BAD NEWS hijacked & have nothing left but the clothes on our back! THIS IS NOT A JOKE!!! - VW Camper Family2024-03-28T10:21:05Zhttp://vwcamperfamily.ning.com/forum/topics/bad-news-hijacked-have?commentId=4450389%3AComment%3A6953&feed=yes&xn_auth=noHi Michelle and Jack,
I'm so…tag:vwcamperfamily.ning.com,2010-11-10:4450389:Comment:115562010-11-10T14:51:23.000ZCarole & the 'YesWeCanCamperVan'http://vwcamperfamily.ning.com/profile/CaroleBrown
Hi Michelle and Jack,<br></br>
I'm so pleased you are okay and that you got your vehicles back. I was driving on my own for six months all the way across the USA, from Oregon to Massachusetts in a 71 Westy that I purchased on eBay. I had so much luck and met the most wonderful people here in the USA. I wrote about my travels (and am still writing about them) on my blog. The THANKS page best of all shows how much goodness is out there. I almost went t Mexico but decided a woman on her own was too…
Hi Michelle and Jack,<br/>
I'm so pleased you are okay and that you got your vehicles back. I was driving on my own for six months all the way across the USA, from Oregon to Massachusetts in a 71 Westy that I purchased on eBay. I had so much luck and met the most wonderful people here in the USA. I wrote about my travels (and am still writing about them) on my blog. The THANKS page best of all shows how much goodness is out there. I almost went t Mexico but decided a woman on her own was too much of a target. Maybe this page and others will give you a happy read .... <a rel="nofollow" href="http://yeswecanjourney.wordpress.com/thanks-to/" target="_blank">http://yeswecanjourney.wordpress.com/thanks-to/</a><br/>
<br/>
There are also many photos on the Van's Facebook page at <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Millbury-MA/The-YesWeCan-CamperVan/203679777444?ref=mf" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/pages/Millbury-MA/The-YesWeCan-CamperVan/20...</a><br/>
<br/>
Hope you have more wonderful trips in the future. Please send me your travel blog url. The one shown here isn't about you.<br/>
<br/>
Best wishes,<br/>
Carole Brown<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<cite>Kathleen Hines said:</cite><blockquote cite="http://vwcamperfamily.ning.com/forum/topics/bad-news-hijacked-have#4450389Comment6953"><div>Finally HOME!<br/> For those of you who were following this story , this seems to be THE END<br/> ! Unbelievable !<br/> <br/>
Jack, the truck & the trailer are home!<br/>
He arrived last night at 5:15p.m.<br/>
3600 kms from TX-MX border in 3 days!<br/>
Everything went well.<br/>
Although Jack is very tired,<br/>
he is very relieved that the vehicles are finally parked in the yard !<br/>
<br/>
Enough adventure for a while!<br/>
<br/>
Michelle & Jack</div>
</blockquote>
<br/> <br/>
<cite>Kathleen Hines said:</cite><blockquote cite="http://vwcamperfamily.ning.com/forum/topics/bad-news-hijacked-have#4450389Comment6952"><div>Folks, here are updates I have received from Jack & Michelle.<br/> <br/> 19/04/2010 7:44:37 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
We have been home for more than 1 week now & we now have new reading<br/>
glasses, a temporary drivers licence, a temporary health card ,<br/>
a new Visa card, a new library card, etc......New passport coming on<br/>
Friday!<br/>
<br/>
When people ask me how I am, I answer, " ALIVE"!<br/>
<br/>
And we are getting over the "fog" of the first few days home---the<br/>
adrenaline had stopped flowing & we had gone into neutral......<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
We hired a Spanish -English translator who translated our ORIGINAL bill of<br/>
sale for truck & trailer---bought in Sept. 2002.<br/>
Last Thursday, we got these sealed by our lawyer (son-in-law), also by the<br/>
Foreign Affairs & we showed up at the Mexican Embassy<br/>
& asked them to put their seal on these papers. The lady asked us to wait<br/>
a moment & the consul came & asked us why we wanted<br/>
these sealed. He asked us to follow him to his office when he heard the<br/>
word "bandidos"...... He then asked us to come back in 1 hour<br/>
& he would have all documents ready for us.....I guess all the media hype<br/>
had reached him too......<br/>
(for those of you who did not see the Canadian Press article, google<br/>
