Rome and the Camera, Part Two (Late Blog Post)

Once we got back to the room, I was determined to have my camera lens repaired or replaced. Nikon is a world-wide company, I just bought the camera – I even sent in all the warranty cards before I left. I was determined to find away. Nikon has a website, the camera shop has a website, there has to be a way to get this done.

I first went to the Nikon web site, looking for a repair center. This was not as easy as it sounds. Nikon does indeed have a website, and when you click on a country, it goes into that language, with a “find a photography group near you” and 50 other options. There wasn’t one list of repair centers. While I was dodging around Nikon’s website, I was also trying to get answers from “Chat live” option on the website of the camera store back in the states. There were many long pauses in that conversation, and I’m not convinced that it was due to the internet lag. The on-line person wasn’t sure what I was asking, and waiting to get back to the states seemed like a viable option to him. Being two and a half weeks into an eight week trip, it most certainly was not. He then suggested I go to the Nikon website and look for a dealer in Rome – which of course I was doing simultaneously with our live chat. Brilliant. After more searching, and guessing, I found a dealer in Rome. Got the Goggle map, and was ready to attach this first thing in the morning.

DH and WS were burnt out from the history and art of the last two days, so we devised a divide and conquer plan. I would take care of the camera in the morning and spend the rest of the day sightseeing, and they would check out some places and just see where serendipity takes them.

After a long Metro ride, and navigating a suburban neighborhood, I found the authorized Nikon dealer and repair center. The exchange took place like this:

"Do you speak English?"
"No."

Took out camera and showed the message on LCD screen. He rubbed his chin.
Put other lens on, showing that the other lens works. More chin rubbing. They put another lens they had on my camera. It worked as well.

“Lens is broken.” Italian salesman said.

I sighed, holding back a huge "Well, Duh!"

"It’s brand new, can you fix it?"

"No, today is Saturday. Service center is closed on Saturday, maybe on Monday."

"Monday, I’ll be in Bolonga." He backs away and shrugs shoulders with an Italian “Oh well” gesture.

"Can you switch it out?"
"You want to buy another one?"
"No! It’s under warranty. Can you look it up? Can’t you send it back?"
Backs even further away, “No, no, no. Only work with warranties in Italy. No where else,”

"What else can I do?" More shrugging.

Defeated and teary, I left the camera shop. (Yeah, I know I cry too easily. I need to work on that.) As I took the Metro to the Ara Pacis, I thought it over. The Egypt group I was touring with would be leaving the States at the end of the week. If I ship the lens back to the camera shop – even two day air instead of overnight – it could be there by Thursday. Someone from the group could pick it up on Friday, or even Saturday. Yes, this could work. This HAD to happen.

After I did my sightseeing of the day, (see next post) I went back to the Bed and Breakfast. I got the number for the camera shop in Denver, and planned my speech to them. They were going to do this switch and this was going to work. I spend 10 minutes figuring out how to make an international call from my cell phone, and finally made the call – forgetting the time difference. Crap. It was nine in the morning in Denver, so naturally they were not open. Waited another hour and got a human.

“I’m call from my cell phone in Rome and I need to talk to someone in charge of your camera department.”

“Um, ok. That would be me.”

“I bought a camera from you, with the service plan, and it doesn’t work. I need to return it to you, because I need this for Egypt.” (I then went on to describe my precise plan, really never giving him an option to say no. I will admit the some James Bond music was playing in the back of my head, like this was the master plan to defuse a bomb, or save the world.)

“Um, sure. That should work.”

I then told I would confirm this plan via e-mail, which would be the easiest way to contact me. What was their address?

He said the store didn’t have one, but then proceeded to give me his personal address. (This made me laugh a little inside, not many employees would do that. Maybe he heard the James Bond music as well, and wanted to save the world.)

That night when we meet up to have dinner with our friends, one asked, “Why don’t I take the lens back for you? I work near that camera shop.”

It was like the angels sang, the clouds parted and the sun came shining. Of course! They were leaving in two days (on Monday). They could have the lens there on Tuesday and someone from the Egypt group could pick it up before they left on Saturday. Yes – this could work.