;)
Last week my beloved MacBook Pro laptop broke (refer to tragic pic under cagedbunny). The main computer works but the interior LCD screen looks like some kind of Andy Warhol piece. Since I am forced to blog via my iphone and risk serious carpal tunnel syndrome, the actions below should illustrate what I'm up against.
1) Driver brought me to 3 different electronics stores, all of whom sell the laptop model I own - for over 340,000 Naira. Thats about $2175 USD or 3xs what I paid for it in the US. THREE times.
2) Driver took me to several other stores to look for wireless keyboard so that I can use E's ipad as a backup. All of them carry it, none are in stock. It's roughly 13,500 Naira or $85, about twice the price as the US version.
3) Driver took me to an "Authorized" Apple resaler at The Palms - one of the few malls in town, to look for a monitor that could replace my broken screen. The only monitor they had in stock was bigger than my TV and 193,000 Naira or $1200 bucks. At that rate, I could just buy the new one. The monitor I wanted was slightly smaller but of course not available - yet.
4) After a bit of complaining to the salesperson and stream of consciousness outloud thinking about how I couldn't bear to wait until July when I return to the States, I was subjected to an equally long diatribe about how since Apple is a US company, all the Americans get a discount but in Nigeria, people pay what the item is worth. Or in other terms, it's not a triple mark up, it's just actually worth that much and I should be happy to pay it. Touche.
5) Just prior to leaving the store, the saleswoman gave me the number for a new repair shop called "Mac Center" (see pic here). I phoned the owner, explained the situation and asked for the address. Thankfully it was near the one store I know well - Chocolate Royale, the kids' fav ice cream parlor. You know those landmarks really come in handy.
6) Found said repair shop (tiny apple stickers in windows should be reassuring yes?) and spoke to engineer. A new screen is 35,000 Naira or $218 USD plus labor at 10,000 Naira or $70.
Now we're getting somewhere.