It has been a whirlwind week getting ready for this trip. Biggest stress has been getting my travel visa approved. A visa is basically an addendum to a passport which some countries require. You can apply online or at the consulate. I chose to apply online through a service and methodically followed the direction to complete my application, faxed off the passport with all the other required items requested and felt secure that all was going to plan......thats when the emails started coming. "We need a letter from the organization you will be working for". "We need a government ID # of the organization you will be working for". "We need a letter of intent to collect no pay from the organization you will be working for". Holy smokes! I called India....woke the poor sisters from bed. They informed me that "sorry....we don't have any of those things and we can't get them to you". Then the precious sleepy nun told me that I should have filed a tourist visa application....another words.. LIE! LOL! Back on the phone with Visa service for plan B which is to lie some more". Trip in jeopardy...stressed!
In the mean time I put a message out to Dorado employees for an emergency contact number of a relative in Kolkata and an email came in from my friend Ravi with his families contact information and at the bottom of the email a little miracle..."ps, if you need any help getting your visa let me know, my best friend is the Ambassador consul general for India". OMG! While sitting at the hair salon on Friday my hair dripping with dye and foil spiking off my head my cell phone rings and it is none other then the Ambassador consul general, A few questions and a polite chat later....Visa approved. Check that stress off the list!
Nadia is here visiting from LA this weekend, last night we had a beautiful night out in the city and ran into an acquaintance who is from India. I began to tell him about my trip and that the only thing that I felt concerns about still was that when I arrive at the airport in Kolkata that I will be all alone, won't have a car and I have no idea where I am going to stay. He said to me, " don't worry, my father is the President of the State of New Delhi and we have a car that will be there to pick you up at the airport and I will help you find a place to stay too".
Conflicted about the idea of having a limo pick me up as this is not going to be glamorous trip but a humble mission I thought for a moment to say no but I feel it would be rude to turn down such a gracious offer and I could never offend the drop dead gorgeous son of the President of New Delhi for heavens sakes....thats not my style;-).
OMG!!! Are you kidding me? Does this stuff really happen? Apparently so..... I am now beginning to think that there is a major conspiracy going on here and the universe is going to make me go to Kolkata, the universe needs me to go to Kolkata. It is my destiny..........Check!
It indeed sounds as if the universe is lining up in your favor my dear! Being the somewhat silent facebook stalker, I'm going to try to check in more often with your blog. Always had a fascination with India. Be safe, godspeed and I hope your heart finds it's happy place ;0)
ReplyDeleteOh and I love the high tech H2O stuff- I could see the REI people as you described it!