india already

last week, we had a scare.

Frankfurt, Germany was the destination and getting our Indian visas (needed in three weeks and our purchased plane tickets depending on it) was the goal. Sabine, our faithful, recently-moved-to-Buesingen, German friend knows Frankfurt like the back of her hand, so we begun our trek in her car at six in the morning needing to land at the consulate before they closed for the day at 11:30a.m.

The sunrise was pink and purple and spectacular. I realized that I miss out on beauty because I sleep, but usually the sleep is worth it. (besides, i figure that if i saw the sunrise every day, i don't think i would be able to appreciate it as much. so i'll save it for special occasions and sleep more.) We stopped at McDonalds for breakfast -- it would be a two-in-one-day-McDonalds-run and this I am not used to. It was the first time I've stepped into McDonalds in probably 3 months (and then that was only for WC needs).

Unfortunately, due to several accidents, morning traffic through Stuttgart and then another , for another 45 minutes to Frankfurt, we pulled (with Sib's crazy driving -- at one point going over 100 mph. yeah, don't tell my mom) up to our parking space at 11:10.
We had twenty minutes to get in and through the line.

We'd been smart and gathered up all of our pocket change to make 50 Euro -- i lent 50 to simone -- each to pay for our tourist visas, filled out our forms and headed in. Sib got through the line first, paid her 50 Euro and then it was my turn.

"Sefent-y fife e-uros pleese," I heard the man at the window through the eye-level hole in the glass.

"Crap," my heart started beating and I told Sib that Simone would need more money and she literally ran out the door. I quickly took 25 more Euro from Simone's hand and paid for my visa. Simone and I hung back in line, sighing, raising our eyebrows, hating the fact that "American" must mean "rich tourists" and hoping and praying that Sib would somehow fly to the cash machine and back in 5 minutes. She didn't, but one by one, people kept trailing in. And we kept letting them go ahead of us to the window.

The last guy left his fate in the hands of the Indian consulate just as I spotted Sib running back along the street. I shoo-ed Simone up to the window and the guy seriously considered waving her away! But he relented (he must have anticipated American girl wrath) and she deliberately and slowly pushed her passport and papers under the window.

I ran to get the door and tell her that there was still time (unbeknownst to me, it was already almost 11:40) and a red-faced and barefoot Sib got the cash to Simone just as she needed it. (Mind you, if she hadn't it would've been another 8 hours in the car or train and another whole day to spend in Frankfurt. no thanks.)

We walked back to the car, a little giddy and a lot lighter. We were all a little adrenaline rushed, all a little thirsty, so we laughed and broke out the Flouder and appleshoeler drinks.

Sabine returned at 4:30 to collect our visas and they were granted, no problems. In two weeks we'll be on our way to India. But I have this strange and certain feeling that this will only be the beginning of our close calls and Indian adventures. We leave 16 may and more stories will be posted following our return...