Getting a Visa Part 2

Day 3 of the Visa challenge I was waiting for the NZ Embassy to create a letter of recommendation for me. The Egyptian receptionist had a lot of problems interpreting my birthplace (Palmerston North, I'm glad I wasn't born in Papatoetoe or Maungatautari). She told me to go to the 8th floor of the Cairo World Trade Centre, they had just moved the office there a couple of days earlier. I asked if it was in the same building as the Australian Embassy she said yes, which was good as I had it marked on my map.

Day 4, today I went to the World Trade Centre, 8th floor, only an African bank. So I popped into the Australian Embassy, a lovely comfortable reception brimming with flyers and information. They helped me find the New Zealand Embassy in one of the Twin Towers about 500 meters up the road (you can see how the receptionist got the address wrong). The New Zealand Embassy (first NZ ground I have set foot on in 8 years) was sterile, cold and unfriendly. I had to talk to the receptionist through a phone (like in prisons). Wait 10 mins in the minimalist cell white room. Then she then asked me to pay $45 New Zealand dollars which is 16 UK pounds... or 3 night accommodation and food in Egypt. Ridiculous. If I need anything else I think I will go back to the Australian Embassy and try my luck there. Almost makes me feel guilty for saying that I'm Australian when I know I'm going to have to maintain a stern approach to persistent husslers (don't want to give NZders a bad name for not being friendly)

So 11am onto the Sudanese Embassy (the opposite of the NZ Embassy, with cats, families and officials high fiving each other as a greeting in a decrepit building on the other side of town), was told my application needed to be processed by head office in Khartoum. so a minimum of 1 month wait. This is because my supporting letter was from a volunteer agency and it is a volunteer Visa rather than a tourist visa. I asked if there was anyway the process could be sped up. He said 'wait a minute' and 4.5 short hours later I was asked to come back after the weekend on Sunday.

Here is one travelers Sudanese Visa story from last year if you are interested:
http://www.geekeasy.com/travel/journal/addis_ababa3.shtml

Blogs are also a good way to get grass-roots, uncensored information:
http://sudanwatch.blogspot.com/
http://coalitionfordarfur.blogspot.com/



Till now I have been hanging out with a friend from the TEFL course called Star. She returns tomorrow for Alexandria (I may pop back with her to pick up my bag... It's been 3 weeks living out of the same day-bag). She is a stunning 5.8' blonde dutch lass, when we walk down the street together we look like an escaped Elf and Hobbit. She managed to get her Egyptian Visa extended in only 3 days by saying "my HUSBAND who is an OFFICIAL is flying in TONIGHT so we can go to Alexandria, he won't ALLOW me to travel alone because I am PREGNANT." The well stressed sentence contained a lot of concepts they understood, after saying that the Visa was no problem.

At the Sudanese Embassy they already know my Husband is a teacher and I need to meet him in Khartoum. I must remember next time I make up a husband to give him a better job.