Month: May 2012

One step closer

So, yesterdayi got The Message from Motos Racing House, the Kawasaki has arriwed to the store. Of course I’m eager, even though i feel sad. But when a decicion is made I can’t wait to make it happen, rather sooner then later and prefereably last week.

This afternoon I will ride there and take a closer look at my new companion and leave the Ducati world behind, at least for a while. I will have to live without bike for a bit though. Since the Kawasaki is new it will take a week to prepare her and organise with papers. The panniers, topcase and heated grips will be mounted. And after a bank transfer of 3800 to that and we are ready to go Then I just have to do a thousand kilometers, have first service done and we’re ready to travel.

I hope that all that paperwork will go smothely and that insurance wont be a problem. And with problem I mean crazy expensive. I am now a city girl and that change of post code might make a big difference. I rather not have to change insurance company, since I expect that that is just as complicated as changing anything else.

Tomorrow before work I will have to take a detour by the postoffice and get late for work all just to pay the bike-tax. It is amazing how a country can just stop working at noon. Between may and september all banks close at 14.00 and the tax can only be payed in a bank and in may. Spain has tought me patience, but sometimes it just gets to much – so fingers crossed that it goes smooth in the bike shop.

My bike parked in the view from my balcony
My bike parked in the view from my balcony

TLC

Today I gave the Ducati some Tender, Love and Care. Possibly the last wash and wax I´ll give her since I´m waiting for the message telling me that the Kawasaki is delivered to shop.

sunset in Alcobendas
sunset in Alcobendas

I still have mixed feelings, when I look at my Monster my heart aches, it is such a beautiful bike. But when riding her I feel certain that I have made the right decicion. I do need to strech my legs a bit.

Quite upsetting to loose all those nice stickers
Quite upsetting to loose all those nice stickers

But, we did have some awesome tima togehter!

Last two WIMA rallies, the Netherlands & Great Britain
Last two WIMA rallies, the Netherlands & Great Britain

The wind of change

There is so much going on right now. I shouldn’t complain really, I generally like changes and hopefully it will all work out fine in the end.

We have been flat searching since the beginning of April. When we gave the notice to our present landlady and by that got the end of May as a deadline for moving out, flat searching soon become our only leasuretime activity. This including lots of searching on the internet, phone calls and visits to see possible flats. When searching we soon found out that our different needs and criteria combined made it hard to find a good match, especially one that a teacher can afford.

On my behalf, easy access to the M30 to go to work and good parking options with lots of other bikes around was a necessity. My fiance needed a window with a view and some sunlight. Since I’m spoiled with high living standards from Sweden we felt incredible lucky when we last week found what we were searching for. It was essential to grab it before someone else did and the deposit was paid the same evening. That was followed by the process of arranging a bank guarantee. Paperwork in Spain makes me exhausted but it is one of these things that has to be mastered and at the same time it is all a lesson to learn. Another day I will tell you about the paperwork for the import of my bike, that was really something!

So, with a flat contract approaching we left Spain to spend the long weekend in the land of Ducati and icecream – of course I mean Italy. Now our destination was Venice so there were no bikes to count, but during a few evening hours and a morning walk in Bergamo we did see quite a few. Venice itself didn’t feel like Italy at all in that respect. Even Barcelona felt more like Italy due to the large amount of bikes and scooters on the streets, but I have no complaints, the icecream was still awesome.

the waterways of Venice and a gondola traffic-jam by the bridge of Sigh
the waterways of Venice and a gondola traffic-jam by the bridge of Sighs

As it seems, this will be my last visit to Italy as a Ducatista, at least for a while. Today I once again visited the Racing House in Seseña, now making a decision. I’m trading my Ducati for a Kawasaki.