Mission Impossible

The relocation fever has started.We are trying to move before the first of October.

A very ambitious project, I know.

The relocation STRESS has also already started. Unfortunately.

With our landlord not wanting to return our $2000 dollar deposit (rental contract demands completion of one full year. On black and white our landlord is completely correct, but what an AS#&*OLE considering our circumstances) and demanding us to move out (if we don't pay more rent) before the 1st , I just can not help starting to feel a little desperate about this whole situation.

Marito’s employer wants three quotes of moving companies, so I was all day yesterday on the phone trying to get some people in my house for an estimation. Keeping in the back of my mind that these companies could be working on post-summer-Ramadan-speed, I contacted almost 15 companies. Just to make sure I was going to get my top 3 in my house the next day. Of course after Typ0’s horror story I also had to double check all companies work with international packing standards in any country of the world. So I called, called and called. In the end I started to sound like someone who had been selling cars for the past 40 years.

This morning, I was feeling quite optimistic, since I had the promise of 3 companies to come over and look. The first to arrive, I even had to laugh. Instantly had think ‘Tubbs’!! (Crockett’s partner in Miami Vice). The buttons of his fancy shirt open, all the way to at least to his belly button, I swear. I didn’t even dare to look that far.

He bored us endlessly with his company presentation, pointing out all their offices across the world (do I care they have 10 offices in New Zealand if I move to Europe?!), advantages (endless, endless), what their boxes looked like (hmmm very pretty indeed!), how pets during relocation were treated (we have baby, not a dog!). At some point I had to whisk him out of the door, because the next company would be coming over in 10 minutes.

During this second viewing I started to realize that relocating from Egypt is not very simple and this whole project could take about two weeks. Receiving quotations take around two days, of course with door-to-door they are dependent on estimations of their foreign partners. Oh, and did you know that in order to clear customs they need to take your passport for one or two whole days? Plus waiting for the hotel’s decision, which company may take on our shipment, waiting for the approval of payment…..etc, etc.

Oh let me tell you also -the cherry on the cake - from the 29th of September all companies are basically closed in Egypt. Challas!! For one whole week. Eid El Fitr and Armed Forces day.

Tomorrow Saqqara is on plan, while we wait for the quotes and a little bit to remind ourselves why we used to like living here so much…!