Today is the day I buy the ticket for the ferry to Iran. Everything started well : I woke up on time, the first ATM I tried gave me all the money I wanted, no traffic to go to Sharjah port. So here I was in this little dodgy office to get my ticket. I overlooked the affluence prior to Ramadan, I had to queue for an hour, but well that is part of the game. So I bought the ticket for me but I was told that for the car I had to go to another office inside the port. Then here I am, trying to explain that to the security guard at the gate of Port Khalid. 2 phone calls later, he understands it is true and send me to the security office (you know the thing like roundabout left, then u-turn after 1km and it is this little container behind the mosque that you can nearly see right there). Of course I had to re-explain all this to the security office. They thought they knew better and told me I had to go elsewhere but they still gave me my pass.
So back to the security gate where they wave me in and direct me to the container where I have to buy the ticket. That is right on the pier where the ferry is. So far so good did I think.
Then I am welcome by mister Imran that ask me my Carnet de Passage and another document that was nowhere to be found. I then realised why the guy at the automobile club, 2 weeks ago, told me to go and pay my 2800 dirhams fines (560eur). That was to get that bloody Certificate of Tourism.
So there I am, back to the automobile club, luckily not far from Sharjah, to find of course that their system was down and that they could not issue any document.
So I hit the road again to the nearest RTA office in Al Qusais Industrial Zone. I picked up a ticket 60 numbers behind the one being called. Great ! One hour of fun waiting with all the truck drivers of the area.
I didn't expected the process to be straightforward but still...
I took the bet to be ready to sail on Tuesday, I am now 4 precious hours behind schedule and nobody is loading the car while I am waiting here.
At least I have time to write to you...
I keep you posted !
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
So back to the security gate where they wave me in and direct me to the container where I have to buy the ticket. That is right on the pier where the ferry is. So far so good did I think.
Then I am welcome by mister Imran that ask me my Carnet de Passage and another document that was nowhere to be found. I then realised why the guy at the automobile club, 2 weeks ago, told me to go and pay my 2800 dirhams fines (560eur). That was to get that bloody Certificate of Tourism.
So there I am, back to the automobile club, luckily not far from Sharjah, to find of course that their system was down and that they could not issue any document.
So I hit the road again to the nearest RTA office in Al Qusais Industrial Zone. I picked up a ticket 60 numbers behind the one being called. Great ! One hour of fun waiting with all the truck drivers of the area.
I didn't expected the process to be straightforward but still...
I took the bet to be ready to sail on Tuesday, I am now 4 precious hours behind schedule and nobody is loading the car while I am waiting here.
At least I have time to write to you...
I keep you posted !
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Location:D 83,Dubai,United Arab Emirates
