5th August 2019
I rang the American Embassy at 9.00am hoping to speak to a human being, or even an American. But no luck, just the menu of buttons to press. I had to listen to the same selection five times just to get the number of Visa Queries. I eventually got through to a real person, who was Asian. He told me to go to a web site where I can pay the fee and book my interview. The web address he gave me was the same one I had already been on, and it had taken me to a third party site dealing with visa application for which I had already submitted. When I told him that, he asked me what device I was using. I told him I was using an iPad, he then said that I would have to use Google chrome. “What!!! “ I uttered in desperation. “ It will not work on an IO platform” he elaborated.
I was losing the will to live now. I began to feel that there was a conspiracy against me every getting back into America and seeing my wife again.
My mouth was dry, I had a sick feeling in my stomach, and all he said in consolation was “ You could go to a local library and use a PC there, have a nice day”
My head was spinning, and I hadn’t even had a drink.
I called Ryan and explained the situation hoping that he had a PC that ran Google Chrome.
“Just download it for a Mac” he said
Suddenly I felt like a stupid old git, Of course, it was just a search engine, why didn’t I think of that?
Once that was installed it was a piece of piss, the system took my money, slick and efficient, like most people in America do, and I was able to book a time for my interview, I was on my way back.
I was mentally exhausted, frustrated, and angry at just self for not working the Google thing out.
My interview was set for the 23rd August which would have been the day that I wanted to fly back, so that would have to slip a couple of weeks to allow time for my passport to be returned, Kelli was not impressed.
Another Lifetime to go 