London to Mumbai by Road 2016 – Revisited
Day 10 – 6 September 2016
Back on the Road – Against All Odds
After days of uncertainty, frustration, and endless discussions about gearboxes and spare parts, we finally reached a decision.
There was little more that could be done in Berlin.
The required gearbox parts simply could not be found, and there was no guarantee of when—or even if—they would become available. Faced with the choice of abandoning our dream or taking a calculated risk, Team Kontiki chose adventure.
That morning, we instructed the mechanics to reassemble the gearbox and make the motorhome roadworthy. While they worked, we went for a walk to stretch our legs and clear our minds.
When we returned at around 3:30 pm, the gearbox had been refitted and Kontiki was ready to go.
Before leaving, we wanted to show our appreciation to the people who had helped us through one of the most difficult periods of the journey. Mr Hanman, the garage owner, and his team of mechanics had treated us exceptionally well. For almost a week they had allowed us to stay outside their garage, use their facilities, and made every effort to diagnose and repair the fault.
Their kindness and hospitality had turned what could have been a miserable experience into a manageable one.
After settling the repair bills, we purchased two large cakes and presented them to Mr Hanman and his staff as a small token of our gratitude. They were genuinely touched by the gesture, and we thanked them sincerely for everything they had done for us.
Then came the moment we had been waiting for.
At 6:00 pm, Team Kontiki finally rolled out of Berlin and back onto the open road.
The feeling was incredible.
After six long days stranded in Germany, simply being able to drive again felt like a major victory. We knew the gearbox noise was still present, but we had decided to take the chance and continue for as long as the motorhome would allow.
Our destination that evening was Poland.
Or at least it should have been.
Unfortunately, excitement got the better of us, and before long we realised we had taken a wrong turn. Instead of heading towards Poland, we found ourselves travelling in the direction of Dresden. By the time we corrected our mistake, we had added almost 100 unnecessary kilometres to our journey.
Under normal circumstances this would have been irritating, but after spending nearly a week stranded in Berlin, we were simply happy to be moving again.
The kilometres rolled by as darkness descended across eastern Germany. The familiar hum of the road, the glow of passing headlights, and the sight of the motorway stretching endlessly ahead brought back the excitement that had briefly disappeared during our enforced stay.
By around 10:00 pm, we decided to call it a day and pulled into a filling station where we parked for the night beside the roadside.
As we settled down inside the motorhome, we reflected on how much had happened in just ten days. We had barely left Germany, lost almost a week to mechanical problems, and spent thousands more than we had budgeted.
Yet somehow, our determination was stronger than ever.
Tomorrow would mark a new phase of the adventure. If we were to reach Mumbai on schedule, we would need to cover longer distances and recover some of the valuable time lost in Berlin.
The gearbox was still making its worrying noise, but for now it was working.
And as long as Kontiki kept moving, so would Team Kontiki.
Distance travelled today: Approximately 400 km including a wrong turn
Location: Germany, heading towards Poland
Night halt: Roadside filling station
Highlight of the day: Leaving Berlin after six days of repairs and uncertainty
Challenge of the day: A wrong turn towards Dresden added an extra 100 km to the journey
Join us tomorrow as Team Kontiki finally leaves Germany behind and begins the race to recover lost time on the long road to Mumbai.
