Never Say Never
I think I said in my last post that I'd never forgo Egypt or Jordan when Julee mentioned about the third option when GAP cancelled our 1/23 trip. Well, never say never!
11/27 - Last Monday, we worked it out with Kathy from GAP that we'd go with Intrepid to start the same trip on 2/1. I talked to my boss again on switching the leave schedule, worked with GAP,endured endless waiting on confirmation on new charges on credit card, trip booking, and updated travel insurance.
11/29 - Wed. Heard back that my trip was confirmed. I emailed Kathy to say she made my day. What a sigh of relief!
11/29 onward - continue waiting for Julee's confirmation so we can book the flights.
12/3 - Sunday night, I flipped through the visa application forms Julee downloaded from the web. Just purely out of curiosity, I decided to visit Jordan's embassy website which was referenced at the bottom of the form. I went to the Consulate section. What do I see?!! --- Two hyperlinks of course, one for the visa application for US, South American, and European citizens, and the other link for "all the rest". My heart was going to my throat when I clicked on the link but I almost vomited it right onto the computer screen when I saw that instead of filling a visa application form, I need to first fill out this "Application for Approval to Request for Visa" form. What's even better is this application will take 6 to 10 weeks of processing time. Are you kidding me?!! I could not believe my eyes. My brain quickly started the counter. Even if I put the application in on Monday, I still don't have 10 weeks before 1/30 (my planned departure flight) to cover the worst case scenario. I sat in front of the computer in cold sweat, not grasping this surreal moment.
12/4 - Monday AM. Being stubborn and opportunistic, I decided to call Jordan embassy, maybe it's just a hoax to scare off people. How could processing take that long? The lady told me for any other category citizens, the application for approval to request for visa is sent to the Jordan motherland by MAIL apparently, then being processed; decision is made then sent back to the States. At that time, they would inform me to then apply for the visa. I could not believe my ears! At this day and age, why not use a fax machine?!! She said I only needed a copy of my passport and a copy of my greencard, plus the application form. I can drop it off at the embassy and wait and that was what I did. I drove to the embassy. At the window, I explained that my flight would leave on 1/30 and I'd booked the trip and paid for every penny of it. The answer was "This is our process, there is nothing I can do." On my part, I did what I could in the least amount of time wasted. I hope for the best.
Because of the Jordan experience, I decided to go over the Egyptian application form again and this time saw the fine prints which said for non-US citizens, call consulate. I called. The lady asked my nationality and said "Well, it could take 2 days or 6 to 8 weeks." She said it depended on my supporting documents.
12/4 - Monday PM. This was the critical point where I had to make a decision. I have too many variables at this point for my pending trip. I have to book the flights to supply for good supporting document in order to get the Egyptian visa but there is no guarantee that I can get it in two days or 8 weeks (which puts it on the same boat with the Jordan situation). Jordan almost sounds like a complete loser at this time. Who knows where my application will go? Floating on the Dead Sea? 1)I can book a refundable flight which costs almost double, with cancellation in case Jordan fails, to pay even more additional penalty; or with the worse case both countries fail, I lose the trip and the flight penalty. 2) I can cancel the trip but I will lose half the trip cost because it's past 60 days till the trip starts -- and I gain nothing. 3)I stick with the original plan, pay my normal non-refundable ticket, have the best intention that both visas will go through, maybe there would be no problem; or only Egypt goes through, I go to Egypt and forgo Jordan (half of the trip). Pay change fee for the air ticket and buy a new one way ticket to come back from Cairo instead of Amman. I lose half of the trip but I gain by seeing the Pyramids and the Nile. I am willing to at least gain some and I am ready to lose half of the trip.
12/5 - Tue. AM I pay a trip to the Egyptian Embassy. Guess what? It took me 2 minutes to supply all my documents: passport, copy, green card, copy, application form, verification of employment which specifically states that I am going for vacation and I am coming back to work. Duh! booking confirmation, e-ticket, GAP trip confirmation. I even brought my bank statement just in case. The woman indeed questioned that if I could travel with my maiden name, which was on my passport. I showed her my old passport with all the visas I got in the past in my other name. She asked for 20 bucks and said "December 7, pick up between 12 to 1." Ah, music to my ear. My heart was singing. What a roller coaster ride!
