Suck Camel Toe
Got a short notice that I am suppose to go Lahore to clean up some shit on a certain project over there *sigh*.
The first thing to be done was to apply for visa. I brought my passport to office yesterday, to be given to our company appointed travel agent to apply the visa for me. Normally they will come to collect our document and by the end of the day will bring all the neccesary travel document back to us.
Yet, I was informed by the office admin that the travel agency told us the High Comission of Pakistan suddenly change their policy. We can no longer apply our visa through the travel agent. I have to personally go to the commission and apply for my visa.
By the time I was informed of this, it was already almost 11 am. I was told the comission visa application counter closes at 12 pm everyday. My plan to do a detail investigation into the shitty problem was abruptly interrupted. But that was just the begin of a hellish day.
The sky is dark, and it could rain anytime. I was comtemplating if I should lend a car from my colleague or should I go ahead with taking my bike. With car I could get stuck in the traffic jam, and finally I decide to go with my bike.
True enough, just when I was like 800 m away from the High Comission the rain poured down. I gotta stop my bike by the roadside and take cover under the monorail station (near Cheraton Hotel). It was about 11:20 am.
Just when I stopped and got down from the bike, my mobile started to ring. One of my team member carried out a system migration at a customer place the night before, and apparently there was problem with their system and my team member only manage to start the migration at about 6am or later. They had been there since 8pm the night before. My team member manage to migrate our part of the system successfully without any problem. Yet as a whole, the migration process was a screw up! So the customer wanted to us to help them rollback to old version. The problem was, they wanted my team member who was exhausted staying up whole night and morning to attend a meeting and most probably carry the rollback immediately.
So the phone call I received was from my team member, who explaining to me about the situation and asked for my advice. She offered to do the rollback remotely from her home to the customer, but they want her to be physically present. So there I was under the monorail station, with my pant partially wet, gotta make some decision for her. I made a couple of phone call, and come to conclusion that no matter what she will only do it remotely. I asked for favour from a guy from another department to attend the emergency meeting, and stand-by. Just when I was done with arranging that, I receive a phone call telling me that now the customer willing to allow my team member to carry out the rollback process remotely. So no more issue.
So back to my own problem. Now, the rain doesn't show the sign that I will stop or recede anytime soon. If I kept waiting there, I was sure fail to make it to the comission before 12pm. By 11:40 am, I made decision to leave my bike there and stopped a cab right there. So I manage to stop a cab. Only to be told in the cab that cab is not allowed into the comission compound. He has to stopped and dropped me at the hotel next door. So meaning will still get wet to running into the comission.
So after I got down from the cab, I decided to borrow an umbrella from the hotel. Only to be told I need to leave a RM50 deposite. Fine, I got not choice. So I manage to be at the visa application counter just few minutes before they closed. Now there was another problem. The office admin prepared all the documents for me, and so I take it for granted that every thing which is required for the visa application was provided for my in the envelop. Only at the counter when I saw the fee schedule pasted on the glass did it cross my mind about the application fee. Bugger! I only have RM70 left in my wallet, minus the RM50 I left at the hotel as deposite for the umbrella. The visa application fee is RM100. Shit!!!
Stupid mana! I gotta rushed back to hotel next door, returned the umbrella and get back my RM50 and run back to the comission next door, though the rain receded somewhat, I still got wet. Luckily I manage to get back in time before they close the counter, or so I thought!
When it's my turn came, I submit all the documents only was told that I need to photocopy my passport! Shitt!!! I try to get them to accept my application first, and I will run to hotel next door to photocopy my passport, and get it back to them immediately. He doesn't accept it, and insisted he will only accept full complete set of the documents. Damn... and looks like he gonna close the counter right after I left.
True enough, few minutes later when I got back with my passport photocopy, the counter already closed. Shit!!! I got into the comission main building asked about the guy where about, and was told to go into a back portion behind of the main building. I couldn't find the guy. After knocking and got into a few rooms, finally there was a guy who is kind enough to try to contact the visa guy for me, I was asked to wait.
So there I was waiting, but not too sure if they will accept my visa application or not. The problem was, it was kind of hard to comunicate with them, I don't really understand their english. Anyway I wait there for like 30 mins, when visa guy appear out of one of the room but told me wait further. He was going out for friday prayer I guess. Only like 20 mins later did he came back again, and asked for my documents.
I was pretty relieve, as if I don't get my visa approved I it will be too late for me resubmit it on Friday. I need to be in Lahore asap. I had my flight arranged on Friday, so I need my visa to be approved immediately. Thursday (today) is public holiday. I was running out of time.
The was another problem, they don't accept cash for the processing fee. I need to bank in the money into a bank and they will only take the receipt of the deposite. I try to explain to him my situation and urgency of the matter. He understood and promise to accept and approved my application by that day itself, but first I must deposite the money to their account first.
My bike was 800m away, and the rain has finally stopped. So I gotta walk all the way back to take my bike and head to the bank. Luckily my bike was still there, as park just by the road side. Went the deposite the money to the bank and took the receipt and went back to the comission. Finally got my visa application accepted. My visa can only be collected after 4:30pm. So headed back to office, and before that I asked them if it's possible that someone else collect it on my behalf. They said it's okie as long as I issue a authorisation letter to the guy.
So I call back to office, inform the office admin about it, and she will fax over the letter to our travel agent and asked them to collect my visa for me. That could be the end of it.
Yet, in the afternoon I was only being told more bad news. The comission do not want release my visa to our travel agent personnel. Now only they said they want to see the receipt that was issued to me. I told them we will fax the receipt over, but they are not willing to accept the fax. So I had to go back tomorrow morning to collect my passport and visa myself. Luckily my flight is in the noon.
