furieux

Fume.

I've been waiting all week for the US Embassy's preferred courier (SMS) to pick up my passport and application. Two days, they said. Two days. After a complaint this morning, I finally got someone to ring me back this afternoon. There were no apologies for the delay, nor explanation for why it takes them this long to even arrange a pick-up time. I could have walked to London and back in that time, guys!

Obviously, this has serious knock-on effects on my travel plans. Assuming the Embassy's Counsel grants the visa in tip-top time, I won't get my passport back for another week. At least. Meanwhile, flight prices continue to rise, and I'm fast running out of time to get to LA before the one month deadline runs out. I'm not a happy bunny, and am especially mad that SMS have such a monopoly as couriers for the US Embassy. It's alright for them if they're incompetent, the money keeps on coming in. They're not the ones who will have to explain to their new employer that a whole new application needs to be made.

And I paid an extra £4 to get the courier here before noon, only to be told after I'd paid for everything that it only applies to the pick-up. Delivery will still be anytime between 8am and 6pm. That just about rules out my leaving the house at all for another week. I have no faith in couriers and my passport; there are too many who don't give a toss, and I have only one passport with irreplaceable stamps and visas (well, replaceable, but it'd take another 3 months to negotiate with the Home Office here again).

Still fuming.