AA Carnet du Passage ; post script

The Carnet process is invaluable. In NZ it is administered by the AA, by a delightful fellow that has been with the AA for longer than I have been riding bikes I expect.

I would not have mentioned this but it needs to be said. If you are going to need a Carnet and will use the offices of the Auckland AA ( the only place you can get one), be prepared to get frustrated.

I was. I attempted to communicate my concern to the management of the AA and frankly felt from the reaction as if I had accused the AA of sinking the Rainbow Worrier. I had attempted to tell the hierarchy that the guy doing the Carnet job might do with some help.

The things that concerned me were poor advice; a lack of understanding of the process; lack of appreciation of risk; that the AA is there to assist members.....and so on.

Then I met another biker and he told me a similar story. The overstated risk and the need to ante up huge amounts of cash as security, delays, lacking understanding, and generally a frustrating experience.

Its a pity. The AA needs to lift its game. Sadly there is no one else, so if you are a member tell them their game is substandard. If you are going to need a Carnet, then be prepared for an unusual experience.

Biker

Where next

I have survived a year at "home". Well nearly survived. I experienced my first "spill".  I have had an off or two but this was a beauty.  Have no idea how it happened and no recollection of it at all. Not even any pictures. I just did a beaut crash. Broke a bone or two, but thankfully they heal, although slowly I now find. Happily NZL04 is mostly unscathed. Fortunately I have a friend that works magic with bikes.

So now my plans are up in the air.

I still want to ride from the top of the US to the bottom of South America.......sometime.  This is a nature ride because it has some of the best remote riding I have ever seen.

And I still want to ride round the Mediterranean.  Spain, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Saudi, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Cyprus, Turkey, Greece, Albania, Croatia, Italy, etc to Frankfurt.  And this is an historical ride. I started off on these ventures to try to get some understanding of the world and the people. It has been fantastic. So now I have one more place. The Mid East. It has more human history than the rest of the earth I believe. So I want to go.

I will keep you posted.

NZL04