So the day we were schedule to get the visa for India finally arrived. In the intervening days Nina had phoned the consulate a few times and been told "you will get them on the 17th at 4:00pm" so we had a degree of confidence that these long awaited stamps in our passports would materialize. We planned the journey to the consulate with meticulous care deciding in advance what trams and what bus we needed to catch to be there by 4:00pm (" and don't be late we close at 4:30"). So what happened, read below.
We arrived at the front gate at 3:50 and via the intercom were told "at 4:00" so we, along with 3 or 4 others, waited until precisely 4:00pm before the gate was unlocked and we could enter. Of course you know what happened, it is as predicable as sun rise. "Please take a seat and wait", so we did, and while waiting we observed the consular staff running around with thick bundles of passports with documents stuffed in them. This went on for 30 minutes and then it seemed time for the passports to be handed back. There was a mad scramble (by all five of the waiting throng) to get in line. The gentleman in front of us got his and stepped to the side to check that all was in order and we quickly fronted up, signed various bits of paper and collected passports with the correct visa dates and number of entries. However just as we were completing our business the guy who was served before us pointed out to the clerk that his visa was in error. It was a single entry when he had asked for a multi entry. Well that put a stop to proceedings as this had to be corrected immediately. Thankfully our business was done, so we could leave (at 4:45) but the lady behind us who had not been served at this point in time presumably had to wait until the single/multi mistake was corrected.
On the strength of our visa experience we are content that India is not going to take over the world any time soon.
So back at camp we prepared for an early morning departure on Saturday. We calculated that we had spent 18 nights in the Plitviče Motel Autocamp. We had witnessed late summer turn to fall and the leaves go from green to golden or fall onto the ground. It felt like we had been there forever. On the positive side the staff were helpful and the facilities good. Never the less we are both looking forward to moving on.
Oh, by the way we had also learned about Plitviče after which the motel is named, but thats a story for the next few days.