The night before leaving Bang Klee I took a walk down the busy main road past the mosque which I hear every morning at 5am, on down past the Buddhist temple to the Wednesday evening market. I wanted to buy my last Thai durian and some mangosteen for the farewell lunch I was shouting the staff. The third roadside stall I visited had pre-packaged durian at a price I was willing to pay. They also had 3kg of mangosteen for 100 baht which was also a great price especially as the seller threw in a few extra. I love small village markets they are generally so much friendlier. Across the road was a mini-bus with Asian tourists. When it began to pull out the stall attendants around me, fearful that I was being left behind started shouting that my bus was leaving. I reassured them I had walked and was staying with friends. How lovely was that to show their concern for me a total stranger.
On my walk back I couldn’t resist munching into the mangosteens which were so juicy and delicious as was the montong durian which I chilled slightly before eating half.
The following day the girls had made a feast of some of my favourite Thai food, amongst them Nam Tok Muu (the pork version of Thai beef salad), Chicken Larp, papaya salad, sticky rice and fried chicken as well as the mangosteens. It was a lovely way to end off my time here in Phang Nga.
Thursday I was also contacted by Amy who is working with the River Team, she in preparing the parenting manuals, which I left there, for teaching which is very exciting.
Arriving in Kuala Lumpur on the 23rd of July, I was collected by my long-time friend Paul and youngest son, Azriel, who is home on holidays from Indonesia where he is studying medicine. I was about an hours trip back their home in Seremban where I stayed till 4th August. Unfortunately what came with me was not so pleasant! I had picked up a bug on the flight down and was ill for five days with aching joints, headaches, high temps and croupy cough. Staying in bed most of the time, I dosed myself up with Echinacea, Vit C, olive leaf extract and fresh garlic and prayer which assisted my speedy recovery.
By Friday 31st July, I was well enough to travel into KL by bus where I applied for a two month Indian visa. I hadn’t realised what a rigmarole it would be. I had tried applying on line but that only allowed me to have a 1 month visa even though it stated that Australian citizens are eligible for a 180 day tourist visa. So I decided to go in and apply personally.
The building, where the visa applications are submitted, took a while to find but eventually a policeman pointed it out saying it was were all the Indians were waiting outside. I thought this was rather amusing, the policeman was a Malay. On entering I inquired at the information counter and was directed to counter number 9. Here I had to wait a little while before asking for papers for a tourist visa for India. I was told, that I should go to counter 8. While I waited for the attendant at counter 8, who I later realised was further down speaking to another customer, I read all the notices on the back wall of the list of things I needed. One of the signs stated: “Any photos taken next door will not be accepted.’ Wow! That was blunt! Sounds like there might be a bit of rivalry going on! Noticing my passport photos (which I had made in Thailand especially for this visa) were probably the wrong size I inquired with the woman at counter 9 who told me I needed new ones so I moved back to counter 9 paid the 21.20 ringgit and stood again at counter 8.
During this whole time, the attendant from counter 8 was having a heated discussion with an Indian woman applying for a tourist visa. Her visa had been refused because the assistant (who had filled out the paper work) had written Journalist visa but she was insisting she wanted a tourist visa as she was not going in as a journalist even though that was her profession.
As I waited patiently at counter 8, counter 9 lady very gruffly told me to leave my passport there and take a seat ‘couldn’t I see the lady was busy?’ Yes, I thought, but I was nowhere near them and thought if I left my place someone else might jump the queue. Also a courteous suggestion would have been enough, there was no need for her to get upset just because her colleague was receiving a scolding from someone. I found a seat and waited.
Then seeing the argument may take some time, I requested the docket I needed for my photo which I had tucked inside my passport. Counter 9 attendant rudely announced ‘oh I thought you had done that!’ hmmm she had seen me standing waiting at 8 all this time and had also rudely commented on it so when did I have time to get my photo taken?
After my photos, which were so pale they made me look blue, I returned to sit and wait for counter 8 who soon resolved the problem and ignoring my passport on her desk was now talking to number 9 attendant. So I waited. Finally she noticed me watching them and ask. “Are you waiting for something?” It took quite a bit for me to be civil and not sarcastic and once again ask for forms for a tourist visa for India. Oh, she said that is counter 9. I looked at her surprised and replied, No, counter 9 told me to come to you. Counter 9 piped back ‘You only asked for photos’. Ohhh boy! I on the verge of losing it! They were really trying my patience. No, I explained I had first asked for papers to fill in for a tourist visa.
So now after nearly ½ an hour of waiting around for something I could have already finished. I finally got what I had come for, or had I? I paid another 21.40 ringgit, then took this receipt to another counter, counter 17 which was for non-Malaysian passport holders. Here there was another woman who asked me questions as she filled out my forms on her computer. She asked me many questions including what was my profession (due to the journalist problems I thought it safe just to say retired). She also asked was I told that I will have to sign a form to say I will have to forfeit my fee if the visa is rejected. There was a 50/50 chance of it being rejected. By now I was getting annoyed with this whole system! No one had really helped me understand the procedure or explained anything to me since I had walked through the doors over an hour ago. Due to my research on line and asking friends who had some knowledge about applying for an Indian visa I had come slightly prepared but not for this kind of treatment!
