Frustration and other fun games

So I am going to go on a bit of a rant today. I went to the Chinese visa office again and while I was a bit more successful (I got into the building!) it was far more frustrating (and I still haven't been able to submit my visa application). I got there shortly after the lunch break at 2:15 and entered what was an already longer line then last time. And didn't more until they started to let some people in around 4. Just before 5 a security guard came out and pointed to a lady a few people behind me and said that no one after her would be let in today.

After a mad rush from the those of us left to get in at 5 I was informed that the photos I had were not ok because I had earnings in. So I have to now spend HK$50 to get new pictures. Am then told that I need a photocopy of the scrap paper we received upon entry into Hong Kong. Thank god it was stapled into my passport. Of course the photocopier only took two one dollar coins and I had to go beg one of a backpacker because the lady no longer had any small change left. After getting all of this done in a hectic, chicken-with-it's-head-cut-off sort of way I am called up to a counter relatively quickly. And I just hand her everything. Then starts the process of explaining why I have two passports, and why I want the visa on one and not the other (hint: it has to do with one costing HK$1100 and the other HK$200), and that its booked through a tour operator so I don't have the actual travel tickets, and that no I am not flying within China. I think I confused her because she had to go speak to a manager. When she returns I am notified that if I want the Chines visa on the German passport I have to go to another government office to get my Hong Kong Student visa transferred from my American passport to the German one. And the other office is closed now since it is shortly before 6 at this point. So I'll have to do this all on another day again...

Since I know that they don't allow water bottles inside I hadn't had anything to eat or drink since breakfast because I came from my Hong Kong Governance and Politics class test. Oh and there were several children who screamed non stop the entire time. I think I found the Chinese equivalent of the American DMV, hell on earth.

On a happier note, on my way to the MTR station after all of this a lovely lady shared her umbrella with me and that random act of kindness could not have come at a better time. M goi.