Earbashing from the Fans

OK OK sorry not written on here for a while and not finished of the holiday part. Contrary to rumours being spead by fans who should know better we did get out of Ecuador on time and with brand new shiny passports all due to that bastion of British effiency, The British Embassy Quito. Well ok despite them might be a better way of putting it. They have a sign on the wall saying they aim to be courteous and efficient. Well ok they didnt swear at us but I would like to know that the foreign office's definition of efficient is. They tell you it can take up to 10 dyas to get a new passport, you have to pay $250 dollars cash for each one when you submit your application or they wont go ahead. No you cannot use cards, no you cannot pay in good old GB pounds, no you cannot transfer money from your bank account. What you have to do is go to a hole in the wall amchine and withdraw the money in the local currency in Ecuador's case dollars. So what I hear you say if your cards have been lost/stolen etc. Well get someone to wire you the cash, tough. That is effecient I dont think

Anyway enough of the moans about the good old British foreign and Commonwealth office.
We got back and in general the trip to Bonaire and then Ecuador was fantastic but now it is all over and back to work to pay for mundane things like one particular fans 18th Birthday tomorrow, general things like living and even better looking forward to planning next years jaunt.