Author: Scott
Okay, last week when I sat down to the computer I felt like there was not much to write about and this week I am staring at the blank page thinking ‘now what?’
The only thing of interest that has happened this week is the complete meltdown with our bimini/dodger vendor. If you recall from last week’s journal the dodger construction was scheduled to start on Tuesday July 15. On the morning of the 15th the vendor did not show up leaving us in awe of his unpredictability. When he eventually did show up I had a serious discussion with him, sharing our concerns and growing unease over the multiple delays. At this point he told me that the vybak plastic that we thought had arrived last week was actually being shipped to New Caledonia and the completion date would now be August 5th. He believed this to only be a week later than originally agreed upon, while we see this delay as nearly three weeks late. The following day Graeme and Rebecca helped me phone Australia and we sourced a warehouse that had the plastic material in stock immediately. However, when I called the vendor and offered to provide the plastic he went ballistic stating that he had already purchased the material and could not cancel his order. He then said that he was fed up with this project and would not complete the work. I asked him to return our deposit and he said he was also keeping our deposit for his inconvenience.
This entire situation is like nothing we have experienced to date on our voyage. We have had very few negative interactions with trades people thus far, and now we are in a foreign country, ignorant of our rights as consumers, facing a huge dilemma. We have been advised to visit the police and possibly the media. We have already found a new vendor and we have opened discussions with him. Fortunately it appears that he can complete the project on a similar timeline.
On a brighter note, when I was in the marina office having a recent newspaper article about the voyage translated, a man came up to me and introduced himself as Michel Michel is a volunteer for the local association for the blind, and speaks some English. We have been trying to contact the association with little success, and now they were looking for us. Michel and I had a great chat and I immediately liked him. I asked a million questions about the association, its members and about blind people in general living in New Caledonia. Michel invited us to visit the center on Monday, July 21.
Meeting other blind people as we travel through the world is our highest priority and is always a rich and wonderful experience. So, in the midst of a very trying week there is a glimmer of excitement in us as we anticipate meeting the members of the association for the blind. Hopefully we will soon have positive news and stories of our visit. So, stay awake and stay tuned because things surely must be getting ready to perk up for the better.
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