Sleepless night
Samar Halarnkar -
Saturday, April 05, 2008 11:32 AM
So we were up half the night.
The Peruvian visa application had to be sent to Delhi the next day, but we didn't have tickets in and out of Peru and we didn't have a confirmation of our programme from our tour company (the only one we're using) in Peru.
That meant a kindly sister had to be hustled in New York to find tickets from Costa Rica to Lima, Peru, and from Lima to Sao Paulo, Brazil. Because I'm her favourite brother -- and mostly because she has no choice -- she found tickets that were half the cost of the ones we were getting from Mumbai. Within an hour, they were booked and the e-ticket link mailed.
Ah, technology. So this may no longer be the golden age of travel -- what with all the mountains of paperwork and bookings you need to do in this post 9/11 world, which views Indians looking to jump ship with particular suspicion -- but at least you can book a seat on a plane, even a meal, half across the globe.
Since the tour company from Lima had not responded, the stressed wife started calling their number. But the Peruvians appear a lot like Indians. First the receptionist said (in English fortunately) that our handler, Gretta, was "out". Another call. "She is still out". Another call. She's back, but "having lunch". Call in an hour. We sent Gretta an email, pleading for a confirmation that we could show the embassy, then set an alarm and went to sleep. We slept through the alarm.
I woke up at 5 am and checked mail. Gretta had obviously stuffed herself silly after lunch and traipsed off from work -- or something. Now, we find that even if she asks us to pay online, my credit card's humble credit limit will not cover the cost. Should I try to up my credit limit? Let me call the bank.
Meanwhile, I guess we'll just have to send the tickets and the schedule and hope the Peruvians in Delhi are feeling kindly.
Oh yes, there's the yellow fever problem. If we don't get a yellow fever vaccination, Brazil isn't going to let us in. And getting vaccinated is like climbing Everest: It can be done, but only a few actually do it. There are only two government-run vaccination centres in Mumbai, at Ballard Pier and at a quarantine centre at Sahar airport. You need to stand in line for at least 5 hours. And you need your passport. Not a copy. The passport's on its way to Delhi, but there's a bigger problem. There's been no vaccine available for the last week. There's no telling when it will be available.
We're leaving April 13. We hope.
Interesting.