Phew! No Nasty Suprises

Final visa now in my hands today from the Turkmenistan embassy and cash paid to the exact amount on collection.

Now you might think that is a strange thing to say but due to the fact that when i collected my Uzbekistan Visa, the guy behind the small window in a smoke filled basement room would only hand over my passport when i gave him the exact money, nothing more. What ever happened to smoking in public places in England. Oh silly me the Embassy is Uzbekistan territory, not England.

All i can say is, it only took me just over an hour to get there unlike 5 weeks it will take on the trip. That makes it England then.
I wonder if i was to declare that the seat on my bike as the United Kingdom when i am in Uzbekistan, i could declare it is an area of Diplomatic immunity in times of trouble. Hmm! probably not

Anyway, where would you expect the embassy to be and it to be some large substantial building.
Just off Regent street is says on the Web page (yes i did go and look at the site after my wonderful conversation with the voice).

It's Soho

Crazy one way systems that once you get in them, they are a bugger to get out of and when you find a motorcycle parking bay, the City of Westminster have decided to charge motorcycles for parking.
"i paid for a ticket and someone has nicked it off my bike", they thought of that and you have to ring a number, probably at premium rate, to pay for your parking

Sod that, i will take a chance, only going to be 10 mins.

I wandered up and down this street trying to find St Georges House at number 14-17. Could i find it, Nope, as all the numbers were increasing from 50 something. Shit i could be getting ticket if this takes much longer but then i noticed that the numbers on one side of the road where rather different to the other side. What ever happened to having even numbers on one side and odd numbers on the other.

Ah! hang on a minute just like my own road then. Pooh!

OK back on schedule again and a single door with loads of buttons. Yep there it was a button for "TURKMENISTAN" After pressing a voice came over the PA.

"Yes"

"Visa Collection" i proudly stated.

With that there was a click and a buzz at the door.

I am starting to think that the Turkmenistan people are a nation of few words, unlike myself as you will be finding out. Why use one word when twenty is so much better

In i went and up to the second floor where there was a door with Turkmenistan on it. It immediately clunked as i stood in front of it. OK "GULP" will i meet "the voice"

In my opinion, three rooms do not make an embassy no matter how much you dress it up with pictures of the president. A pretty young lady was sat behind a desk and looked at me questioningly.

"i am here to collect my Visa" and i handed her a copy of my photo page of my passport

"one minute"

She then returned with a gentleman who had a passport in his hands, yes my passport. Whooppee! nearly there.

"you pay now"

Oh my God it's "the voice"
Euro's were handed over

"Sign Here"

I could see we were going to have another one of our deep meaningful conversations again.
Finally, out i went, back into England

Returning home never felt so good

That's it then countdown to the packing now and will it all fit in the panniers

Hopefully?