Mixing business with pleasure.
Rewind 5 weeks. I'm sat in Suman’s office and he turns to me and says “So, we're going to have a Sales Kick Off meeting, for everyone, March 26-29… In Hyderabad.”
“March?? Suman, that’s five weeks?? For everyone? Ok."
Invites get sent. Agenda discussions start. Two people can't come because they already have holiday booked. Another colleague has Pakistani parents and Afghan grandparents so her VISA will take a minimum of 6-8 weeks. But overall, everyone is excited.
I decided as soon as Suman told me that I would take the week following the meeting as holiday.
I booked my flights. Direct return to Hyderabad with BA from Friday 23rd March returning 6th April. Time to fill the following week!
I initially wanted to something in the north of India but I was limited on tour start dates and anything I found was priced on two sharing, and when I updated to one traveller all the costs shot up. So, I decided on Nepal.
Nepal tours seemed to accommodate solo travellers and I discovered ‘Nepal Hiking Team’. I reserved a spot on ‘Short Everest Trek’ departing on 31st March and tagged on a guided day tour of Kathmandu. I'm pretty sure these are things I could do without being a tour, but with such limited time I just wanted to make something was booked that would make decent use of my time.
Nepal flights and tour booked. India flights booked. I applied for my multiple entry business E-Visa. You apply online and get a result in 48-72hours. The application was rejected Saturday 10th March. I was due to fly less than two weeks later. They don't give a reason, but I'm guessing it was my photos or the fact I outright lied when I asked if I had visited a SAARC country. I discovered that Sri Lanka is one of those 8 countries and I had visited in the past 3 years.
Suddenly everything wasn't so exciting. Everything was booked. I was going to have to tell Suman that his only recently appointed assistant, who was involved in the planning of this meeting in which we were taking 16 people from the UK to India (who had all had their VISAs approved) who had just recovered from a broken arm which had given me weeks off work but below par performance can in work, that I had had my VISA rejected.
I did what anyone who works for WHISHWORKS does…I messaged Dinesh. On a Saturday. By Monday morning he had got me a business letter for the UK and India printed and signed. Full application pack printed out. I was off on Tuesday, at the Marsden with Tobes, so we booked an appointment with VFS in Hounslow for the following Wednesday.
Wednesday morning I drive to VFS Global. On the way my car engine light flashes, my oil light and the picture of the tap flashes. TURN OFF ENGINE AND PULL OVER IMMEDIATELY flashes. I had only picked up my car from the garage so pulled over and called the garage. They told me to bring in the car ASAP.
I really needed to make it to appointment so switched the engine back on drove and drove like my Nana for the remaining 3 miles.
A little flustered upon arrival, I apparently became blind to the many many signs telling me that if I parked in any numbered bay I would receive a £100 fine, I parked up in bay 53 and purchased a parking ticket. A guy in a van shouts out to me as I walk away “you better move that, Darlin’”.And points to the massive yellow sign next to me advising me so.
Jesus, Rachel. Was I meant to get this VISA?
Car moved. Paper work in hand, I enter the VISA centre. It was very similar to the Mumbai VISA office where I waited for my Chinese VISA. A security guard checks over all of my paperwork and I'm called over to the counter before I'd even taken a seat.
The lady takes a few minutes to read over my application. Glances at me. Back to the application form. Back to me. Back to the form. If it was technique to make me nervous, it worked.
“Mam, you have not detailed the duration of the VISA you require on the business letters”. She was right. It wasn't there.
“No, but I specified on the application form. Is that ok”.
“Yes, Mam. But in future make it clearer”.
A few more shuffles of paper. Glances at me. Back to the paperwork. Keys some buttons on the calculator. Glances at me. Back to the calculator.
“Mam, have you paid the £174 processing fee?”
Remembering the £58.10 paid for the rejected E-Visa. The £14 for photos at Snappy Snaps. The £174 paid online when booking the appointment. I smiled my sweetest smile “Yes, yes I have. I have enclosed the receipt”.
“Mam, you need to pay £16 for the courier fee and £2 for the SMS service.”
Of course I do. I pay the fee.
“Thank you, Mam. That is ok. It will take 3 – 5 working days.” And she waves me off.
Fortunately, I received the VISA Monday 19th March.