From Rands To Riches – The Visa Saga

So, it’s another big step towards the biggest holiday of my life. Despite an exchange rate that isn’t in my favour, it’s the idea of leaving Europe with an enriched mind (and not a lighter wallet) that’s keeping the anticipation at a high.

A few days ago, I acquired the Shengen Visa that will allow me to travel – along with far too many of my humble South African Rands – to several of the wealthiest countries in the world, primarily Switzerland, what with its “highest nominal wealth per adult in the world” moniker.

There, in a town outside of Zurich called Winterthur, I will pretend that I understand people, that I can afford a glass of wine, that I know where I am going and that I am not in fact suffering from hypothermia.

Of course, there’s also the matter of taking in some beautiful sights and spending time with great friends.

But before any of this was even possible, came the task of acquiring the Visa. Thank goodness I was guided by two seasoned travellers and that I had the emotional support of friends and family, otherwise it may have been a bit too much for me.

Besides the stress of getting the money in order at the right time (on several occasions, especially after surveying the sorry state of my bank balance, I did question the insanity of it all), there are a bunch of complicated forms to scrutinize and fill out. They all came with a list of requirements that I was generally certain I couldn’t fulfil (yes, I know, it all sounds rather dramatic but my feathers are easily ruffled, okay).

All in all, I visited two different banks more than once, sent about six different emails to Stanlib (an asset manager), conducted a bunch of convoluted phone calls with said asset manager, wrote an affidavit, rewrote an affidavit correctly, visited a police station, had a furious conversation with a friend who works in law and found out that my signature has disintegrated into such a scribbled mess that it no longer resembles what it once was. As usual (as when applying for a bank card or your ID for the very first time), I asked random, more intelligent people a bunch of ridiculous, inane questions.

When your days are already filled to the brim with work and other commitments, getting your life in order to plan a big holiday really isn’t an easy task and I reluctantly had to remind myself that I am an adult now, and these are the things I simply have to do.

The eventual Visa interview wasn’t as scary as I had anticipated and when it was over about 20 minutes later, I felt like much less of a hardened criminal than I had when walking in.

It took just three days for the Visa to get approved, which is typically Swiss-efficient. One can only hope that my skiing lessons will be completed as smoothly…

Being handed back my slightly heavier passport was a relief of note – it’s now no longer just a little green book, hiding away at the back of my cupboard and filled with a stack of blank pages and hazy dreams, but now, it’s the promise of a trip of a lifetime. And one I desperately need… since starting college almost nine years ago, I’ve had no more than three weeks of down time at a time (and no more than a quick week out of Cape Town). It always seems as though I just about slip into holiday mode before I’m back, thinking about the next work commitment or deadline.

As beautiful as my city is, it’s also been all I’ve known for 27 years and you can only take so many road trips to Langebaan and Stellenbosch before craving something completely new. That’s why the mere idea of spending 20 days in a place that has little in common with the norms to which I have become accustomed is so liberating.

I look forward to sharing the more glamorous, freezing and expensive (gulp) part of this experience with you!