Wednesday, July 22, 2009

I'm Just A Tourist- Let Me In.

Well the big day has finally arrived.

Ok the day BEFORE the big day has finally arrived but as I won't be here to blog on the big day, this will have to do.

My wart has gone, my photo has been taken, my paperwork is complete (I hope) and I'm off down to the US Embassy in London tomorrow to renew my tourist visa. Yes I know it should be no big deal and I should be in and out in no time but.............

My last interview of any kind was in 1973 when I came to Leeds to apply for an IT job with ASDA so I'm not exactly used to this kind of thing. Hey it's STILL an interview ok ! I'll be nervous. The outcome is pretty vital to me as without my winters in Florida, I'll wither and die. Or just be very cold like everyone else in the UK from Nov - April. I'll also have to endure the Christmas No.1. and reruns of the Only Fools & Horses Christmas special.

No, I MUST get that visa !!

So I got up at the crack of 7:30am to get my body used to this time of day and it doesn't like it. I'm not that impressed with it myself. I have to get up at an even crackier 5am tomorrow to get a 6am taxi to Leeds Coach Station to catch the 6:40am coach to London. That should get me (well us really as the very kind Daphne is going with me so that I can be naked going into the embassy) to London with plenty of time to walk the 300 yds to the embassy ! I'm NOT risking being late due to roadwords or leaves on the road.

Going naked might be slightly exaggerating things a bit but they really tell you that to get into the embassy, you must almost BE naked. No bags or backpacks or even slightly baggy trousers. No sharp toffees, ingrowing toenails or pointy teeth. No electronic devices like an mp3, a gps, a phone, a remote entry key fob or a pace maker. Not even a Harrod's bag.

Like I said, naked.

As the coach home doesn't leave till 7pm, potentially giving us several hours in the big city, I will be taking my camera. And that's where Daphne comes in. As well as providing non stop commentary on every tree, shrub and flower we pass on the way there and back, she'll be my wing man......or woman and hold my bits and pieces, so to speak, so that I can enter the embassy sans everything except my paperwork.

Visiting America for longer than 3 months at a time is a costly and time consuming business. Over £100 already and I've not left the house. Despite having half a rain forest of paperwork as proof of who I am (having a Twitter account now should help enormously) and that I'll really be coming back to the UK each time, they could still refuse my application for any number of reasons, none of which I have any power over.

The agent conducting the interview may have swine flu and be feeling miserable. He/she might not like people with beards. My aunt Mary failed that way. In my nervousness I might talk too much and admit I have a secret wife and 5 children in El Paso. They might just not like the fact that I can go for 6 months every year even though that's exactly what the visa allows me to do.

I can't do anything about these things. The kids need me after all.

I'll probably not sleep a wink tonight. I certainly won't sleep a wink on the coach with Daphne rabbiting on about wild lupins and the liklihood of seeing a palm tree in Leicestershire. Oh great. I'll probably be fast asleep just as my name is called for the interview and as Daphne will be outside holding my junk (cough, cough), I'll still be in there when they come to lock up for the day.

Then I'll be arrested for being on US soil without a visa !! Jeez.

So fingers crossed that the nice friendly people at the embassy will realise I'm a nice friendly Brit who just wants to be a warm tourist in Florida every winter. It's not much to ask for and our countries do have a 'special relationship' after all.

I'm hoping for some sign of it tomorrow but just in case, I've kept the receipt for the sun cream.
And if my next blog comes from Guantanamo, you'll know that I've spoken out of turn during the interview and it's not because I've gone there using my nice new visa.

9 comments:

  1. Good luck for tomorrow!

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  2. You will be absolutely fine. You have a proven track record of complying with visa requirements, have never overstayed before or (I assume) attempted to work illegally, have tangible means of independant financial support and totally fit the profile of "Englishman wishing to holiday in the warmer climate of America".

    Trust me - it will be an anti-climax.

    You might like to know that it is possible to drop off electrical items and so on in safe storage at the chemists up the road (see the US Embassy site for details) and that way your friend can come and wait with you. You may be waiting a LONG time.

    btw: I am use Twitter too - look for "punctuation" - if you @reply me I'll add you (I searched for you in the normal way and couldn't find you, perhaps I'm just being dumb).

    Good luck tomorrow!

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  3. I hope the journey and embassy visit both go smoothly, I'll be thinking of you (well, not all the time because tomorrow afternoon I have to concentrate on completing a very long, complicated application form - with the help of someone from CAB) - good luck to both of us.

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  4. Thinking good thoughts.....I need my winter buddy! I can NOT function for 6 months in FL without you. There, tell them that!

    I shall be talking to Daphne about holding your junk!

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  5. A palm tree in Leicestershire! Now, there's a picture almost as improbable as the secret wife and five kids in El Paso.

    Although if you did have a secret wife and five kids in El Paso they could be your more-or-less permanent sponsors, couldn't they? But only if they weren't secret any more, of course.

    Many good thoughts coming your way on Thursday for the outcome you desire.

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  6. Well, of course, Silverback, I'll really miss you in the winter - - but I'm also really set on you getting the visa. The daily mentions of the very hot temperatures in Florida all winter are bad enough - - but I couldn't bear the chilly misery emanating from your address if you had to stay in Leeds!
    And, RWP - - there are lots of palm trees in Leicestershire. I have promised not to point every one out to Silverback on the way. There are even palm trees in Leeds, even though we are just south of the Arctic Circle.

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  7. Good luck for tomorrow, Ian, but I think the main luck might be needed for getting up at 5am! ;)

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  9. Sorry I didn't catch you in time. Two things:-
    1. It's good that Daphne has finally found her niche in life - someone who looks after her mate's things. Are you sure she is up to the job?
    2. Bribery is the only surefire way of getting your visa renewed. Agents can be putty in your hands when bribed - try a twelve pack of Aunt Bessie's Yorkshire Puddings, a crisp hundred dollar bill or maybe a CD of Taliban folk songs.

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