Don't forget to check the expiry date on your visa when you travel to India. Apparently it's important.
So, despite claiming here and here and here that I'm verging on becoming a professional tourist, I still make some really dumb mistakes. The most recent of which was showing up at the BA check-in counter all set to fly to India for a week, and not thinking to check the expiry date on my Indian visa. Ouch.
To be fair - I did think the visa lasted for 1 year, and it turned out to be only for 6 months. I can't believe it was already 6 months since I was there last! Well actually, as the nice check-in man noted, it was about 6 months and 1 week. Ouch.
In all though, it turned out to me more embarrassing than anything. Since this was primarily a work trip, my firm counts on people having to move around their travel (though typically because they have important businessy things, not because of silly visa problems), so I had a flexible ticket. I've moved the trip to January now, which actually turns out to be a better time for the team as well. But I was reeeeeeeeaaaaally looking forward to the relaxing weekend on the beach I had planned in Goa. This is the really cool area on India's south west coast you may remember from the opening scene to the 2nd Bourne movie. Hopefully I'll still get to go there next trip.
If you fancy making me feel better, go ahead and post a travel story in the Comments section where you f*cked up as well. Getting it out there really helps the healing process...
But I don't have to wait long to be on a plane again! I'm off this Friday to enjoy the wedding of my friends Rob & Emily. Can't wait! My brother pointed out that I didn't give nearly enough attention in my last blog post to the beautiful wedding that he had last month. Sorry about that! It was wonderful, especially that really funny and touching co-best men speech. I guess I'm moving things on this blog to be more travel focused, and less "my personal life" focused. I imagine you all understand. And the travel is probably more interesting to read about anyway!
Cheers,
Dan
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4 comments:
Dammit.
I wrote my whole story - which was something since my left shift key is broken and the hard part of the key is off - I have to really aim for the little wobbly rubber bit that remains to get capital I's - and then I decided I wasn't going to sign it as the dogs so I went to sign in as a different person and bugger all - the whole thing disappeared.
Argh.
So. This is going to be signed by a bunch of hairy dogs and you can like it.
Appreciate my devotion to you, which enables me to write this not only once, but twice, with capital I's created by the little wobbly rubber bit that is all that remains of the shift key. That's some serious love, that is.
Anyway.
I SAID that while I didn't have an "oh crap I forgot my passport or similar" story, I DO have the story of Sandy's and my post-graduation trip to Norway.
I had an abscessed tooth and we couldn't schedule surgery until after we got back, so I was going to have to travel with it. Ouch. I packed several bottles of advil, and was popping them like candy. Then, in the middle of the airport in NY, I started itching like CRAZY - I'd broken out in hives all over.
But I'd never had hives before, or an allergic reaction to advil, so I had no idea what was wrong. I convinced myself that I had poison ivy because that's exactly what it felt like, and COVERED myself in calamine lotion in the airport bathroom.
I smelled FANTASTIC. Poor Sandy! *laughing* Then we got to Norway and my aunt Anne-Sophia (who is a nurse) realized I was having an allergic reaction to advil. Hives bridge all language barriers. Good times.
This comment written by someone with opposable thumbs, despite all evidence to the contrary.
Kiss kiss, Nes
Hi babes. I've never had a visa screw up (which now that we consider it strikes us as odd not to say uncanny) but one time i did get into a screaming fight with a woman in the Houston airport who hollered at me to put Dax back in his carrier after the poor little boy had been locked up for 5 hours. Yeah, so I accused her of "giving me attitude" and then held Dax up in the air and started yelling, "Scary, isn't he? Isn't he?"
You should focus on the good aspects - it all worked out ok b/c of the ticket. This is how I choose to view my habit of leaving personal documentation and credit cards behind... it was tremendously kind of the random man to take my ATM card, which I'd left in the machine with the screen flashing "Another Transaction?" and hand it to police in the Acapulco airport. Also proactive of the Lisbon airport staff to track me down after I left my purse - passport, wallet, blackberry - on the floor near the check-in counter. See how lucky we are?
Thanks guys! I don't get many comments on my blog - nice to know occasionally that people are at still a bit curious about my rantings.
Nes - much appreciated for typing it out twice! that's a crazy story...I'm sure I've sat next to people who smelled worse than you covered in calamine lotion.
Nina - I can't believe the lady gave you attitude about Dax. That dog is much too cool to be locked up!
Tristan - Good advice. And you got to tell stories about some of the cool places you've been! In fact, I'm hoping to make my next trip to India longer - so you are right that I'm lucky to have messed it up!
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