Traveling to India requires 2 essential documents: a passport and a current visa. My wife and I had our passports renewed and received new ones for the kids earlier this year, but we have been waiting for updated visas.
About 2 weeks ago we were notified that the visas were due to be processed and released on November 28th (according to the Indian Consulate in Houston, TX). This was cutting it very close for a Dec 1 departure date, but we were reassured that all was on track..
As timing, luck and/or fate would have it, the bombings in Mumbai (Bombay) occurred on November 26... sending the Houston Consulate into a frenzy. The consulate staff was suddenly overwhelmed with local requests from Indian Ex-patriots trying to check on loved ones back home. Subsequently, no visas were issued by the Indian government to travelers on Friday. Several friends joked and reminded us that waiting is also an essential part of travel and life abroad.
The good news is that this delay will give India a chance to settle down a bit, and give our family a chance to finish properly packing. As soon as we have a new departure date I will post it here.
4 comments:
Especially when traveling to India. You're on schedule for Indian Standard Time (google it). :-)
Glad to see that it's going to get resolved soon. Travel safe!
I hope that visa will be issued soon, I can imagine waiting is not so kosher specially when you are all ready to go.
As for suitcases, OK I did not have children when moving to USA but I just have one big one and Delta lost it on the way here.
Wish you all great travel soon, Bo
Bo & Clay - the suitcase thing is a drag, but we are very anxious and excited (see Dec 5th posting...) to finally be heading out. So glad you are following the blog!
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