I am taking my husband to the South African Embassy in London and he will NEVER want to go back again..........to say I had a hell of a day is the understatement of the century and it reminded me of all the things I used to find frustrating with Home Affairs.....no, to be fair, I must change that, our last experience with Home Affairs in South Africa was actually very efficient and I have no complaints.....but the embassy here....now that is something else all together.
Having made my way up to London on the early train I spent a truly lovely couple of hours with my cuz wandering around the Covent Garden, Leister Square, Piccadilly Circus area - we chatted and chatted and as he is very knowledgeable on the history of London it was like having my own personal tour guide at times - I LOVED it as I find the English history one of the greatest advantages of living here.
Andrew took me for coffee in the most divine little coffee shop with edible treats to die for and we snuggled up and enjoyed the aroma of the different coffees and chatted some more while Nicholas worked his magic and charmed all the patrons in the place (all 8 of us and you have to share tables with strangers....wonderful, wish I had taken my camera....sigh). After coffee it was time for the embassy and all I will say is that it was a totally unsuccessful trip and I will have to go back in a couple of weeks to once again try and sort out the documentation.....Enough said!
Lunch to calm my nerves and then back on the train home....a long and at times frustrating day, but spending time with Andrew and seeing his new studio made it all worthwhile. Nicholas was an absolute saint and I am convinced I have been blessed with the most laid back baby in the world!
8 comments:
LOL sorry but having to renew my SA passport this week has had my mind in a very negative state but pleasant all round. When I need to do my British one its always so easy.What a day you had !
shame my friend - what a frustrating day you had.....yes please take simon and when you do go back to south africa on holiday imagine if you could pretend to loose his passport and ID and drivers licence and let him go try get it all again - in a hurry !!!!! he will surely be begging you to return to good old first world living!!
thrilled you had a lovely time with your cousin/brother - you two really do get along so nicely.
well done for being so brave and going all the way there and taking little nicholas - he really is a blessing to you and thats the way babies are meant to be
Hi there Andrea
We had to renew the children’s passports last week. Shaun took a day off work - there is no way I am going to the Home Affairs office on my own!! I warned the children that it might be a long wait - so they took books to read. I even packed them a snack and some juice. Armed with all the relevant paperwork and photographs, we took a deep breath and entered the strange universe that is Home Affairs. There was nobody at the passport counter - either waiting to be attended to or waiting to attend to somebody. After a short wait someone came to deal with our papers. That took ten minutes. Another 10 minutes in another queue to pay and we were out of there. How did that happen?? If, however, you needed anything regarding your id documents, the queue was literally out of the door and onto the street (and I have driven past there many times and seen the queue significantly longer as the day progresses). It still amazes me that people are forced to waste huge chunks of their day trying to sort out their id documents. But right now, I am not complaining - although I am still amazed. It was all just too easy. Can I really hope that the correct passports, with the correct information will really materialize in 6 weeks time? Please hold thumbs for us. Love Jannine
Nicholas was a miracle from the word go.Happy to hear you had a good time with Andrew but sorry to hear that you have to return to return again with regards to the documents - good luck.
Miss you guys. To think that in less 5 mths i will get to see you all. Love & kisses, Mary
Well, sometimes you get lucky so I'll hold thumbs that you are one of the lucky ones and that it will all be sorted out in time for summer.
Right now hubby's passport is sitting at UK Home Office for that EEA 2 permit. Don't know how long that is going to take and getting increasingly frustrated as we wanted to visit family in Norway in March.
Checked out your cuz's website - very nice.
xx
sigh...gf...I do feel your pain sometimes truly....but in everything we do find the silver lining...ok look maybe hoe affairs is a stretch..LOL!..PS: I LOOOVE your comment about the rocking chair..oh GF...it made me LOL...so true! i miss you madly..i truly truly do...!
GF
Ag no, typical!! Glad Nicholas was so good and you had a great time with Andrew.
Nicholas is a good baby, but also because he has such a great, happy and positive mommy - way to go Andrea!
Sounds like such a lovely place in London! You are really brave to do that with Nic - kudos to you!
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