This week’s Travelsonabike2 bicycle touring on this day post comes from the 1st-November-2012, and I’m in China trying to sort out a visa extension.
Thursday, 1st November 2012. In Yongdeng.
I went back to the local police station again this morning. I’d spent an hour or so with the girls on reception in the hotel who were trying to sort my visa out for me. But in the end, I decided to go back to the bureau and see for myself.
It was the same lady on reception at the Public Service Bureau, and she looked a little surprised to see me. Luckily, there was somebody else there who spoke some English. Who explained that I should have gone to Lanzhou yesterday and needed to go there immediately. I returned to the hotel to sort a taxi out, which cost less than £30 for a 160-mile round trip, bargain.
Mirror, signal, manoeuvre! What’s a mirror? What’s a signal! Just pull out and let everybody else stop or swerve; it was a very nerve-wracking taxi ride. But it somehow seems to work, well, most of the time. It wasn’t sunny, but I soon put my sunglasses on, just so he didn’t notice me closing my eyes each time we overtook. Or he went for the gap that really wasn’t there.
Made It
By the time we found the visa office, it was lunchtime, so I had to wait for half an hour. I was greeted by the man I’d spoken to on the phone yesterday. He took me upstairs to another room where the visas were dealt with. The girl on the desk didn’t want to know until the man started talking to her. Then, we were joined by the big boss, who seemed to be on my side. He was very interested in what I was doing.
The girl said there was still seven days left on my visa. I said I’m not worried about losing a few days; I just need to extend it for another 30 days. After more chatter between her and the two men, she agreed and said it would take three working days.
It was pretty easy in the end. There were no flights to book or itineraries to fill out. The only thing she wanted was a photo, but not one I already had. They had to take one and charge me £4 for doing it. They even put a little powder on my face.
The ride back in the taxi was just as scary, but I’m back in one piece.
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