John put some wire around the broken spring to stop it making the noise it made yesterday.
Leaving
early for Gorgan We contacted Shahram’s friend to say we also
needed help with a broken spring.
Yes more Garlic!
Soodabeh and her brother met us just
inside town at the big roundabout in a muddy 4x4. Her brother likes
to off-road and camp.
They led us back the way we came and after
stopping to ask for directions took us into a compound off the
street. Here were trucks and parts of trucks. The spring expert
translated through Soodabeh that 2 hours if he can find part so I
asked if he cant find part the reply “I will find” sounds
wonderful. A max cost of 5,000,000 about AU$250 with our last exchange
rate.
We
popped the cab then I went with Soodabeh and brother to the money
exchange. Quiet a different ride, with a local… No indicators,
right hand holding phone to ear, letting go of steering wheel to
change gears and somehow missing everything.
I
exchanged €100 for 157,000 euro so left with 15,700,000Riel.!!! So
with this exchange the new spring should cost $50. Cheap
We
sat and waited for the work to be finished. I chatted with Soodabeh,
she has just been accepted in a uni in Montreal, so is busy with
visa’s etc. Her father has been urging her to study overseas but
she has not wanted to leave her home country.
We
sat in about 38℃ with head scarf and full length clothing. Very
hot!!! One can be arrested for not wearing appropriate clothes or
showing too much head.
Work
all done and just under the quoted maximum. And in 2 hours. Impressive - we now have a customized Isuzu leaf spring on the front right.
We
followed the muddy 4x4 to a restaurant. Soodabeh ordered for us I had
already handed her 500,000 when the brother pulled out his card so I
had paid most already. There was some complaint of "our mother said…"
but I replied that they had paid with their time this morning.
We
had a very basic 1/2 roast chook and rice each then collecting the
left over chook in plastic cups returned to the vehicle.
We
stopped for diesel and the guy took my whole 500,000 with no change.
I asked for my change and showed him what we normally were charged.
Instead of 200,000 change he gave me 150,000 I settled or that.
We
struggle with the money as they drop 10,000s off sometimes so we are
a little confused. The diesel pump says 300 but they charge us double
and of course those extra 0’s so 300 becomes 60,000 which was about
25c per litre now is only 5c per litre.
Stopped
and bought some fruit half a kilo of strawberries for AU50c.
I
was suffering from heat so we were driving with air con on. Outside
air temp was over 40℃
Thankfully
we headed up into the mountains. We continued to the top, up
2000m altitude and a drop of 20℃.
After
washing the floor and cleaning my feet I lay on the bed for a short
rest. John came to bed at 9pm and that was the evening an early night
at last.
186km
186km