WEC and me

[Teddy Lancaster <Teddy@runningbear.com>]

What happened to my shipment?

Best I can surmise is lack of "expediting" from the freight
forwarders named, aptly "Expediters, International"

The shipment arrived in Paris on December 4th only to have the
Dec. 5th flight canceled (Ok, I can live with a day's delay), but
for the next three days, I was told every day that the shipment
had not been put on the next flight (evidently ONE a day)and
would be on the next.  When Tuesday evening rolled around and I
was again promised it would be on that night's flight, I told
them to send it back.  It would have arrived in Dubai on
Wednesday evening and since Thursday/Friday is their weekend, not
get customs clearance until Saturday when all is said and done.

Unfortunately, someone screwed up and the shipment got sent to
Dubai (to arrive on Thursday) instead of home. It sat there until
Tuesday and is now on it's way to Amsterdam on KLM, hopefully to
be transferred to Detroit by Thursday and on to a truck Thursday
night for arrival in Columbus Friday AM...then customs clearance
and delivery to me.

Sounds like I will be able to make Christmas deliveries to my
customers, but it will be VERY tight.

Still considering a suit for lost sales and exposure as well as
futures,  I am NOT a lawyer and cannot understand "fine print",
so time will tell.

Thanks a million for your concern and that from a great many
other people.  Roger and Ann Pfeiffer evidently had great sales
with the small amounts they brought,  I was bombarded daily while
over there and felt awful about not being able to help.  I send
1000 pounds of just about everything except saddles, pads and
girths.  Lots of electrolytes, glo-sticks and many other
endurance "needs".  I also shipped a big tent, bought banners,
made special flyers, made special T-shirts, etc...

I hung in well until that Tuesday night when I KNEW my stuff
would not arrive on time.  I went to the Party and ride meeting
at the Jazira to 1.) tell everybody the bad news, 2.) not be
alone so I would not cry, but I did anyway.

But, with nothing I could do any further, I dove into my laptop,
set-up the stats for the team competition and got ready for the
"big day".  I had a ball, was exhausted and got blisters on my
feet from all the "snooping" that needed to be done after the
computer system (Smartvision's) broke down. It was exhilarating,
exasperating and exhausting.  It was also frustrating.

I picked up every newspaper I could find that had stories before
and after the ride and took 7 rolls of film.  I was (and am) VERY
angry at the fact that I spent 4 days in the hotel waiting for
phone calls instead of being able to meet people from around the
world and go on tours.

Then, after the fiasco (my opinion) of an awards ceremony which
took far longer to get to and get back from...not to mention
being trapped at the Jazira hounding the UAE Secretariat about my
passport and waiting for a bus, and after having gotten up early
the day after the race to see BC judging which was postponed
repeatedly, I was exhausted.

The fun trip with Heidi's Smith and Siegel to the Camel and Gold
Souks was a blast, but we were too tired to go to the USA
Celebration party that night. I woke up feeling sick Sunday AM
and threw up - something I do once every 20 years - and spent the
day in bed, barely daring to even eat yogurt and waiting for
phone calls from Jim Bryant who, beyond my belief, not only
remained calm and cool throughout all the hassles of the event,
but was extremely concerned and helpful.  We got the hotel to
extend our check-out until 6 PM (plane flight at 3 AM).  I got my
passport at 4 PM.  By that time, I was feeling better, but very
weak.

So, the Sunday drive to Hatta was not to happen.  I am not a city
person and was longing to see the only mountains of the UAE.  The
tour photos were more than enticing.  So, even though the trip
was a disaster in many ways, it was truly the experience of a
lifetime.

Would I do it again?  Ask me next month...

Am I writing a story...you bet!!!! But, even with over 300
journalists there, few of whom will say a bad word, I feel it is
important to tell the world about the REAL problems.  Pats on the
back are great, we all need them, but unless we face our
short-comings, we will never improve.  In my opinion, the USA did
a good job, but far from a great one.  I see the world "catching
up" to us. Like Dylan Thomas said: "He who is not busy being
born, is busy dying".

Later, and a hug to all who cared.  My problems were nothing
compared to Dominique Freedman's to whom my heart goes out.

Teddy


> John B.Ayers wrote:
> 
> Teddy
> 
> Sorry to hear of your misfortune. Did you determine
> WHY it was delayed?
> 
> John and Meshack
> www.bypass.com/~ayers (Vermont Equestrian Activities)