VanderByl & Mexico......)<br/>
<br/>
One hour later, we were talking to Mr. Ambassador of Mexico to Canada. He<br/>
made 2 phone calls to Mexico & actually raised his voice<br/>
at one point.... He then promised us he would do everything he could to<br/>
get our vehicles released....<br/>
The next a.m. he was phoning<br/>
to tell us that the documents we had left with him---original bill of<br/>
sales---would be sufficient!<br/>
So we have hope! But the MANANA mentality also exists at the embassy<br/>
.....<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
But today at lunch, the consul still had not sent these documents.....so<br/>
Jack told him to hold on to them as he will deliver a key for<br/>
the truck to be delivered to our attorney at the insurance company. She<br/>
has power of attorney on the truck & trailer so that when they are released<br/>
she will have the truck & trailer to the GM dealer so they can repair the<br/>
front bumper.....Who knows what kind of state the transmission is on the<br/>
truck ????.....<br/>
<br/>
So that's where we are at......Yesterday, we celebrated one of our<br/>
grandsons' 4th birthday....It was so nice to do something NORMAL!!!!!!<br/>
<br/>
Thank you for your emails, your good thoughts, your prayers, your phone<br/>
calls. Greatly appreciated!<br/>
<br/>
Michelle & Jack<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
20/04/2010 1:02:08 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
Thanks for the contact of Cdn Press photographer. We now believe that the<br/>
Cdn Press article which ran EVERYWHERE in Canada<br/>
was a big help in getting the 1 hour interview with the Ambassador.<br/>
<br/>
Dave & Joyce flew home to Niagara Falls the day after we flew home.<br/>
We couldn't accomplish anything anymore down there.<br/>
All of us are hoping for a vehicle release...soon??!!<br/>
<br/>
Safe travels--- J & M<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
08/05/2010 1:25:18 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time<br/>
<br/>
After our visit at the embassy, on April 23, we were very hopeful.....but<br/>
nothing happened!Last week, we were very discouraged--nothing had happened!<br/>
On Monday, Jack sent an email to the Mexican embassy &that got the ball<br/>
rolling...again!<br/>
Thanks to the Mexican ambassador in Ottawa, our truck & trailer were<br/>
released from the army compound on Tuesday!<br/>
On Wednesday, no news.<br/>
On Thursday, we learned our vehicles were at a garage getting assessed for<br/>
damages.<br/>
On Friday, we received by email, an authorization sheet to be signed to<br/>
allow for repairs.<br/>
<br/>
Jack let the insurance company know that he will be there on the 18th &<br/>
everything has to be ready.<br/>
So when he will be taking the vehicles through US customs--he will ask for<br/>
the vehicles to be searched<br/>
for drugs & arms. Then he'll be driving home--he estimates it will take<br/>
him 5-6 days.<br/>
I will not be going.<br/>
<br/>
Jack's hip surgery is scheduled for May 31st. in Kingston. We have 3<br/>
appointments in May in Kingston before surgery.<br/>
<br/>
We will let you know about any new developments!<br/>
<br/>
M & J<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
Cheers,</div>
</blockquote> I don't think this is their w…tag:vwcamperfamily.ning.com,2010-11-10:4450389:Comment:115512010-11-10T14:33:33.000ZCarole & the 'YesWeCanCamperVan'http://vwcamperfamily.ning.com/profile/CaroleBrown
I don't think this is their website is it?<br />
<br />
<cite>Kathleen Hines said:</cite><blockquote cite="http://vwcamperfamily.ning.com/forum/topics/bad-news-hijacked-have#4450389Comment5396"><div>Here`s their travel blog<br/> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://westfaliatravels.com/" target="_blank">http://westfaliatravels.com/</a></div>
</blockquote>
I don't think this is their website is it?<br />
<br />
<cite>Kathleen Hines said:</cite><blockquote cite="http://vwcamperfamily.ning.com/forum/topics/bad-news-hijacked-have#4450389Comment5396"><div>Here`s their travel blog<br/> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://westfaliatravels.com/" target="_blank">http://westfaliatravels.com/</a></div>
</blockquote> Finally HOME!
