How to fix problems.

Living and working in an expedition vehicle and travelling with it all the time is like a dream come true.
But especially in the beginning, it is also a process of getting to know each other.
Some things are as was envisioned.
Other things are completely different.
Most things work.
Some don’t.

It makes one think of the relationships in life.

Many of the fervent and loyal blog readers may have seen the 1965 classic film made by Norman Jewison called “The Cincinatti Kid” with Steve McQueen.
This film is based on the true-life story of a poker player.
Richard Jessup.
This professional poker player eventually settled down in the beautiful village of Cadaques in Spain, just like this photographer did and they became friends.

The retired poker player was living with his wife Jessy in a beautiful house overlooking the bay of Cadaques and often parties were organised there.
One of those parties was on September 10, 2003.

It was a lunch with excellent food, plenty of wine and sunshine.

Immediately after arriving at the party this remarkable person was spotted and soon a conversation was started which lasted for over a year.

Her name was Jacqueline, a stunning blonde from the UK who after having not very successfully worked as a fashion designer in Milan, Italy, was now living in Sao Paolo, Brazil, where working as a decorative artist.

Her mother had a small apartment in Cadaques explaining the presence of Jacqueline in the jet set village.

Soon Jacqueline told that her father had died and had been the English Ambassador to the Soviet Union and Greece.
That made her a girl with international experience and a wide horizon.
The rest of her time in Cadaques was spent together.
Getting to know each other making long walks into the mountains and having dinners.

After she left, some time later, a message was received with an invitation to come and join her in Sao Paolo.
Dear friends advised against going.
They had experienced Jacqueline and believed she was crazy.
She was, in their opinion, cold, heartless and without emotions.
Stay away from her because you are going to get hurt otherwise, they said.
But a person in love is blinded.
Can’t see things as they are.
Has drowned in subjectivity.

Jacqueline lived in a fabulous apartment overlooking a park in Sao Paolo, in the upper-class neighbourhood of Higienópolis.
It was wonderful to see her again but she kept her distance.
The guest was allocated a bedroom and she slept on a mattress in the living room.
She would never touch, never show affection, and never be warm and cosy.
It was thought this was just a stage she had to go through.
That in time she would change and let all her reservations go.
But it got nowhere.
And eventually there was no more hope.
It was decided the best was to return to Cadaques, stop the suffering and leave her.

The night before departure, while having dinner in a Japanese restaurant, the truth was told.
That to experience her coldness, lack of emotions and human warmth was simply impossible to live with and that these were the reasons to leave.
She was terribly shocked.
Could not speak anymore.
She asked to stay but the weeks of having been like with a robot had been too devastating.

Returned to Cadaques gave the opportunity to calm down and again Jacqueline asked to come to Sao Paolo.
It was decided to go believing she would have reached now the stage of change.
While the dear friends were this time simply saying it was only a fool who would go.

Returned to Sao Paolo within a very short time total disappointment was experienced because in spite of all the subjective thoughts and positive predictions, nothing had changed.
She was still this cold and frigid woman unable to express any emotion.
Hope for change and at least a normal human and friendly relationship was given up.
By then enough stories were heard about her childhood explaining why she was so cold and without emotions.

The day after it was decided to make the daily walk not with her anymore but alone and close the bedroom door at night, she made her pass.
And we became a couple.

That was the beginning of a new set of problems but they were all considered as adjustments.
That time and love would smooth them out.

It was decided to spend the summer in Cadaques.
Living together in this beautiful house with glass floors and three terraces overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and Salvador Dali’s picturesque village of Cadaques.
Everything available for sweet romance and happiness.
But time and love were not exactly smoothing anything out at all.

It all came to a climax when Jacqueline stayed at home when down in the village a copy of the newspaper the Herald Tribune was bought and friends were met on the terrace of the Maritime, the seaside coffee shop.
Returning home one of the biggest surprises in life was experienced.
The beautiful house was decorated with many objects collected on the numerous trips made around the world.
Rugs from Mexico, statues and masks from Africa, shells from beaches worldwide, Shaman objects from the Amazon rainforest, jewellery from the Far East, temple items from Japan.
Also many gifts from friends made all around the world.
Hundreds of things giving the house a special atmosphere and bringing back dear memories of wonderful people and exciting adventures.
Opening the door of the house, entering the rooms, what was seen stunned, shocked and embarrassed.
All the so beloved objects from the journeys had been removed.
They were found on a pile on one of the terraces.
It was unbelievable.

Jacqueline was confronted and asked for an explanation.
She was casual about it.
“All those things were only collecting dust so it is better to get rid of them”.

The house had a guest apartment with a separate entrance.
Jacqueline was given the key to the guest apartment and escorted out of the house and life.

The thing with a Fuso Santek is that it might have a problem.
Even a serious one.
But what is so nice about it is that it can be fixed.