Date: Sat, 8 May 2010 20:04:23 EDT
Reply-To: RAlanen@AOL.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Frank Condelli <RAlanen@AOL.COM>
Subject: Update on the travellers Hijacked in Mexico
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Folks, here are updates I have received from Jack & Michelle.
19/04/2010 7:44:37 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time
We have been home for more than 1 week now & we now have new reading
glasses, a temporary drivers licence, a temporary health card ,
a new Visa card, a new library card, etc......New passport coming on
Friday!
When people ask me how I am, I answer, " ALIVE"!
And we are getting over the "fog" of the first few days home---the
adrenaline had stopped flowing & we had gone into neutral......
We hired a Spanish -English translator who translated our ORIGINAL bill of
sale for truck & trailer---bought in Sept. 2002.
Last Thursday, we got these sealed by our lawyer (son-in-law), also by the
Foreign Affairs & we showed up at the Mexican Embassy
& asked them to put their seal on these papers. The lady asked us to wait
a moment & the consul came & asked us why we wanted
these sealed. He asked us to follow him to his office when he heard the
word "bandidos"...... He then asked us to come back in 1 hour
& he would have all documents ready for us.....I guess all the media hype
had reached him too......
(for those of you who did not see the Canadian Press article, google
VanderByl & Mexico......)
One hour later, we were talking to Mr. Ambassador of Mexico to Canada. He
made 2 phone calls to Mexico & actually raised his voice
at one point.... He then promised us he would do everything he could to
get our vehicles released....
The next a.m. he was phoning
to tell us that the documents we had left with him---original bill of
sales---would be sufficient!
So we have hope! But the MANANA mentality also exists at the embassy
.....
But today at lunch, the consul still had not sent these documents.....so
Jack told him to hold on to them as he will deliver a key for
the truck to be delivered to our attorney at the insurance company. She
has power of attorney on the truck & trailer so that when they are released
she will have the truck & trailer to the GM dealer so they can repair the
front bumper.....Who knows what kind of state the transmission is on the
truck ????.....
So that's where we are at......Yesterday, we celebrated one of our
grandsons' 4th birthday....It was so nice to do something NORMAL!!!!!!
Thank you for your emails, your good thoughts, your prayers, your phone
calls. Greatly appreciated!
Michelle & Jack
20/04/2010 1:02:08 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time
Thanks for the contact of Cdn Press photographer. We now believe that the
Cdn Press article which ran EVERYWHERE in Canada
was a big help in getting the 1 hour interview with the Ambassador.
Dave & Joyce flew home to Niagara Falls the day after we flew home.
We couldn't accomplish anything anymore down there.
All of us are hoping for a vehicle release...soon??!!
Safe travels--- J & M
08/05/2010 1:25:18 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time
After our visit at the embassy, on April 23, we were very hopeful.....but
nothing happened!Last week, we were very discouraged--nothing had happened!
On Monday, Jack sent an email to the Mexican embassy &that got the ball
rolling...again!
Thanks to the Mexican ambassador in Ottawa, our truck & trailer were
released from the army compound on Tuesday!
On Wednesday, no news.
On Thursday, we learned our vehicles were at a garage getting assessed for
damages.
On Friday, we received by email, an authorization sheet to be signed to
allow for repairs.
Jack let the insurance company know that he will be there on the 18th &
everything has to be ready.
So when he will be taking the vehicles through US customs--he will ask for
the vehicles to be searched
for drugs & arms. Then he'll be driving home--he estimates it will take
him 5-6 days.
I will not be going.
Jack's hip surgery is scheduled for May 31st. in Kingston. We have 3
appointments in May in Kingston before surgery.
We will let you know about any new developments!
M & J
Cheers,
Frank Condelli
Almonte, Ontario, Canada
'87 Westy & Lionel Trains (_Collection for sale_
(http://frankcondelli.com/trainsal.htm) )
_Frank Condelli & Associates_ (http://frankcondelli.com/busindex.html) -
Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley
_Vanagon Stainless Steel Exhaust Systems_
(http://frankcondelli.com/exhaust.htm)
_BusFusion_ (http://www.busfusion.com/) a VW Camper camping event,
Almonte, ON, June 10 ~ 13, 2010
