Chinese Visa Obsession

Yesterday i awoke early to apply for my Chinese Visa.

For getting a Chinese Visa, i arrived in Hong Kong at the wrong time. Ordinarily, it takes 4 business days for the Visa to arrive, or 2 with expedited service. The problem is that I have been here for over a week, and during this week we have already had two public holidays: Good Friday and Easter Monday, so this would have cut into the time getting a Visa. I really checked into it last Wednesday afternoon-and I was told the best way was to apply yesterday, (Tuesday), and with expedited service it would be delivered today. (Wednesday at 4:00).

So, yesterday, I was told to get to the office promptly at 8:30, as there would be a big backup for the holiday weekend. I arrived at 6:30-and was told by the guard I couldn't wait by the office, so I went to Mcdonalds and had breakfast. I got up to the Visa office at 8:00 (half an hour early), figuring maybe the guard wasn't there-and i was right-there we're already 5 people waiting.

Once the office opened it was a mad house. I was given an application and told I had 15 minutes to fill it out. i didn't have any arriving airfare. My signature didn't exactly match my passport signature so i had to sign twice. My picture had to be taken again. And as said it was a mad house, the line was already outside leading to the elevators, and there we're people we're shoving pictures in the faces of the people there. i didn't feel like I did a good job. I think I put my mothers phone # in as wrong and put my old employer (I don't have an employer now).

it was a shit-show.. i left and felt about 3 inches tall. I wandered around aimlessly and went back to the hostel to work on my computer. Then I walked up town back to Mon Kock-where the Sim City camera store was, and looked at all the markets. i walked back down-which took a few hours-finding places that serve cheap sushi and other foods. I went back to the hostel and watched lots of Friends once again with the others.