India or bust....NOT

I went to go get my visa today for going to India. So, I went to the office and printed off everything I needed and headed on my way. I parked somewhat close at 10:30...about a 10 minute walk away...at the UN public parking area. I walked down to the Indian consulate and on the way thought, I probably should not have worn my boots with a 3 inch heel. Granted, it is not a stiletto heel, but still a heel. I didn't think I would have to walk much when I left this morning. Boy was I wrong!!!

So, I get there at 10:45ish and the receptionist tells me to get a tourist visa (this is also what one of my co-workers got who is currently there in India) and it's 120 francs (about the same in $). I have to walk to the post office to go pay the fee, so I ask where the closest one is...she just said go to the main road. I did and didn't see it, so I pulled out the trusty Garmin and found it. .3 km away...ok...so not really knowing how far that was, I walked. About 10-15 minutes later, I'm there. I'm out of breath due to the hills and sweating my butt off b/c I was power walking. Get done and paid and now have to walk back. I end up finding a different route, but still about the same distance.

It's now 11:30 and I'm back in the office. The receptionist tells me to take my stuff to this guy behind a window. I do...and then he tells me "NO! You need a business visa". I had asked the receptionist about this a couple times before I left to go pay the first time and she kept saying tourist. She was not very friendly or very helpful obviously. The guy showed me what else I needed to fill in (I did it) and then he took my paper work and says, you need to pay 295 francs instead.

So, NOW I have to go back to the freaking post office and pay the extra 175. And, on top of it they close at 12:30 and are not open tomorrow due to a holiday in India. So, if I want to go to India (which is not really a choice at this point), I have to walk my happy butt back up to the post office and back in about 20-25 minutes. If I thought I was power walking before, I must have been running. The only thing I kept thinking was that I have to do this or I may be in big trouble for not getting my visa and losing my flights, etc. I just wish someone would have been there to pull me along or something. I made it to the post office by noon and walked back in at 12:25. MADE IT. I then had to walk my butt back up hill to where I parked the car. Luckily, I could stroll lazily there. In tons of torturous pain. I walked for almost 2 hours straight. I stopped off at home on the way back and changed shoes and ate lunch. Gene made me sweet tea and warmed up yummy leftovers trying to make me feel better...didn't really work...but he tried. :)

I get back to the office and apparently they had done the same thing to another co-worker 2 weeks ago, but I didn't hear about it. Lucky for me, the elevator in the building was working...for her, not so much. They are on the 7th floor.

Now, tonight, I have blisters the size of half dollars on my feet and they are not going to be pretty when they open up. My feet are killing me.

Incredible India....my a$$!!!