Finally after wandering around most of the city for the better part of a couple of hours, I found a Post Office that not only was able / willing to accept a 1.75KG parcel of cycling gear but also sold boxes in which to send it home.... Being clever (or so I thought) I bought a box which is seemingly capable (authorised) to hold up to 5KG.... well that's according to what's written on it.
Having made my purchase I subsequently went back to my hotel in order to fill it and thus lighten my load just that little bit more..... Okay, it's not really the way I wanted to spend the day cause I'd much rather have been out and about exploring the city, but I needed to do it in order to get a bit of peace of mind.
At any rate, once I'd filled the box with what I calculated as being 4KG of surplus gear, I headed back to the Post Office, in order to send off my goodies and thus allow me to begin enjoying the day.
Unfortunately however this is where the stupid Argentinian bureaucracy kicked in for whilst the box was okay to be packaged with 5KG of goods, in order for Correo Argentino to actually process it and put it aboard a plane / ship or what have you, they firstly needed it "approved" by a Customs Official. Of course the Customs folk operate out of a different location to the Post Office and on different business hours....
Problem is easily solved however, as was pointed out by the postal clerk, just buy another box and split the contents into two approximately equal weights! As I say, the bureaucracy in this country often defies logic, even to the locals!
One way and another it's probably not cost me a great deal of money just time, which I could have put to better use, but it's done now and at least it gives me the belief and I might be being delusional / naive about it, but hopefully I've made things a little easier and less likely to get charged for excess luggage for when I get to the airport on Sunday morning!
For now though, I think it's time I knocked back a few samples of their amber liquid!
Hey Alec. Just back from GVBR complete with rail trail pave - Paris-Roubaix practice, I did think of you on Friday and the Troll when doing this leg (we had been diverted due to concerns for rider safety) when I was testing out the Pinarello's off-bitumen abilities. As is mostly the case, the bike was fine. The rider - well that is another story. I have enjoyed the postings. Hey - concerns about bureaucracy? Sounded just like Monash!
ReplyDeleteIt's funny how bikes are generally fine, it's just the motor's which seem to suffer......
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear that you enjoyed / survived the GVBR and will be interested to hear / see where you went, etc!
As for the bureaucracy, I suspect the University of Buenos Aires (300,000+ students) and the Argentinian Government could both teach Monash University a thing or two about the application of red tape!