A sour taste to the Birdsville Buggy Bash

[Sand-Yeti]

Nigel commented on the fun we had under the heading, " Back from Birdsville". Indeed it was great fun and one of those ?Once in a lifetime? trips never to be forgotten.
I was just one of the UAE team of seven (5 buggiers & two support) who wanted to experience a new buggying adventure and indeed we did in Australia
We were extremely well hosted by our Ozzie fellow buggiers under the good organisation of Tim Mellor (member No. 56 in this forum) who runs a Kite shop in Port Fairy. His Mother, a wonderful and very tolerant lady who cooked for us during the event was absolutely marvelous.
We commented very positively of our fun time on the Birdsville Buggy Bash forum following the event, so why the sour taste you might ask?

Simple, our team freighted all the buggies & kites from Dubai to Adelaide. The Ozzie customs took close on $Aus1300.- duty to be refunded when shipping the goods back to Dubai. We used Tim?s name with his permission as receiver when sending our kit. After returning to the Emirates and receiving our kit, the Aussie customs made the refund cheque for the amount we paid in Tim?s name. Tim agreed that he would cash the cheque & forward the same amount to my bank account. Initially, he commented that he would do it right away, then apologized for the delay due to being very busy. His Father became ill which I was very sorry to hear about because he is a very agreeable gentleman who I spent hours chatting to.
Now Tim has a kite business and must be visiting the bank from time to time, which means it would be no big deal for him to take a few minutes to cash the cheque & forward the same amount to me. To cut a long story short , Tim has not repaid the money, and refused to answer my last 10 e-mails. This saga has been dragging on for 8 months now.

I trusted Tim as he was appeared an honest, level headed person and a very good companion during the BBB. I have an awful feeling that I have lost a friend. The money we will recover one way or another. If Tim is reading this, please send me a positive private mail so that we can put this issue behind us and forget it. The UAE team along with some new guys will be coming back again next year to Australia for some wilder buggying and we would like you to be part of it. For your information, the rest of the UAE team are also disappointed in Tim?s conduct to say the least.

Some of you Ozzie buggiers who read this may be shocked by Tim?s conduct so if you see him, please remind him to do the decent thing & pay up.

He knows who I am.

Sand-Yeti

[The Desert Fox]

For a long time I've loved the sport of Kite-Buggying across open spaces. Not just the sport, but the many people who also practice this sport makes it most enjoyable and makes you what to go back again and again.

I live and work in the UAE and have visited Australia in 5 ocassions, all with the aim of doing some kiting of one type or an other. The last was the Birdsville Buggy Bash in 2003. You must have all read The Sand Yetty's comment about Tim's behavour towards the UAE Kite-Buggy team. For some one to promise to return money that does not belong to him and then not do as he has promise, that is simply disgraceful and shameful to the limits of been degraded to the level of been called a "thief". To be a kite-buggier, now that makes it even worst. He has put to shame not just him self, but all of you kite-buggiers across Australia. With what confidence could I my self go or recommend others to visit Australia to kite across your wonderful country knowing that there are people like Tim from the Kite House at Port Feiry who is plainly a thief. Is that the nature of kite-buggiers across Australia? I don't think so. I would request you all to help us in getting Tim to meet his obligation and return what does not belong to him.

Any kite buggiers out in Australia who are in the legal profession? If so, drop me a line and lets see if we can send some work your way.

Any kite buggiers out in Australia who are in the Police force? Have you considered visiting Tim and find out why he is putting such a shamefull reputation on you, your country and your sport?

Tim, if you read this, do the honorable thing, tidy up the name of Australian kite buggiers, and return what does not belong to you. You've had over 8 months to think about it. We have extensive documented proof that you recieved but have not return the money. Just do it.

The Desert Fox