So the day has arrived, the day that has been playing on my mind since the embassy debarcal in Lusaka. It was time to try and get our Mozambique visas, would we succeed this time.

We arrived early at the embassy, this time with a clear plaque outside… a good sign maybe? There was no queue so we settled the boys on the rows of white metal seats and walked up to the counter.

Why do they always make the counters so tall, I know, I’m a short arse but is it really necessary? Standing on my tip toes I ask if we can apply for visas, I’m greeted with the usual emotional-less expression I have come to expect from immigration staff. She asks for our passports, and soon we are passing over various documents on request. It seems to be making progress. The only 2 document we didn’t have (this time) are a translated version of the boys birth certificates, fortunately this could be done by the embassy (for an extra fee of course), and proof of all the places we were going to stay. We hadn’t even booked accommodation for the whole trip so this was a bit of a sticking point. We were allowed to submit the applications but had to get the accommodation proof in to the embassy by the end of the day.

Soon we were leaving with two tasks to complete, one pay embassy fees into a bank (details on a piece of paper) and two book accommodation and print out proof. Easy enough??? Or so we thought.

Giving that we still had my friends phone we could access the internet at least. Attempting an online transfer failed due to not having all the international codes or access to the U.K. phone the bank was hooked up to. But at least we did manage to book accomadation )(little tip – we booked with free cancellation as we were likly to change our plans).  We were abit closer to completing our tasks.

Two hours till the boys would be wanting food we set of to find a bank. The first one we saw had no parking anywhere near it, but the second had parking over the road. A 45 min time limit, surly enough time.

40 mins later I was at the front of the queue, all the while husband trying desperately to keep the boys from going to mad. As I walked up to the teller with cash in hand and the bank details to deposit into it was 42 mins since we parked. “You need to fill this form out, pens are over there, rejoin the queue when it’s filled out”….. say what?!?? I have to re-queue! No don’t think so. With my politest face I reply “It’s ok, I have a pen, I’ll fill it out here”. I quickly scribble down the details on the form trying to ignore the tuts and sighs behind me in the queue. I look up to pass through the paper and am greeted with a face that could kill, holding strong I smile and look innocently back. To my relief she takes the paper and starts inputting the info into the computer. I’m grateful to the keyboard as it seemed to take the brunt of her frustration instead of me!

Exactly 45mins after we park the car we run into the car park. The parking attendant starts to walk over. Kids quickly bundled in and drive off, before we receive a fine!

Task one complete! Only thing left to do was finder a printer and print out the hotel reservation. That would be easy right?!?

But now time to feed the monsters.