London to Mumbai by Road 2016 – Revisited
Day 9 – 5 September 2016
A Difficult Decision Looms
After an entire weekend of waiting, Monday finally arrived. We woke up full of anticipation, hoping that this would be the day our long stay in Berlin would finally come to an end.
As soon as the garage opened, the mechanics resumed work on our motorhome. Determined to get to the bottom of the problem, they dismantled the gearbox once again and carried out a much more detailed inspection.
This time they found something.
For the first time since arriving in Berlin, there appeared to be a clear explanation for the mysterious noise that had brought our epic journey to a halt. Although it was encouraging to finally identify the fault, our relief was short-lived.
The damaged component would need replacing.
The mechanics immediately began searching for the necessary spare parts. Phone calls were made, suppliers were contacted, and enquiries were sent across Germany. Throughout the day we waited anxiously for updates, hoping that somewhere a replacement part would be found.
Hour after hour passed.
Unfortunately, the news never improved.
Despite their best efforts, neither the garage nor their suppliers could locate the required parts anywhere in Germany. Every lead seemed to end in disappointment. What had started as a minor concern on the road to Berlin was rapidly turning into a much bigger problem.
As the afternoon turned into evening, the reality of our situation became impossible to ignore.
We had already lost several precious days. Our carefully planned schedule was slipping away, and ahead of us still lay thousands of kilometres across Eastern Europe, Russia, China, Myanmar, and India. Border crossings, visas, guide bookings, ferry schedules, and accommodation plans all depended on keeping reasonably close to our timetable.
For the first time since leaving Leicester, we found ourselves asking a question none of us had wanted to consider.
Should we continue the journey at all?
Around the table that evening, the mood was thoughtful rather than gloomy. We discussed every possible option. Could the motorhome be repaired in time? Could parts be sourced from another country? Should we abandon the trip and return home? Or should we simply accept the delay and keep fighting to make our dream a reality?
Nobody wanted to give up.
After months of planning and years of dreaming, the thought of ending the adventure before we had even left Europe was difficult to accept. Yet we also had to be realistic. A 22-year-old motorhome facing gearbox problems at the very beginning of a 22,000-kilometre expedition was not something to be taken lightly.
That evening there were more questions than answers.
As darkness fell over Berlin once again, we retired to bed uncertain about what the future held. The excitement of the open road had been replaced by concern and difficult decisions.
Tomorrow would be a crucial day.
Would the necessary parts be found? Could Kontiki be repaired? And most importantly, would Team Kontiki still be heading towards Mumbai?
The adventure hung in the balance.
Location: Berlin, Germany
Night halt: Garage forecourt, Berlin
Challenge of the day: Gearbox fault identified but no spare parts available
Mood of the day: Concerned but determined
Key question: Continue the journey or abandon the dream?
Join us tomorrow as Team Kontiki faces one of the most important decisions of the entire expedition and fights to keep the London-to-Mumbai dream alive.
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