Well they don’t make it easy at the Embassy. I knew I’d have to wait, so I showed up with some food, some reading material and my most patient disposition.
What I hadn’t realised was that I’d have to wait OUTDOORS. I stood in a queue that didn’t move for 3 hours – that was just to get inside the building. And it was raining. HARD. In fact hard enough to soak me even wearing Gore Tex.
Fortunately I didn’t pay atttention to the recommendation to dress smartly – there were plenty of guys with sharp suits with ever expaning tide marks up the legs. Each of my mini – meetings involved me dripping quietly while they pushed the paper around. Anything they gave me to hold was instantly turned into mush. During the 4.5 hours I was there I spent approx 2 mins in total dealing with people.
But I now have a visa. Hilariously in the photograph I look like a drowned rat.