were looking for a pick up truck possibly with Diesel engine which is almost impossible to get in the USA. Additionally it had to be at least ¾ to a ton with an 8 ft bed to pull a 5 tons 5^th wheel. And it would be good to have 6 seats.

This seemed to be Mission Impossible!

However Micha found the car via ebay. An old school truck, Ford F350, 1996 built with Diesel engine. Only problem, the car is in Pennsylvania – 460 miles away, crossing 5 states. Doesn’t matter, this is the car!

On Wednesday the ebay offer ends, so we have to pay a deposit. Since the bad clouds are following us we had to ask Micha’s Dad to transfer some money via PayPal. Ours doesn’t work from America. This is really strange.

We couldn’t sleep in the night so we hopped in our rental car and drove to Pennsylvania. After 11 hours – 1 ½ hours dosing at a rest area – we got the car. It really seems to be in perfect shape except the tires. So he gave us some used ones on top.

After we dropped off the rental car in Pennsylvania – the mechanical check light was blinking crazy, we started to head back to our Motel. Since the tires were in such bad conditions we had to change them.

On our way back our GPS just froze and after 15 minutes it calculated a very strange route, via little villages. So it took a bit longer and we got stopped by the police twice. Once they even checked inside the car, so we had to wait outside.

Well the temporary tag 460 miles away from Pennsylvania seems to be irritating. Let’s call our truck “Gangsta” since it must have attracted quite some attention to the police.

After a 29 hours trip we were totally exhausted and are happy to be back in the Motel.

Bula Fiji

Written by Nadine Zangerle on 23 August 2012. Posted in Fiji

Ready for Fiji time. We organized a package which included 6 islands. So this was the plan:

- Bounty Island

- Naqualia Lodge

- Korovou

- Coral View

- Manta Ray

- Beachcomber

We got welcomed at the islands with music and a loud Bula. The Fijian people are so friendly and always smiling.

While diving and snorkeling we found beautiful reefs full with small reef fish. Luckily our timing was right for the manta rays. So we had a fantastic snorkeling experience with those beautiful 4.5 m creatures. Sometimes they came so close they were almost touching. Just in time they were gliding underneath you.

While diving we saw tiger, bull and lemon sharks also about 4.5 m long. Those big sharks were just majestic to watch and on another dive we had luck to see a big eagle ray. But 8 dives were enough. With most of the big fish gone, the reefs are beautiful but consists mainly of small reef fish.

Fantastic beaches and beautiful island – that was Fiji. We should have skipped Beachcomber though. Well known as the party island the loud techno music was not really Fiji time. So we hopped on a sailing boat and fled towards the island where they had filmed Castaway with Tom Hanks.

Just one day before our flight to Los Angeles we received an urgent message from Nicole, my sister. Something was wrong with my travel documents.

Last year my passport got stolen – in Germany. Since my flight was still booked with the old passport number, Homeland Security Los Angeles contacted the BKA (German police). There is a person entering the USA on the 23^rd August with a stolen passport and they will put her into custody.

This might get interesting – more details out of custody.

Vinaka Fiji!

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