(Daniel) I am still sick, and it really isn’t helping the task at hand, which is fixing the trailer axle properly.  It also prevents me from getting any proper rest, which I really need now, after all the effort of getting this far.  To think, If I don’t get this sorted it will be a constant problem and source of worry for me throughout India. This morning, when I went downstairs, and tried to think about my plan for the day, I was fortunate enough to meet a Pakistani man staying at the hotel also.  He approached me from across the lobby and asked if I was the owner of the Wolf.

To which I replied that I am, suddenly, he was over the moon!  Apparently he had done two similar trips in his youth, and was terribly exited about my own.  He went on to explain that he now lives in Bexley, but has an operation here in Lahore, and was currently visiting it to have some meetings etc.  I explained my troubles and that I had bought some steel, but was not satisfied at the quality.  Just at this moment another man appeared, who was apparently meeting him to go out that morning.  He insisted that I accompany him, and told me that we would find a piece of Carbon steel at one of the places he was having a meeting today.  I felt hopeful, and followed him in the truck.

The first stop was at a plush office in Gulberg, and when I got out in the parking lot with armed guards etc.  I felt more than a little scruffy.  When we arrived, everyone ushered me into the business meeting and treated me as the guest of honour.  The Indian man was apparently here to sell homeopathic medicines to the man who ran the offices.  He made a good attempt, though I must say that the business talk and presentation of the product by the Indian man was pretty low rate, and I felt like chiming in a few times when he was stumbling!  However I watched with interest as the two tried to make a deal, which never happened.  Afterwards I was ushered back out, and we were given directions to a factory.

We drove in convoy to the factory, which I was then given the tour of.  However at the end, they did not have a large enough piece of carbon steel.  So we went to another place, and they agreed to take the job on.  Before going in there, the chap from Bexley said to me “Now Daniel, I am going to play the game a little, I don’t want you to say anything, just go along with what I tell them.  You know the thing; your father is in the home office, etc.”

I knew what playing the game was, but obviously didn’t consider the implications of this last comment fully. For those who don’t know, my father certainly doesn’t work for the Home Office.  I tried to ignore these comments, and after a short meeting, we agreed to leave the trailer there for a couple of days, they would order in the steel, and we could be ready to leave asap.  I felt much better about this, and finally parted company with the other two and headed back to the Best Western, and Gabby and Rowan.  When I got to the Hotel though, they had left a note to say that they were at my end of town, so I drove to Macdonald's and ate some rubbish, hoping not to offend my still raging stomach!

While I was inside, some enterprising kids had tried to clean the Wolf.  Unfortunately for them, it’s not so easy to clean that particular vehicle!  So I walked out to an argument, where basically they said that they wanted something because of the effort, and I explained that they had just made the car look worse!  It was during this that I noticed that my keys were gone, I searched my pockets, and then went back to MacDonald's.  Checking the toilets (I had been twice!) and then my table.  Then the counter, where luckily someone had handed them in!  Panic over. I gave the kids some pens for their unwanted efforts, and then drove back to my hotel to rest.

After an hour in the room, Rowan and Gabby came up, they had been at the camera street down the road, and stopped in on the off chance that I was here.  We walked down to the Camera street to buy Rowan a new camera that Rowan had seen, then back to the room.  There we discussed the days happenings, and decided at the last last minute that whilst the trailer was being repaired we would drive to Islamabad tomorrow, get our Indian visas ready for us to move on soon.

After this Rowan and Gabby went back to Gulberg and their hotel, and I got an early night, asking the receptionist to tell anyone enquiring that I was not in!

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