PackLite Travelin'

In October, 2007, I applied for professional leave and received permission spring, 2008.  Arrangements were nailed down with Henan University.

Paperwork for a work visa arrived three weeks ago.  China requires that a visa application is submitted in person either by the traveler or an agent.  Hiring someone to do this is standard practice. Google “China visa agent” and you will get millions of possibilities. 

I’m lucky.  My brother Steve lives in midtown Manhattan, about 30 blocks from the Chinese consulate.  More good fortune:  it’s the one designated for Ohio.

My good luck.  Not my brother’s.  An inveterate city walker, he trudged in the January cold to the consulate only to learn that the passport office keeps what we used to call “banker’s hours” (I reckon now it’s “bailout hours”).

The second trip resulted in rejection due to a couple of errors.  “Lines out the door,” he e-mailed.  “It’s like the fall of Saigon in there!  Who knew so many people wanted to go to China?”

At least he got an unexpected thrill.  When he called my mother on his walk home, she told him to walk over two blocks where he saw Flight 1549 floating on the Hudson River.

Visit three discovered that the paperwork from China was found to contain a critical error.  By that time I was in Florida visiting Mom.  Henan University was on break, the days to departure were dwindling, and a delay became a consideration.

Word came back that a tourist visa would be fine, but we had to wait out the Lunar (Chinese) New Year.

Back went my brother twice more, dropping off the passport and then finally picking it up.  From the consulate right across the street to Fed Ex. You know, FedEx, of the When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight.

Well, the package had to be here overnight.  And it wasn’t.

A call to FedEx revealed that the plane had been delayed and my passport languished at their Memphis terminal.  Another call to a service representative told me to sit tight, they were working on it and would call.  Of course, no one did and several hours later I called to confirm that the package would absolutely, positively be a critical day late. 

I now understand the negative reviews of FedEx posted at http://www.rateitall.com/i-35526-fedex.aspx

Not to go into too much travel travail, but here’s something to ponder:  I had to reschedule with Continental.  I looked at Friday’s flights and both legs had plenty of empty seats—I counted over 50 on each.  But could I have one of the those seats?  Only for over a thousand dollars, whereas I could have seats on Saturday’s flights for less than $300 in fees.  This makes sense only to those who wish to understand why the airlines lose so much money with their irrational and illogical policies.

As I post this, I await passport and am now recalibrated to leave on Saturday, Feb. 7.  I hope that’s not too much excitement for everyone.  This Weblog is off to a squeaking start…