Frustrating day. Was up late packing, got up before dawn to catch the first Ankara bus. I was told the bus would take four to five hours. If I wanted to get my Egyption visa I needed to be at the embassy before noon. If the bus took four hours I should make it, if it took 4:45 it was impossible. It took 4:30, I caught a taxi, and the taxi driver got lost and dropped me off at two minutes after. I was still hoping I could talk my way in, but then I realized the taxi driver was really lost and I was way down the street from where I should have been. By the time I got to the embassy it was one o'clock. I decided to go get a hotel room and then come back and see if I could talk them into giving me a visa in the afternoon (open 2-4pm). Got a hotel room, went back to the embassy, and no luck, so now I either go without a visa and try to get one on the border or skip Egypt. Or I have to stay another day in Ankara (yuck).
Since I was down near all the embassies I decided to drop in on the American embassy and see what they had to say about me going to Lebanon. I'd never been to a US embassy before and was curious. Went through the security, to a waiting room. There were two people in front of me and they were taken care of in about five minutes. Then I waited, and waited, and waited. When I asked the security guard what was up her English was only good enought to tell me they'd call me. After 45 minutes I gave up and left. I was fuming, an hour gone, and know one could tell me how much longer, or what was up. So much for the advantages of US citizenship. If I can avoid it I'll never bother with a US embassy again.
