AHHHHH!!!

Do you ever feel like you live in the DMV?

Welcome to my life.

All I want to do is go spend some freaking money in Moscow. RUSSIA I'M TRYING TO GIVE YOU MONEY!!! Kyle gets Friday and Monday off of work for Easter. When Kyle gets time off of work we book a trip somewhere and Moscow was the next place on the list.

So, we booked a flight and hotel and the began the visa process. FIRST, you need to get an INVITATION from the Russian government to spend money in their country. So $60 and 2 days later I've invited myself to the Russia party.

Next: go to the Zurich Immigration office to get new entry since our living permits have expired and they take between 3 and 18 weeks to get them (yeah that's almost 5 months - F*#^$). Of course, the office is only open from 8-4 (with a 2 hour break for lunch) so I go ready to get both Kyle and my visas. 3 hours later I'm still standing in line...well, since Kyle isn't physically present I can't get his. BAH! Fine. 92 CHF later I have MY visa and even conned them into a multiple entry visa. Kyle's just SOL and will have to come back before we leave for Russia in a week.

Step Three: 6 am wake up call, 50 CHF, and an hour train to Bern (at least I got to read my book) I'm walking around trying to find the freaking Russian Consulate (not the Embassy - that's on the other end of town and I went there first to get a tongue thrashing and to be told I was in the wrong place). 3 MORE hours in line (outside, in the drissling rain) and 250 CHF I get MY visa to get in Russia (but if the entry and exit dates are PERFECT they will kill you). Kyle has to come back himself and fill out this 3 page document about every aspect of his life. I didn't have to because I don't have a job (and therefore worthless and am no threat to Russian security).

At this point all I want to do is pack a suitcase and move back to KC (with or without Kyle). I just spent at least 10 hours of my time and 400 CHF to go on vacation AND I HAVEN'T EVEN LEFT THE FREAKING COUNTRY YET!! (Don't forget to double to that since Kyle still has to do all this crap too.)

Kyle spends most of his weekend filling out this document that is his life so that he can get up at 5 am to get a train for his Russian visa. Long story short Kyle=no visa.

Now we're just considering cutting our loses. We're running out of time (oh, I forgot, the Russian Embassy is open Mon, Wed, Fri from 9-12. 3 days a week 3 hours a day) and $$ for that matter.

So, it might be costing us about 2000 USD for a wonderful long weekend at 'home'.