SWITZERLAND IN AFRICA

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 273, 7 February 1989, Page 16

SWITZERLAND IN AFRICA

From the "Isn't modern technology wonderful" file comes this gem: New Sensations representative Shireen Mosaed called into the Bulletin office last week to send an order, by facsimile, to a company in Switzerland for some special bungi jumping skis. (well, it was something to do with outrageous-pastimes equipment). The Bulletin searched out Telecom's country codes and dialled away, careful to include the code for a price-required call. Instead of the usual high-tech fax machine beep in the Bulletin's ea r, a voice came onto the other end of the line. The Bulletin asked "do you speak English?" "Yes" the other voice lied. "He sounds African," the Bulletin told Shireen. An incoherent conversation followed, which included things like "Vot is a fax?" and "this is the Banana Police" (the Bulletin swears that's what he said! Couldn't have been, obviously.) The Bulletin assumed this must be bungi talk so carried on, until it was obvious the Bulletin was getting nowhere. The Bulletin politely said goodbye and hung up. International tolls rang soon after with the charge, and confirmed the Bulletin's , and Shireen's suspicions. Of course! We'd called Swaziland!