I put everything in God's hand from this point on. He will decide if he opens me the door to both Egypt and Jordan. I am not greedy but I am full of hope.
11/27 - Last Monday, we worked it out with Kathy from GAP that we'd go with Intrepid to start the same trip on 2/1. I talked to my boss again on switching the leave schedule, worked with GAP,endured endless waiting on confirmation on new charges on credit card, trip booking, and updated travel insurance.
11/29 - Wed. Heard back that my trip was confirmed. I emailed Kathy to say she made my day. What a sigh of relief!
11/29 onward - continue waiting for Julee's confirmation so we can book the flights.
12/3 - Sunday night, I flipped through the visa application forms Julee downloaded from the web. Just purely out of curiosity, I decided to visit Jordan's embassy website which was referenced at the bottom of the form. I went to the Consulate section. What do I see?!! --- Two hyperlinks of course, one for the visa application for US, South American, and European citizens, and the other link for "all the rest". My heart was going to my throat when I clicked on the link but I almost vomited it right onto the computer screen when I saw that instead of filling a visa application form, I need to first fill out this "Application for Approval to Request for Visa" form. What's even better is this application will take 6 to 10 weeks of processing time. Are you kidding me?!! I could not believe my eyes. My brain quickly started the counter. Even if I put the application in on Monday, I still don't have 10 weeks before 1/30 (my planned departure flight) to cover the worst case scenario. I sat in front of the computer in cold sweat, not grasping this surreal moment.
12/4 - Monday AM. Being stubborn and opportunistic, I decided to call Jordan embassy, maybe it's just a hoax to scare off people. How could processing take that long? The lady told me for any other category citizens, the application for approval to request for visa is sent to the Jordan motherland by MAIL apparently, then being processed; decision is made then sent back to the States. At that time, they would inform me to then apply for the visa. I could not believe my ears! At this day and age, why not use a fax machine?!! She said I only needed a copy of my passport and a copy of my greencard, plus the application form. I can drop it off at the embassy and wait and that was what I did. I drove to the embassy. At the window, I explained that my flight would leave on 1/30 and I'd booked the trip and paid for every penny of it. The answer was "This is our process, there is nothing I can do." On my part, I did what I could in the least amount of time wasted. I hope for the best.
Because of the Jordan experience, I decided to go over the Egyptian application form again and this time saw the fine prints which said for non-US citizens, call consulate. I called. The lady asked my nationality and said "Well, it could take 2 days or 6 to 8 weeks." She said it depended on my supporting documents.
12/4 - Monday PM. This was the critical point where I had to make a decision. I have too many variables at this point for my pending trip. I have to book the flights to supply for good supporting document in order to get the Egyptian visa but there is no guarantee that I can get it in two days or 8 weeks (which puts it on the same boat with the Jordan situation). Jordan almost sounds like a complete loser at this time. Who knows where my application will go? Floating on the Dead Sea? 1)I can book a refundable flight which costs almost double, with cancellation in case Jordan fails, to pay even more additional penalty; or with the worse case both countries fail, I lose the trip and the flight penalty. 2) I can cancel the trip but I will lose half the trip cost because it's past 60 days till the trip starts -- and I gain nothing. 3)I stick with the original plan, pay my normal non-refundable ticket, have the best intention that both visas will go through, maybe there would be no problem; or only Egypt goes through, I go to Egypt and forgo Jordan (half of the trip). Pay change fee for the air ticket and buy a new one way ticket to come back from Cairo instead of Amman. I lose half of the trip but I gain by seeing the Pyramids and the Nile. I am willing to at least gain some and I am ready to lose half of the trip.
12/5 - Tue. AM I pay a trip to the Egyptian Embassy. Guess what? It took me 2 minutes to supply all my documents: passport, copy, green card, copy, application form, verification of employment which specifically states that I am going for vacation and I am coming back to work. Duh! booking confirmation, e-ticket, GAP trip confirmation. I even brought my bank statement just in case. The woman indeed questioned that if I could travel with my maiden name, which was on my passport. I showed her my old passport with all the visas I got in the past in my other name. She asked for 20 bucks and said "December 7, pick up between 12 to 1." Ah, music to my ear. My heart was singing. What a roller coaster ride!
I put everything in God's hand from this point on. He will decide if he opens me the door to both Egypt and Jordan. I am not greedy but I am full of hope.
posted by Koshka at 12/05/2006
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