Cargozone, the Korean container company have been less than helpful. The ship had arrived late Friday night on the 15th. Luckily David knows how things work here and soon had all the information I needed via Hanjin shipping and Mercer distributors. All I needed was a bill for the amount owed to Cargozone for them to release the bike after customs had finished their checks. These checks took from Monday until Wednesday, then the container was moved to Mercer's warehouse in Fife where I can collect the bike on Thursday or Friday. One of these checks involved the USDA (Dept. of Agriculture) having to break open my crate to see what was inside. They are used to dealing with 'aloominum' crates and my crate was an insufficient wooden one made in Korea.
All I have to do is fill out a customs form in Seattle, pay Cargozone and collect the bike. Unfortunately Cargozone haven't yet sent me the bill. They assured me it would be no more than $100 but when they finally emailed me today, Thursday, it was $355 for handling and the USDA test. For some reason they wont accept a card payment which means I'll have to arrange a money order from the post office.
I withdrew $200 so I had enough cash in total to pay Cargozone, then decided to get some more to cover any more hidden costs from Mercer warehouse, but my visa didn't work.
I was well within my daily limit from an ATM but had to use all my mobile phone credit calling the UK 'helpline' because they don't have a freephone number like most places here in the USA do. They stopped my card for the same reason they stopped it in Russia. I was making large withdrawals. I again explained that not everyone accepts a card payment. All was restored and I had to wait 10 minutes before using it again. I waited longer but it still didn't work. An hour later still no luck. At least I had enough for the money order so went back with David to scan it and email it to Cargozone so they could sign the release form for the bike. I tried to add credit to my phone on my email account but unfortunately the system doesn't accept foreign issued cards without a USA postal code.
Once we returned to the post office to send the money order, a visit to Safeway to buy a phonecard and most importantly, locally brewed cold beer.
Cargozone meanwhile, have signed the release form thanking me for my business. I'm glad they appreciate my custom because it's never going to happen again. Tomorrow we head into Seattle to complete the custom form and collect the bike from Mercer's.
I really have missed my bike!
All I have to do is fill out a customs form in Seattle, pay Cargozone and collect the bike. Unfortunately Cargozone haven't yet sent me the bill. They assured me it would be no more than $100 but when they finally emailed me today, Thursday, it was $355 for handling and the USDA test. For some reason they wont accept a card payment which means I'll have to arrange a money order from the post office.
I withdrew $200 so I had enough cash in total to pay Cargozone, then decided to get some more to cover any more hidden costs from Mercer warehouse, but my visa didn't work.
I was well within my daily limit from an ATM but had to use all my mobile phone credit calling the UK 'helpline' because they don't have a freephone number like most places here in the USA do. They stopped my card for the same reason they stopped it in Russia. I was making large withdrawals. I again explained that not everyone accepts a card payment. All was restored and I had to wait 10 minutes before using it again. I waited longer but it still didn't work. An hour later still no luck. At least I had enough for the money order so went back with David to scan it and email it to Cargozone so they could sign the release form for the bike. I tried to add credit to my phone on my email account but unfortunately the system doesn't accept foreign issued cards without a USA postal code.
Once we returned to the post office to send the money order, a visit to Safeway to buy a phonecard and most importantly, locally brewed cold beer.
Cargozone meanwhile, have signed the release form thanking me for my business. I'm glad they appreciate my custom because it's never going to happen again. Tomorrow we head into Seattle to complete the custom form and collect the bike from Mercer's.
I really have missed my bike!
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