Bugger!
The first thing to be done was to apply for visa. I brought my passport to office yesterday, to be given to our company appointed travel agent to apply the visa for me. Normally they will come to collect our document and by the end of the day will bring all the neccesary travel document back to us.
Yet, I was informed by the office admin that the travel agency told us the High Comission of Pakistan suddenly change their policy. We can no longer apply our visa through the travel agent. I have to personally go to the commission and apply for my visa.
By the time I was informed of this, it was already almost 11 am. I was told the comission visa application counter closes at 12 pm everyday. My plan to do a detail investigation into the shitty problem was abruptly interrupted. But that was just the begin of a hellish day.
The sky is dark, and it could rain anytime. I was comtemplating if I should lend a car from my colleague or should I go ahead with taking my bike. With car I could get stuck in the traffic jam, and finally I decide to go with my bike.
True enough, just when I was like 800 m away from the High Comission the rain poured down. I gotta stop my bike by the roadside and take cover under the monorail station (near Cheraton Hotel). It was about 11:20 am.
Just when I stopped and got down from the bike, my mobile started to ring. One of my team member carried out a system migration at a customer place the night before, and apparently there was problem with their system and my team member only manage to start the migration at about 6am or later. They had been there since 8pm the night before. My team member manage to migrate our part of the system successfully without any problem. Yet as a whole, the migration process was a screw up! So the customer wanted to us to help them rollback to old version. The problem was, they wanted my team member who was exhausted staying up whole night and morning to attend a meeting and most probably carry the rollback immediately.
So the phone call I received was from my team member, who explaining to me about the situation and asked for my advice. She offered to do the rollback remotely from her home to the customer, but they want her to be physically present. So there I was under the monorail station, with my pant partially wet, gotta make some decision for her. I made a couple of phone call, and come to conclusion that no matter what she will only do it remotely. I asked for favour from a guy from another department to attend the emergency meeting, and stand-by. Just when I was done with arranging that, I receive a phone call telling me that now the customer willing to allow my team member to carry out the rollback process remotely. So no more issue.
So back to my own problem. Now, the rain doesn't show the sign that I will stop or recede anytime soon. If I kept waiting there, I was sure fail to make it to the comission before 12pm. By 11:40 am, I made decision to leave my bike there and stopped a cab right there. So I manage to stop a cab. Only to be told in the cab that cab is not allowed into the comission compound. He has to stopped and dropped me at the hotel next door. So meaning will still get wet to running into the comission.
So after I got down from the cab, I decided to borrow an umbrella from the hotel. Only to be told I need to leave a RM50 deposite. Fine, I got not choice. So I manage to be at the visa application counter just few minutes before they closed. Now there was another problem. The office admin prepared all the documents for me, and so I take it for granted that every thing which is required for the visa application was provided for my in the envelop. Only at the counter when I saw the fee schedule pasted on the glass did it cross my mind about the application fee. Bugger! I only have RM70 left in my wallet, minus the RM50 I left at the hotel as deposite for the umbrella. The visa application fee is RM100. Shit!!!
Stupid mana! I gotta rushed back to hotel next door, returned the umbrella and get back my RM50 and run back to the comission next door, though the rain receded somewhat, I still got wet. Luckily I manage to get back in time before they close the counter, or so I thought!
When it's my turn came, I submit all the documents only was told that I need to photocopy my passport! Shitt!!! I try to get them to accept my application first, and I will run to hotel next door to photocopy my passport, and get it back to them immediately. He doesn't accept it, and insisted he will only accept full complete set of the documents. Damn... and looks like he gonna close the counter right after I left.
True enough, few minutes later when I got back with my passport photocopy, the counter already closed. Shit!!! I got into the comission main building asked about the guy where about, and was told to go into a back portion behind of the main building. I couldn't find the guy. After knocking and got into a few rooms, finally there was a guy who is kind enough to try to contact the visa guy for me, I was asked to wait.
So there I was waiting, but not too sure if they will accept my visa application or not. The problem was, it was kind of hard to comunicate with them, I don't really understand their english. Anyway I wait there for like 30 mins, when visa guy appear out of one of the room but told me wait further. He was going out for friday prayer I guess. Only like 20 mins later did he came back again, and asked for my documents.
I was pretty relieve, as if I don't get my visa approved I it will be too late for me resubmit it on Friday. I need to be in Lahore asap. I had my flight arranged on Friday, so I need my visa to be approved immediately. Thursday (today) is public holiday. I was running out of time.
The was another problem, they don't accept cash for the processing fee. I need to bank in the money into a bank and they will only take the receipt of the deposite. I try to explain to him my situation and urgency of the matter. He understood and promise to accept and approved my application by that day itself, but first I must deposite the money to their account first.
My bike was 800m away, and the rain has finally stopped. So I gotta walk all the way back to take my bike and head to the bank. Luckily my bike was still there, as park just by the road side. Went the deposite the money to the bank and took the receipt and went back to the comission. Finally got my visa application accepted. My visa can only be collected after 4:30pm. So headed back to office, and before that I asked them if it's possible that someone else collect it on my behalf. They said it's okie as long as I issue a authorisation letter to the guy.
So I call back to office, inform the office admin about it, and she will fax over the letter to our travel agent and asked them to collect my visa for me. That could be the end of it.
Yet, in the afternoon I was only being told more bad news. The comission do not want release my visa to our travel agent personnel. Now only they said they want to see the receipt that was issued to me. I told them we will fax the receipt over, but they are not willing to accept the fax. So I had to go back tomorrow morning to collect my passport and visa myself. Luckily my flight is in the noon.
Bugger!
posted by straymana at 8/31/2006 06:47:00 PM
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