For those of yo…tag:vwcamperfamily.ning.com,2010-05-31:4450389:Comment:69532010-05-31T22:03:21.000ZKathleen Hineshttp://vwcamperfamily.ning.com/profile/KathleenHines
Finally HOME!<br />
For those of you who were following this story , this seems to be THE END<br />
! Unbelievable !<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Jack, the truck & the trailer are home!<br />
He arrived last night at 5:15p.m.<br />
3600 kms from TX-MX border in 3 days!<br />
Everything went well.<br />
Although Jack is very tired,<br />
he is very relieved that the vehicles are finally parked in the yard !<br />
<br />
Enough adventure for a while!<br />
<br />
Michelle & Jack
Finally HOME!<br />
For those of you who were following this story , this seems to be THE END<br />
! Unbelievable !<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Jack, the truck & the trailer are home!<br />
He arrived last night at 5:15p.m.<br />
3600 kms from TX-MX border in 3 days!<br />
Everything went well.<br />
Although Jack is very tired,<br />
he is very relieved that the vehicles are finally parked in the yard !<br />
<br />
Enough adventure for a while!<br />
<br />
Michelle & Jack Folks, here are updates I hav…tag:vwcamperfamily.ning.com,2010-05-31:4450389:Comment:69522010-05-31T22:02:27.000ZKathleen Hineshttp://vwcamperfamily.ning.com/profile/KathleenHines
Folks, here are updates I have received from Jack & Michelle.<br />
<br />
19/04/2010 7:44:37 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time<br />
<br />
<br />
We have been home for more than 1 week now & we now have new reading<br />
glasses, a temporary drivers licence, a temporary health card ,<br />
a new Visa card, a new library card, etc......New passport coming on<br />
Friday!<br />
<br />
When people ask me how I am, I answer, " ALIVE"!<br />
<br />
And we are getting over the "fog" of the first few days home---the<br />
adrenaline had stopped flowing & we had gone…
Folks, here are updates I have received from Jack & Michelle.<br />
<br />
19/04/2010 7:44:37 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time<br />
<br />
<br />
We have been home for more than 1 week now & we now have new reading<br />
glasses, a temporary drivers licence, a temporary health card ,<br />
a new Visa card, a new library card, etc......New passport coming on<br />
Friday!<br />
<br />
When people ask me how I am, I answer, " ALIVE"!<br />
<br />
And we are getting over the "fog" of the first few days home---the<br />
adrenaline had stopped flowing & we had gone into neutral......<br />
<br />
<br />
We hired a Spanish -English translator who translated our ORIGINAL bill of<br />
sale for truck & trailer---bought in Sept. 2002.<br />
Last Thursday, we got these sealed by our lawyer (son-in-law), also by the<br />
Foreign Affairs & we showed up at the Mexican Embassy<br />
& asked them to put their seal on these papers. The lady asked us to wait<br />
a moment & the consul came & asked us why we wanted<br />
these sealed. He asked us to follow him to his office when he heard the<br />
word "bandidos"...... He then asked us to come back in 1 hour<br />
& he would have all documents ready for us.....I guess all the media hype<br />
had reached him too......<br />
(for those of you who did not see the Canadian Press article, google<br />
VanderByl & Mexico......)<br />
<br />
One hour later, we were talking to Mr. Ambassador of Mexico to Canada. He<br />
made 2 phone calls to Mexico & actually raised his voice<br />
at one point.... He then promised us he would do everything he could to<br />
get our vehicles released....<br />
The next a.m. he was phoning<br />
to tell us that the documents we had left with him---original bill of<br />
sales---would be sufficient!<br />
