Sometimes it's better to stay in bed

So today was visa day. All countries that I'm visiting allow you to buy a visa at the airport as you arrive. Not India. Nope. You have to either plan way ahead and do it via mail or go into an embassy or consulate. Today was the day for me.

I woke up very early (around 4) to take typhoid pill #2. That way, I wouldn't be dizzy when I needed to drive. The consulate opens at 9:00, so I left at 7:15, bright and early. When I arrived at the consulate (in a nice neighborhood on Geary right near the park), I was told that the visa office was now down at 6th and Market. OK. I then drive downtown and, much to my surprise, find a metered parking spot right across the street from the visa office. Sweet!

I fill out the application, pay the fee and leave my passport with the trusty ladies at the visa desk. I'm told to be back around 5:15 to pick it up. The good news is, I have time to buy the last of the stuff I need for my trip. The bad news is, my car has been broken into. Seriously. I open the drivers door, climb in and realize that I'm sitting on broken glass. The passenger side window is smashed and my bluetooth headset and iPod (which were nicely stored in the armrest compartment between seats) are gone. I filed a report with the police over the phone and called my insurace company. They have a national company that helps with glass issues, but they say they can't get me in anywhere until Monday. Well, a couple of calls later, I found a place that would replace my glass that afternoon.

I drop my car off, find a place to get a bite, and find out via my iPhone that Sports Basement is only about 8 blocks away. This is the very place I wanted to buy some things at for my trip. During my walk, my travel agent Laurie calls and we firm up all of my plans. Things are looking up!

Eventually, I've finished all of my shopping and am heading in my car back to the visa office. As I drove down Market Street, a parking space magically opened up about a block from the visa office. How sweet is that? So I pull in, feed the meter, and go to get my passport back.

After waiting until nearly 6 (we're on India time afterall), I get what I've been waiting for and go outside. I'll be damned if I couldn't find my car. Finally, a homeless guy tells me that it had been towed about 10 minutes before. I missed the sign that said that you cannot park between 5 and 7pm. Shit.

So I hoof it over to the police station and then over to the tow yard and get my car. I got home at 8:00 tonight. What should have been a $70 day (plus gas) got very expensive once you add in the new glass (cost less than my deductable), towing costs, the additional parking ticket, and the cost of an 80GB iPod classic. I don't even want to add it up right now. I actually nearly cried when waiting for my car. I'm telling myself that it's the blisters I got from my flip flops.

Anyway, Krista sent me an email today with a link to a video that put a smile back on my face: http://www.vimeo.com/1211060. Thanks Krista!