15th March Bogota 15 miles

Well the day didn’t start well when the shippers asked for copies of our documents as they need to do a days work on those before we meet them. We get these sent off and sort the bikes ready for shipping and then off for a 2pm meeting at the shippers.
It is about 7 miles and should take about 10 or so minutes, we allowed and hour and arrived 4 minutes early having travelled 15 miles. On arrival we are told that we won’t be able to do a lot today as they are still processing our documents so leave a cell phone number and go to the airport tomorrow. Having told them that we are flying tomorrow suddenly things start to happen, they can work it out and we need to take the bikes to Aduana (customs) and then go to the airport in the morning to sign some forms and we will be clear to make our flight in the afternoon.
Well we sit in the office for 2 ½ hours and then get down to the nitty gritty, time to pay. When the bill comes it is $1800 more than the quote so long discussions ensue as to why, including involving the sales manager and eventually an alternative quote with a different airline comes close to our quoted figure. During the discussions another bombshell is dropped where we need to have our panniers and top box completely empty, wow that is a bombshell as they are crammed full. It is suggested that we take them as baggage and pay the excess fee, hmm, that is certainly an option, can you imagine taking 2 panniers, a top box, a tank bag and a large grip type bag, perhaps not. This issue is soon put to bed having established that the panniers can be locked, amazing the difference, coming out we had to leave them unlocked and leaving Colombia they must be locked. Having paid we are now to go to Aduana, it is now 6pm. Having dressed and readied ourselves there is yet another change of plan. We cannot do Aduana this evening so we need to be back at 8 am and do it in the morning, the process should be completed in about 3 hours.
We leave our bikes there and get a taxi to the hotel, it takes 40 minutes and he goes a completely different way to us, we book him to take us back in the morning at 7am, so no breakfast for us.
Wish us luck tomorrow.