Offer for the Wave
During the evening Heinz came to us with an offer of $US600 clear for the Wave, that's about £250, not bad. We will have to consider it. After "Love Bug" we had coffee with Adrian and Heinz. Heinz poured forth useful information and tried to sell us a small Persian rug and a waistcoat. Brian gave discourse on the British legal system after much discussion about cars, mainly exotic. The party finally broke up at 3am. At about 4am the drunken Barbara was serenaded by her guitar-playing Swedish lover, who had just arrived but wasn't allowed into the hotel till 5, so was probably feeling totally bloody minded.
Another fantastically hard day. Woken at 11am by the glorious American bird whining at Heinzy weinzy. If she does it again there could be a heated exchange. As usual I make the first move and put on kettle made tea and hoped to get a shower, but someone was in there, so back to bed and read car magazine. Next time I went out there the water was already cold - too late. I had a strip wash in hot water and dressed.
We then took "Catherine the Great" and "Of Human Bondage" up to the "Paris Bookshop" - again - too late - it was closed - so we walked slowly back looking into jewellers. We stopped at a grocer and bought some jam 30R, processed cheese (ugh!) 25R for 125gm and I had a chocolate milk 5R for ¼ litre - delicious. We also bought some bread and had lunch.
Afterwards I finished my mammoth twenty-sider to Keith. Next we went to Neil's restaurant and devoured a different meal from our usual ragout. Heinz came with us and had chicken. Previously he had taken Brian on a mysterious mission with a typewriter, by taxi. The driving seemed to upset Brian, though I've no doubt it was really entertaining. We returned to our room and had coffee and were regaled by Heinz, who now wants to buy my tool kit. Then coffee and Heinz' excellent instant pud. It really was delicious. Brian is interested in Heinz' story that the British Embassy wants a solicitor here.
We've now been here for two weeks! Woke at 11am. Tea. Cheese and onion butties for lunch. No word from Babaian so I ring him at 5pm and arrange with Mr Chook to go and talk about selling Wave in India. Interesting little chat. Find out about customs duty tomorrow. Norah better, but more teaching unlikely. Pity, but we get 500R (more than £3). Out to Neill's restaurant for the usual ragout and rice, and back to hotel with 5R bun for coffee and bed.
The days really are merging into one another. After waking earlier, I read till about 1pm when Brian stirred then got up. We had the now standard boiled egg brunch and I had another letter writing to John Jeffreys, Fred and Mrs Fred in Athens. Rang Babaian in the evening, he had been unable to get through to us in the morning, but duty is now payable on the value of the car in India as if it were a new car. This helped us decide to sell. The decision is becoming firmer as time goes on because of further reports we hear. We start eating the food that is still in the car. Corned beef! Well I ask you. Anyway, there it is and it was paprika corn tonight, very good. Followed later by Christmas pud which Heinz helped us out with.
Heinz spent most of the evening in here celebrating the decision to sell. Later he produced "eisbein" which proved to be boiled ham/bacon in a sort of noodle soup - but no sauerkraut. We believe the buyer paid about $US1000 for the Wave, with $US400 going to the customs official who put the appropriate stamp in my passport and cleared the "carnet de passage".