So we have hope! But the MANANA mentality also exists at the embassy<br />
.....<br />
<br />
<br />
But today at lunch, the consul still had not sent these documents.....so<br />
Jack told him to hold on to them as he will deliver a key for<br />
the truck to be delivered to our attorney at the insurance company. She<br />
has power of attorney on the truck & trailer so that when they are released<br />
she will have the truck & trailer to the GM dealer so they can repair the<br />
front bumper.....Who knows what kind of state the transmission is on the<br />
truck ????.....<br />
<br />
So that's where we are at......Yesterday, we celebrated one of our<br />
grandsons' 4th birthday....It was so nice to do something NORMAL!!!!!!<br />
<br />
Thank you for your emails, your good thoughts, your prayers, your phone<br />
calls. Greatly appreciated!<br />
<br />
Michelle & Jack<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
20/04/2010 1:02:08 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time<br />
<br />
<br />
Thanks for the contact of Cdn Press photographer. We now believe that the<br />
Cdn Press article which ran EVERYWHERE in Canada<br />
was a big help in getting the 1 hour interview with the Ambassador.<br />
<br />
Dave & Joyce flew home to Niagara Falls the day after we flew home.<br />
We couldn't accomplish anything anymore down there.<br />
All of us are hoping for a vehicle release...soon??!!<br />
<br />
Safe travels--- J & M<br />
<br />
<br />
08/05/2010 1:25:18 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time<br />
<br />
After our visit at the embassy, on April 23, we were very hopeful.....but<br />
nothing happened!Last week, we were very discouraged--nothing had happened!<br />
On Monday, Jack sent an email to the Mexican embassy &that got the ball<br />
rolling...again!<br />
Thanks to the Mexican ambassador in Ottawa, our truck & trailer were<br />
released from the army compound on Tuesday!<br />
On Wednesday, no news.<br />
On Thursday, we learned our vehicles were at a garage getting assessed for<br />
damages.<br />
On Friday, we received by email, an authorization sheet to be signed to<br />
allow for repairs.<br />
<br />
Jack let the insurance company know that he will be there on the 18th &<br />
everything has to be ready.<br />
So when he will be taking the vehicles through US customs--he will ask for<br />
the vehicles to be searched<br />
for drugs & arms. Then he'll be driving home--he estimates it will take<br />
him 5-6 days.<br />
I will not be going.<br />
<br />
Jack's hip surgery is scheduled for May 31st. in Kingston. We have 3<br />
appointments in May in Kingston before surgery.<br />
<br />
We will let you know about any new developments!<br />
<br />
M & J<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Cheers, That's terrible to hear about…tag:vwcamperfamily.ning.com,2010-05-31:4450389:Comment:69292010-05-31T18:01:12.000ZLaura Annehttp://vwcamperfamily.ning.com/profile/Laura
That's terrible to hear about! And they never recovered their vehicles. I would probably fight tooth and nail for my Westy back if someone took it from me. This is why I travel with protection.
That's terrible to hear about! And they never recovered their vehicles. I would probably fight tooth and nail for my Westy back if someone took it from me. This is why I travel with protection. Here`s their travel blog
http…tag:vwcamperfamily.ning.com,2010-03-30:4450389:Comment:53962010-03-30T12:16:00.000ZKathleen Hineshttp://vwcamperfamily.ning.com/profile/KathleenHines
Here`s their travel blog<br />
<a href="http://westfaliatravels.com/" target="_blank">http://westfaliatravels.com/</a>
Here`s their travel blog<br />
<a href="http://westfaliatravels.com/" target="_blank">http://westfaliatravels.com/</a>