From the far

Well its been an exciting and nail biting end to our time away. Will we make it home for Christmas? Will we get to New York? Will Jo completely lose her temper with the British Embassy staff?

The last few days have been the most stressful of our entire time away.

I am happy to confirm that I now have my Emergency Passport, US Visa (10 years) and Guatemalan Immigration stamps. This means we can fly to New York and finish our trip in style as planned.

Today was somewhat strange and nerve racking. The US Embassy was amazing and so helpful and professional. I collected my visa and headed straight over to Guatemalan Immigration. The Immigration Offices were really busy and very very crowded. With my limited Spanish skills I was able to queue up in the wrong place for a while and then eventually get directed upstairs. In the main crowded office 10 men turned up in grey suits and ties and constructed a giant xylophone (about 12 feet long and 4 feet wide), a double bass and drum kit and then proceeded to play light jazz. I then went up a further floor and discovered the people who could stamp my passport were in the middle of their Christmas party. They were very helpful and got the passport sorted in-between singing carols, present giving, (fake) snow throwing and speech giving.

Armed with my passport and documents it’s now just the snow that seems determined to provide the last challenge to returning home for mince pies and too many roast potatoes.