Visa's and the elusive passata

Yesterday was Sunday and Simone had been on-call saturday into sunday morning.  He came home and we went for a trip to Manthri Square, another recommendation from friends at work.

We took the bus as usual up to Majestic (the big bus station), spent half an hour, as usual, looking for the next bus to take, then arrived at our destination.  It was a huge mall, apparently the biggest in Asia (but I don't believe that, I'm sure places like Malaysia would have bigger ones... but anyway, who am I to argue with 'local knowledge') and it had lots of nice shops and eateries.  We went to a chinese restaurant and had an all-you-can-eat buffet.  The restaurant reminded me of Hakka San in Tottenham Ct Rd- yes it was very plush.... Happy Lou Lou and happy Simone :)

We then decided to return to the South of BAngalore, closer to where we live, and as usual spent half an hour wandering around looking for the bus to take us back.  It seems that WHENEVER we venture out on the bus, we can NEVER find the bus to take us home.... you would think it would be on the opposite side of the road that you disembarked, but oh no, as we often disembark in the middle of the road and usually they are one-way streets.  Well, eventually we found our way back and headed south.

We went to find an Italian restaurant that Simone had found online, that had good reviews.  Our original plan had been to eat there for dinner, but then the oriental lunch buffet scuppered our plans.  Nevertheless, Simone wanted to go in 'for a drink' to see what it was like.  It was on the top-floor of a 4 storey building, so we took the lift directly up.  It was about 5.30pm.  The lift doors opened.... and we were greeted by Indian people face-down, sleeping on rather comfy looking sofas and one oriental lady smiling at us...
"Erm are you open?"  Simone asks
"No Sir, 7PM"
"ah ok"
And we got back in to the lift.
I have to say.... they didn't look very Italian to me... but who am I to judge?

So today it was back to work.  Simone really couldn't get out of bed this morning and as a result had a cobb-on the whole day.... like it's my fault.... but I think he's hilarious when he's grumpy.

So today we were supposed to go to register at the foreign office with a guy from the hospital.  This had all been arranged by the secretary of Simone's boss (and our Landlord).  So 1030am we were told to be in his office with the 2 sheets of paper they told us to get signed on friday, which we did.  So I had to get mine all done by the nursing superintendent and Simone's by his boss.  I got all paperwork signed and The Secretary  (who btw, has a secretary) organised all of Simone's then the guy rocks up at 1030...
"wadadalaalabababablababalabababbabababbbarararraraababababablaalalalalalhahahalahaa Sir"
"Pardon?"
"wadadalaalabababablababalabababbabababbbarararraraababababablaalalalalalhahahalahaa Sir"
Oh FFS this is not gonna go well.

So we deciphered that I needed a photocopy of the nursing superintendents ID etc and we needed photographs of ourselves and our invitation letter... In other words, loads of paperwork we weren't told to bring.... I eyeballed Simone and could see steam starting to seep from his ears....
Off I went to get the ID stuff, and when I came back the guy had disappeared.
"Where's he gone?' I ask Simone
"I have no idea"
"What about the passport pics?"
"They will have to take us home on the way to the visa office"
"Ok"
We waited.... and waited, and waited.....playing fruit ninja.... waiting...
1150am he arrives back
"So how were you planning on getting there?" The guy asks us, and The Secretary looks at us..
"I thought that was being arranged by you" Simone says
"No Sir, I told you he would take you, not that we would arrange the car"
I'm trying not to laugh..... And I can see Simone, who was previously IMPLODING about this whole debacle, is about to EXPLODE....
So we say we will get the bus, and the guy says "no no it's too late, we are meant to be there by 1pm.  We have to go tomorrow"
"So we have wasted all morning sitting in this office, I've taken a day away from theatre and tomorrow I will have to do the same.... I CAN TELL YOU NOW I NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE BECAUSE I AM ABOUT TO BURST.  Now we will go back to work"

The single funniest moment of this trip so far unravelled before my eyes and I could not contain myself.

So we left the office..... and we didn't go back to work, we went in to Bangalore for lunch.  Waiting for the bus outside the hospital this cute girl came to us begging... not the right moment for Simone, he was bursting with rage....

So we had a lovely lunch in Bangalore then came back home.

The next pic is for those of you who can't believe we live on "Cloud 9"

And the next one is Simone's little project... a project he will never complete, but he has been trying for almost 3 weeks...  Fixing the bin lid (where our household rubbish goes, opposite our house) so that the dog that lives on the complex can't open it and take all the bags out, looking for food, that then end up strewn all across the field opposite the house..

Wait wait wait wait wait...... there is a close contender fot the funniest moment of the trip... literally real time, it just happened...

So yesterday in the supermarket Simone was looking for a passata for his pasta as the cartons we have don't match up to his expectations, so he bought a bottle (like a passata bottle at home).

He is cooking now and opened the bottle, smelt it and went "THIS IS KETCHUP" in a surprised and really annoyed tone...

No Shit Sherlock.

I hope tomorrow he wakes in a better mood :)

Buona notte xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx