London to Mumbai by Road 2016 – Revisited
Day 6 – 2 September 2016
One Step Forward, Two Steps Back
We woke up feeling optimistic and excited. After several frustrating days stranded in Berlin, today was supposed to be the day we finally got back on the road. The new clutch had arrived, the mechanics were ready to fit it, and we were confidently expecting to be heading east again by around 2:00 pm.
After breakfast, we handed Kontiki over to the mechanics and decided not to hover around the workshop. Instead, we took the opportunity to visit the historic city of Brandenburg, located not far from Berlin.
Founded more than a thousand years ago, Brandenburg is one of the oldest towns in the region and played an important role in the history of Prussia and Germany. The city is known for its beautiful medieval architecture, impressive churches, and charming waterfront setting along the River Havel. It provided a pleasant distraction from our mechanical worries, and for a few hours we were able to enjoy being tourists rather than stranded travellers.
By early afternoon, we returned to the garage expecting to collect our motorhome and continue our journey.
Unfortunately, the adventure had other plans.
The mechanics informed us that while fitting the clutch they had discovered another problem—a leaking radiator. The radiator would need replacing before the vehicle could safely continue its journey across Europe and Asia.
For a brief moment our hearts sank again.
Fortunately, luck was on our side. A replacement radiator was located quickly and delivered to the garage. The mechanics worked efficiently and managed to fit the new radiator along with a couple of replacement hoses within a few hours. While the motorhome was in the workshop, we also decided it would be sensible to replace the cambelt as a precautionary measure. With nearly 22,000 kilometres of demanding roads ahead, it seemed wise to address any potential issues now rather than risk a breakdown later in Russia or China.
By late afternoon everything appeared ready.
The moment of truth had arrived.
The mechanics took Kontiki for a test drive while we waited nervously. We were already imagining ourselves back on the motorway heading towards Poland.
Then came the disappointing news.
The gearbox was still making exactly the same noise.
Despite replacing the clutch, radiator, hoses, and cambelt, the original problem remained unresolved.
The mechanics were as puzzled as we were. Since it was now Friday evening and the garage would be closed throughout Saturday and Sunday, there was little that could be done until Monday morning. They promised to investigate further when they reopened.
And just like that, our planned departure was postponed once again.
Strangely, none of us felt particularly stressed. There was no point worrying about something beyond our control. The motorhome was safe, we were safe, and eventually the problem would be solved.
Rather than sitting around feeling sorry for ourselves, we decided to make the best of the situation.
That evening we left the cooking duties behind and headed out for a meal in town. It was certainly more expensive than cooking in the motorhome, but after the rollercoaster of emotions we’d experienced over the past few days, we felt we deserved a treat.
Over good food, drinks, and plenty of laughter, we reminded ourselves why we had started this journey in the first place. Adventures are rarely perfect. In fact, it is often the unexpected setbacks that create the most memorable stories.
As we returned to our stranded but much-loved Kontiki that evening, we accepted that Berlin would be our home for at least three more days. What had begun as a simple mechanical repair was rapidly becoming an adventure in itself.
Tomorrow would be the start of an unexpected weekend in Germany.
Location: Berlin, Germany
Night halt: Garage forecourt, Berlin
Repairs completed: New clutch, radiator, hoses, and cambelt
Challenge of the day: Gearbox noise remained unresolved
Mood of the day: Disappointed but determined
Join us tomorrow as Team Kontiki begins an unplanned weekend in Berlin while waiting for Monday and hoping the mystery gearbox problem can finally be solved.
