Down and Up

Eighteen days before I get on the plane, nineteen before I land.

Today I got a quick look at what a visa to China looks like in a Canadian passport, but it was not my passport. I woke up early this morning and left the house about 8.30. I got to the Consulate about 9.15 - 9.20. This time there was a private company security guard at the gate who asked me for identification. Once inside I joined the line to pick up my passport with its new visa. For about twenty minutes everyone in the pick up line stood in the same spot while the other two lines kept moving forward. Eventually "our" line started moving but it was somewhat annoying to see people who came in after I did submit their applications and leave while I had not moved at all.

About 10.15 or so I finally got to the wicket to pick up my passport and visa only to be told the Consulate does not accept credit cards for payment, only debit cards or money orders. When I told the clerk that is not what the web site says he told me "you did not read the web site properly". I felt like arguing with him, I was angy because I thought I was right. However there was not point. I could yell at him for two hours and the machine on the counter would still not accept my credit card and my passport would still be behind the glass barrier. I do not have a debit card. I never intend to get a debit card until I can no longer use cash to purchase necessities. I am not a Luddite, I teach computer technology. However I know I would give personal purchase information into the control of a financial institution every time I use a debit card. I do not trust financial institutions to keep the information secure. Anyway -- no debit card or no money order means no visa. On the trip home I calmed down and developed a plan.

When I got home I called the travel agency and asked for suggestions. They said they would pick up my passport for me. It would cost $10 in addition to the $50 fee for the visa. Since the travel agency is 15 - 20 minutes away by car and the consulate is 45 minutes away by transit, that seems like a good use of $10 to me.