Well what a day... not quite the exciting adventures I hope to report back when I actually leave NZ but I thought some of you might enjoy this tale of 'mini-america'
I should have known that it wasn't going to be much of a day when I got into my taxi and got a wet butt cos the taxi driver had left a window open and the seats were wet! Still, not being one to let a damp butt get me down I headed off to the airport to visit the US consulate to get my visitors visa. I had a bit of breakfast at the airport and waited and waited and waited for my flight to be called... finally it did and we all got on board. We started taxi-ing to the runway (why do they call it taxi-ing?) and then we kept taxi-ing off the runway and right back to our gate... all very mysterious but after letting one panicking passenger off we started the whole process again and actually got off the ground. After take off there were a few bumps and a passive agressive struggle for armrest custody before we got to Auckland about forty minutes late.
I got into the US consultate in Auckland with about quarter of an hour to spare. I joined the very long queue as instructed by an electronic voice. As I got to the front the security guard stopped us and all of us who had the audacity to be ten mnutes early for our appointment got ordered to the back of the queue. Since this was everyone in the queue at this point a bit of chaos ensued before the guard finally caved and started processing us! He searched my bag, I went through the metal detector and he took my phone and keys off me until I was done as they "posed a security risk'. After all that I was allowed to move into another queue. I was called up to hand over my papers etc and then (you guessed it) got sent to another queue to talk to someone about my papers.
When my name was called I got asked if I had any intention of engaging in terrorist activies while in the US (correct answer = no) and then was fingerprinted and given some great tips for travelling between the US and Canada. Apparently it is essential that I always make sure I take my own passport (who elses would I take??) to border guards and make sure they note that I am leaving the US. I wouldn't want to accidentally over-stay my visa now would I (again - correct answer = no). I would have though it was border guards job to notice who was leaving and entering the country but what would I know...
Anyway - there is a little tale for you. I will let you know if my visa actually comes through!
