The alert reader will observe GANNET2 is no longer parked in the shade at the campground.
That would because we drove away from Guaimaro Campground and decided to pay a visit to the nearby village of Guane on our way out of town. That’s right: after 17 days parked we are on the road. Again.
But there is a serpent in every paradise and we came up hard against an unforeseen problem: car insurance!
We took a leisurely drive to our two pm doctor’s appointment in the nearest large town, San Gil, pronounced “San Hill” so these photos are from a village near our campground outside Barichara. It’s a popular day trip destination called Guane (“Wah-ney”) though we found it to be rather annoying as it is a town dedicated to selling anything they can to visitors. It was difficult to get a moment to oneself for quiet contemplation.
In an effort to contribute to the local economy Layne bought a small purse and a bottle of goat milk liquor made with whiskey which tastes better than it sounds and then it was time to drive to the big town doctor’s office.
We had some other jobs we wanted to get done in San Gil: a car wash, an ATM visit, and renew our car insurance so we planned a full afternoon of exciting activity. Pardon the sarcasm because after the doctor visit it all went haywire!
From the bucolic serenity of the Guaimaro campground (above) we landed in a city built in a canyon, a city of intensely steep streets, narrow streets and parking lots too low to accommodate our tall Promaster van. What a stress!
We drove around a bit after we located the area where the doctor has his office and after a few streets so steep we could barely get up them, a truly scary way to drive! - we found a flat partly shaded spot to eat a sandwich and wait for two pm. While Layne prepared lunch I walked Rusty around the neighborhood to the doctor’s office so we knew where to go at the appointed time. We were organized dammit! With the sun setting to the left in the picture below we left Rusty in air conditioning and increasing shade while we talked to the doctor recommended to us by the campground owners.
The visit went well and we got our anti parasite medicine to restore our digestion plus we got some advice about living at altitude, above 1600 meters, 5,000 feet, which mostly involves monitoring your blood pressure which is inclined to rise with the altitude (who knew?). The hour long visit and check up for both of us cost a very reasonable $125 in cash (500,000 Colombian pesos). We were pleased.
The doctor spoke some English, was courteous and professional of course but listened thoughtfully as well. I found him very reassuring and helpful so of course Layne wrote him up in iOverlander and Google and so forth. After that excellent outcome things went wrong.
Layne got in a long line to get more cash from an ATM using our First State Bank of the Florida Keys debit card which usually works, while I sauntered into town across a footbridge over yet another canyon to find an insurance agent. Google maps had the office in the wrong place, nowadays it’s a butcher, but I found it across the square. “Oh no” the clerks said in consternation faced with selling car insurance to a FOREIGNER! Impossible! You have to go to the capital of Santander Province. But Bucaramanga is three hours away?!! We set off across the mountains as we had no choice with our insurance expiring in two days. I’d rather have been wiling away the afternoon playing chess in San Gil…
Layne got in touch with Dieter a resident near the campground we’d met during our stay to see if he had any ideas. His contacts drew a blank apparently the insurance laws were changed recently making it harder for foreigners to get insurance on temporary imports. Our hearts sank as we had not anticipated this problem and we had been told to wait till your policy almost expired before we renewed. Time was ticking.
We had a planned stop in a parking area next to a mountain restaurant a third of the way to Bucaramanga. The idea was to stop and buy dinner and sleep next to the scenic overlook. That plan went just fine and after dinner, soup and ribs and lemonade for $5:50 each, Layne had a brainwave.
I set our Starlink satellite dish on the roof of GANNET2 as we had no cell signal at all inside the van and only a slow one outside and instantly we were connected to the world. And as much as anyone can despise Facebook the traveler networks came through for us.
Layne put out a request for help and in minutes we had three suggestions for agents who could help us online. We chose the one who accepted payment by credit card over the ones who require payment through a bank account which would involve more standing in line back in the city.
By eight pm we had an agent lined up ready to work in the morning on our new insurance policy for us with a promise to get in touch today. We shall see!
I get stressed by bureaucracy and I was pretty grumpy struggling with this unexpected mess. Paperwork feels so out of my control, plus with hindsight I realized my usual approach which is to visit offices in person had failed us.
At the campground it had seemed obvious to stop at an insurance office in San Gil to renew our SOAT (Seguro Obligatorio contra Accidentes de Tránsito) insurance but in reality we should have sought information ahead of time. My bad and I knew it. Layne is very patient with me sometimes.
A police car stopped by to watch the sunset and Layne asked as only Layne can if it was okay to spend the night. With that assurance we swelled in for the night. At 6,000 feet we weren’t going to need air conditioning and road noises rarely bother us cocooned inside our well insulated van.
Rainy season is on the way and clouds are building but it was still dry and warm, t-shirt weather.
With any luck we will have our papers sorted by lunchtime and be safe to spend our time touring not fighting traffic and shuffling papers in offices.
Remember this is our retirement, not a trip, and every day brings a new unknown to be solved to keep our brains active and youthful! I’d rather do a crossword…