The British Embassy... oh joy!

Last night was quiet. A "homely" dinner here at Los Palmas, then bed. Our room is tiny but cosy. Will has a tiny kid's bed and Mariana is in a mini-cot. Our bed is less than comfy though. It probably isn't even a double size and poor Jason's feet are literally hanging off the end. It is also quite lumpy so I spent half the night tossing and turning trying to find a comfy spot. I think possibly we've got the dud room because the place is quite full. Anyway, apart from the bed we haven't escaped the all night music. There was a party going on in the street and it didn't stop until dawn. Ouch! Bleary eyed we awoke and got ready for the day. Right after breakfast Mauricio came to take us to the British Embassy. The traffic here is different but just as bad as Medellin. After the usual security checks we were given a number to wait for the cashier at the Embassy. After waiting forever we found out we didn't have enough pesos to pay for the visa (I had misread the instructions - doh!) and they wouldn't take payment in any other form - are we living in the 21st century or what??!! So we went back downstairs to look for an ATM but luckily Mauricio had some extra cash which he lent us. So back we went and got back in the end of the queue!!! I wasn't a happy vegemite. Then finally we paid and had to wait again for our "interview". Jesus, we only wanted a tourist visit for our baby. Do we look like terrorists or drug trafficers? So then it's our turn to be interviewed by Mr British Beaurocrat. It takes him 5 minutes just to figure out we can speak English and don't need the interpreter. He asks all sorts of dumb-ass questions - like do we have a photocopy of Jason's grandmother's passport. What the hell??? I have a good mind to write to the Queen to complain... right after I write to the Interncontinental to complain (the complaints list is growing). At least he took pity on us and said he'd get the visa done straight away so we didn't have to come back to pick it up. Lucky, since we'd already been there for 3 hours!!! When we finally came outside Mauricio said the letter at ICBF wasn't ready and we'd have to go there tomorrow. Just as well as we were all exhausted and thoroughly p'd off. We returned to the hotel just in time for a very nice lunch. We then pottered up the road to Pomona (the Woolworths like supermarkets here - which ofcourse remind us of home). Since then we've been hanging out, reading, watching a video (George of the Jungle - only G rated movie you need to have a cold shower after). So tomorrow ICBF and then a trip to the old city and the gold museum. Congrats to Lleyton and our Bec on baby Mia. We love to hear news from home - especially important news!