The visa drama

I was supposed to leave Europe on the 10th of September. But as we all know, we can't always plan things perfectly. And when hiccups come your way, just accept it and deal with it. 

I ended up leaving London on the 22nd of September. 12 days later which meant the Tibet dream was over for the Asia leg. I was a little bit disappointed but I learned the art of letting go on this trip. There are things that you can't control which means don't push it too much of everything seems to be obstructed from having a worry-free adventure. 

I didn't over analyze the situation. By the time I got to the China embassy in London, I was told that online pre-booking for appointments were required and strictly imposed. They had a few consoles there with free internet. So I quickly scanned through for the next available date and time to book an appointment. To my dismay it was on the 8th of September. The window was too tight and I didn't want to push it. I had to reschedule my flight OR go somewhere else. All because of my negligence. 

Note: The Visa application office is at 12 Old Jewry, London EC2R 8DP and make sure you've got accommodation booked.

With that, I thought, since Tibet was out of the equation, what was the point of visiting China. Because of the political issues happening for the past years regarding Tibet, I didn't want to explore China at all. So.. Vietnam was the next option then Laos. But when I researched the prices, it wasn't practical at all. The next solution was to rebook my flight, which only cost me $150NZD. Good enough. Thus the departure of 22nd of September. 

I guess it was a blessing in disguise anyway. I was given the chance to see the Pope in Rome. And for me, that was an honour because he was just a few steps away.