I always thought that any job that requires dealing with the government is really hard to get done in India. It almost translates into taking a leave from work, queuing up really early, a long long wait, having one meal in the government office (obviously at your own expense..)and if you are lucky, one more visit else several more.
I've had several trysts with the government offices in India. Dealing with the government offices in Melbourne should have been easier...or so I thought until this happened.....and trust me the transport system and a prowling gunman doesn't make things easier.
Last Monday I had to get my Visa re-stamped. Mom & I (she was visiting me at that time) left home at 9am in the hope that we will be back home by 12pm. The city from my home is a 40 minute train ride. The trains were running 20 minutes late. Now the twist here is that the Immigration office does the stamping only between 9am - 11am. At 10:15, I was 2 stations away from where I had to reach. I glanced at my watch and thought,"Yeah, fair enough, I'll reach on time". And just when I thought,the train just came to a halt at this station...5 min..10..15...oops...the train isn't going anywhere because there is a teen gunman on the loose!!! Damn!!! We rushed out of the station to catch a tram. Now, Indians have this ability to make space for themselves in a bus/tram even if they have to stand on the toes of one foot! While I may have lost this ability owing to the luxuries of this country, my Mom's polished skills came to my rescue and we managed to board the first tram. This tram ran express for almost 10 stops before it entered the main city as there was no place to take in passengers and no one was wanting to get off. I stood squashed next to the glass doors enjoying the expressions of people when the tram just zipped past them (sadistic, I know). Anyway, I somehow managed to be across the road from this Immigration office at 10:56am...stepped in the office at 10:58am..and my chance in the queue came at 11:02am...and guess what does this person tell me,"Sorry, too late..come again another day before 11am". I wish I had bottle of water or something in hand, I could have smashed it over his head!!!
So, what do you get when you have trains running late + police trying to nab down a gunman + Immigration officer saying 2 minutes is too late when technically I was in before 11am ....another day, another visit to Immigration!!
8 months ago
