Sleeping bats

Sleeping bats
Originally uploaded by bastchild.

I noticed these in the trees while walking from the Indian Embassy. Okay, the Indian Embassy -- what a pain to get a visa here in Nepal! You have to fill out a sheet (and pay 300 Rs) so the embassy can telex your embassy to confirm your identity, then you come back a week later to see if your embassy has responded yet, then you apply for the visa and pick it up that afternoon. Sounds simple, right? Well, when I showed up at 9:30 am, when the embassy opened, I almost made it to the window (3 people away) before they closed for the day. The next time, I woke up at 4:30 am to walk to the embassy and sign my name on a list of people waiting (the list starts at midnight). I was number 35. At 9:30 am I showed up, and it still took me two hours to get to the first window to file my name. That was a couple weeks ago. This time, when I go to the embassy, I have to stand in line for the first window where they check to see if my name is on a list, then I stand in line at the second window to submit my passport. I should be able to come back in the same afternoon to pick up my approved visa. A few days ago, I showed up at midnight to sign in on the list, but the guard turned me away and told me to show up in the morning, that there was no more list. I showed up at 0800 and found out that there was a list, and by now it was up to number 49. I have met people that have been to the embassy SIX times and STILL haven't gotten their visas (they're stuck in line all morning, and fail to reach a window). Anyways, I will try it again tonight.