I knew there had been recent changes to the visa applications which enabled Australians as well as other tourists to receive a 30 day visa at the airport so, if need be, I could travel to Sri Lanka and back for another 30 days. I told the woman at counter 17 why would I waste all my time and money applying for a visa here if it was only a 50/50 chance. She then asked why I wanted to go to India for so long. I told her it was to visit friends and see the country and to spend my retirement money. I was getting annoyed! I started to understand and sympathise with the journalist. Now I realise why the journalist was so upset… it wasn’t because she had filled out the form incorrectly but the assistant whom she paid had presumed incorrectly!
At this she went away to obviously chat to her superiors. She came back with a blank piece of paper and told me I could write a letter to the High Commissioner. I asked her how should I address him or her? A few minutes later she printed out the address of the Indian High Commission! Hmmmmm there is definitely a communication problem here even though we were speaking English.
As I wrote my letter of appeal I continued to answer questions for her form. On competing all the questions, I also needed to complete a written form and signed the 50/50 agreement, trusting the Lord to make a way for me. I then took all the papers which she printed out plus the new anaemic photos, a copy of my passport details including the 3 month Thai visa (probably needing my past destination), receipts and passport back to counter 9 to be accepted – her words not mine. Due to the previous altercations, she took my forms and told me to sit down and wait. I waited and waited and waited while she chatted and did other things. There was no one else waiting to see her so I’m not sure why it took so long other than I had previously upset her. So I waited some more. During this time I committed it all to the Lord and continued to wait.
Finally she called me up, stamped my papers and told me to go to counter number 2 where I paid 201 ringgit for the privilege. My papers were once again checked then handed back to me. I didn’t see my lovely hand written letter to the High Commissioner but didn’t want to cause any further delays so left with instructions to go online in no less than 5 working days, punch in the reference number and see if my request was pend, granted, or refused. The process could take up to 3 weeks which, if it did take this long, would leave me 3 days before I flew out! When it has been approved then I should return with all my receipts and pass in my passport then wait another 3 days for it to be processed. Hmmmm this is beginning to sounding all very familiar with another visa application three months back! It looks like I have to go around this mountain one more time. This time I’m not going to stress I’m just going to go about my plans and see the Lord work things out.
At least counter 17 had accepted my suggestion of taking a copy of my flights to and from India. She hadn’t requested a copy but the application online listed it as one of the requirements so I had brought it in and because I already had my departure date for 28th August I hoped this might hurry along the procedure. All the same, it’s going to be interesting to see how the Lord orders my steps over the next few weeks as I am heading north to Ayer Tawer and then on to Penang and finally I was hoping to see my friends in Phuket before I left.
I was rather pleased to get out of that building and away from all the counter ladies. The whole procedure took me back to my last visit to India in the eighties when I needed to buy a postage stamp at the post office. After waiting in a very long queue to ask for my stamp I had been instructed that this counter was just the inquiry counter, they pointed people to the right counter. I then joined the back of another long queue to pay for my stamp and receive a receipt so that I could then join the back of another long cue to buy the stamp. After this, because the stamp was not self-adhesive I again waited on a long queue to have it glued to my postcard. It then needed to be franked (to make sure the stamp wasn’t stolen along the way) so again another queue. Once franked I could post it in a box especially for overseas mail which fortunately was not such a long queue. So once again I get a taste of India and what I will encounter many more times while I’m there. Get used to it Sally!
Pictures: 1. Purple flower from Veni’s garden 2. Cornerstone Staff 3. Azriel, Paul, Annette, Veni out at dinner 4. Old 50 ringgit note
Prayer & Praise Points:
Praise the Lord for an my lovely friends who nursed me through my sickness and risked catching it themselves while I recovered. I was so grateful I was staying with friends not in a hostel or somewhere where I had no help.
I really do praise the Lord for so many opportunities and all the blessings He is showering on me during my travels. For all my friends, their generosity and love especially for Paul and Veni during my convalescence with them in Seremban. Please pray that none of the family come down with the bug I had.
Praise the Lord for providing His patience while applying for the Indian visa.
Please pray for His perfect timing with all the details for the coming weeks before I fly to India and especially in the issuing of my 2 month visa.
Please continue to pray for the Lord’s divine health and safety for the remainder of my travels in Malaysia, Thailand and India.
Please continue pray for my travels in Malaysia, for safe journeys as I travel around catching up with friends in KL and Ayer Tawer.
I continue to praise the Lord for friends and family who have been praying and keeping an eye on mum. Thank you, especially to Grace who has been a huge blessing in visiting her at home and during her hospital stay. Mum’s recovery continues to improve. Please continued to keep her in your prayers.