Thursday, January 31, 2008

Libië, Reisversekering, Wisselkoerse, Vodacom

(English below)
 
Nog net 43 dae oor. Ongelooflik.
 
Daar is weer lig voor in die tonnel met Libië, en dis nie te danke aan Abdul nie. Abdul het verdwyn. Ek hoop om binne die volgende paar dae meer te weet oor 'n moontlike visum.
 
Die reisversekering wat ek wou uitgeneem het, het platgeval. Ek het die volgende van hulle vandag ontvang:
 
"Thank you for the enquiry you had with us this morning regarding travel Insurance. I have sent your enquiry about the motor cycle trip through to our underwriters and they informed me now that they cannot cover you.  Under mentioned is what they have sent back to me. "Unfortunately we decline to quote as this is a very high risk."

Die belaglikheid van die hele saak is dat sou die motorfiets 200cc of kleiner gewees het, sou hulle my verseker het. Terug na die tekenbord.

Ek het gister vir my op Excel 'n klein wisselkoersprogrammetjie gemaak waarmee ek altyd met gemak geld heen en weer kan bereken. Die huidige wisselkoers is ook reeds in vir elke land waardeur ek gaan ry. In die aande gaan dit nou maklik wees om die kostes van alles ook in Rand te bereken.

Nog 'n tabelletjie wat ek gemaak het, is 'n lys van selfoonnetwerke in al die lande met wie Vodacom 'n ooreenkoms het. Nou kan ek dadelik by elke grens die regte netwerk kies vir die goedkoopste sms'e of internet. Net in Zambië, Tanzanië, Kenia en Egipte sal ek direk van my rekenaar berigte kan stuur. In die ander lande sal dit oor internetkafees moet wees.

Ek het die foto gister so 30km van Naboom geneem. Stem jy saam dat ek in die paradys leef?

 

Only 42 nights left over in South Africa. Amazing how time flies.

I again have hope that a visa for Libya will be granted. I should know within the next few days. Abdul doesn't play any role any more. He has disappeared.

My intended travel insurance is off. Reason? Read what they say:

"Thank you for the enquiry you had with us this morning regarding travel Insurance. I have sent your enquiry about the motor cycle trip through to our underwriters and they informed me now that they cannot cover you.  Under mentioned is what they have sent back to me. "Unfortunately we decline to quote as this is a very high risk."

 If my motorcycle were 200cc or less they would have done that. Back to square one for me.

Yesterday I used Excel to create a file, with which I can do calculations between different currencies within milliseconds. So many countries, so many currencies, so many dubious characters waiting at the border posts to rip off the innocent. 

I compiled a list of cell phone networks in the different countries, with which Vodacom has a roaming agreement. At every border one can now select the preferred network and save money. There are data roaming agreements only with Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya and Egypt. Only there I can do a daily update from my laptop. The rest of the time it will be from internet cafes.

I took the photograph yesterday about 30km from Naboom. Do you agree that I live in paradise?

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