We finally had word about our passports on Thursday 12/4, by which time we had been in Melaka for 3 weeks - quite a bit longer than anticipated! We had originally planned on being on Koh Samui Island in Thailand on 13th and as were supposed to meet our friends from the UK there, Emma and Craig. They were off travelling for 6 months and had decided to start off in Thailand so we could all meet up before we returned to India and they went off to Austrailia. Luckily Emma and Craig were staying in Koh Samui for 2 weeks so we were hopeful that we would get to meet up at some point.
When we received the phone call from the UK to tell us that our passports would be dispatched by courier to Malaysia that day, we were delighted. Unfortunately we didn't get a 2 year business visa but we did get a one year business visa which is re-newable - so no having to leave India in 6 months time, for 2 months!
Now we were able to make onward plans. Our passports were being delivered to the British Embassy in Kuala Lumpur and we knew that they definately would not be there before Monday, as you normally allow 3 working days. Our only worry was that because the courier company the UK had used to send our passports was a very small company and we didn't know the name of the courier company in Malaysia who would be handling our passports once they arrived here, we weren't sure if the passports would take a lot longer to arrive. We decided to take a gamble and book flights to Koh Samui for Wedesday 25th. So, we would leave Melaka on Sunday, get the bus to Kuala Lumpur and book into the Star Town Inn again. That meant we were near the Embassy and could sit Monday and Tuesday biting our nails, hoping the Embassy would contact us so we could dash over there, get our passports and not miss our flight to Koh Samui.
The last night in Melaka we had a beer with Christophe and Lee Sun. The next morning we packed up and ordered a taxi to the bus station. I would be lying if I said we weren't really glad to be leaving Melaka after over 3 weeks there, but it was sad saying goodbye to Christophe, Lee Sun and wee Remy (Sara was at school so unfortunately we never said goodbye to her). No more weekend TV English football games for Colin. They had looked after us so well and if we are ever in Malaysia again we will certainly head to The Old Town Guesthouse.
When we received the phone call from the UK to tell us that our passports would be dispatched by courier to Malaysia that day, we were delighted. Unfortunately we didn't get a 2 year business visa but we did get a one year business visa which is re-newable - so no having to leave India in 6 months time, for 2 months!
Now we were able to make onward plans. Our passports were being delivered to the British Embassy in Kuala Lumpur and we knew that they definately would not be there before Monday, as you normally allow 3 working days. Our only worry was that because the courier company the UK had used to send our passports was a very small company and we didn't know the name of the courier company in Malaysia who would be handling our passports once they arrived here, we weren't sure if the passports would take a lot longer to arrive. We decided to take a gamble and book flights to Koh Samui for Wedesday 25th. So, we would leave Melaka on Sunday, get the bus to Kuala Lumpur and book into the Star Town Inn again. That meant we were near the Embassy and could sit Monday and Tuesday biting our nails, hoping the Embassy would contact us so we could dash over there, get our passports and not miss our flight to Koh Samui.
The last night in Melaka we had a beer with Christophe and Lee Sun. The next morning we packed up and ordered a taxi to the bus station. I would be lying if I said we weren't really glad to be leaving Melaka after over 3 weeks there, but it was sad saying goodbye to Christophe, Lee Sun and wee Remy (Sara was at school so unfortunately we never said goodbye to her). No more weekend TV English football games for Colin. They had looked after us so well and if we are ever in Malaysia again we will certainly head to The Old Town Guesthouse.
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