Temperature: 14 – 19°C, windy, damp, overcast initially, sunny later
Delight, bemusement and amusement – in the UPS office in Baku
Friday the 13th, an inauspicious day in many cultures. We had been checking the UPS tracking website routinely throughout the night, it was like watching the proverbial kettle boil. Our package seemed to be stuck in Turkey. It was showing as ‘arrived’ in Turkey at 8 am on the 12th but had not moved since, despite still showing as being on track to arrive by the close of business today. Despondency descended. The garage workshop had agreed to work through the night if necessary but we had really hoped the part would arrive during the day so that they could work in daylight and not be pressed to do a rushed job through the night. We had also quietly hoped that might be able to set off in the early evening to try and make up some distance to get to Georgia.
Taking stock, and finding the local UPS office contact details, Murray called them to see if they could double check the consignment details. To our amazement and delight, the package had arrived early that morning and was less than a mile from our hotel! The online tracking system was clearly a little off kilter but at least the logistics were working brilliantly – we love UPS. To save any more delay we hopped in a taxi and collected the package – I think the UPS staff thought we were utterly bonkers. We were so relieved to have the correct fly wheel – all thanks James in the Toyota spare department in Salisbury.
On our return the Marriott boys, Elimir and Muraz, who had been helping us way, way above and beyond their call of duty, were on point. Both now looking significantly paler and shadowed under the eyes, having consecutively done the 18 hour round trip across the border to Tbilisi and back, first to source the wrong fly wheel – it was for a manual petrol car, not a diesel manual car as we had needed – and then to do battle to return the part and negotiate with some very hardened Georgians to get the money back. It was a hard lesson all round.
Elmir drove us in one of the hotel Mercedes to the mechanic’s workshop – my goodness that was an eye opener! We were in a part of town we would not have otherwise entered. As we were to discover, we were taken to a very typical Caucases set up where four or five workshops are congregated in a row, each independent of the other, working day and night on cars in varying states of degradation. Azerbaijan and Georgia have roads populated by manic drivers of ancient Ladas at one end of the spectrum and renovated Mercedes discarded from Europe at the other.
Another afternoon exploring Baku
The mechanic was to work on the car that afternoon. He checked the part, it was correct, and we were told to expect it to be fitted, checked and working by the early evening. Being realistic we knew we would have to have one more night in Baku but prepared to be ready to move at first light on Saturday morning. It meant we could pack the night before, ensure the car was right and miss the Friday commuter traffic.
The return! Two very relieved chaps – we were now off their books
The car was eventually brought back to the hotel at 9 pm and after a quick drive around the block to make sure it was all working well we were jubilant and celebrated. With our gratitude shown to the Marriott staff, the car now packed ready for the off the next day, we headed to the Fairmont Hotel at the Flame Towers for a valedictory cocktail and some jazz. . . much needed.
One of the three Flame Towers, by day and by night, they are an impressive sight on the Baku skyline. By day they gleam in the sunshine and by night all three towers are lit by multicoloured lights.
Whitesides on the Road 