Saturday, October 15, 2011

Getting ready for international travel is expensive!

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(I just had to show this, no question, this is Daytona Beach one of the prettiest & widest beaches in the world)

Have you applied for passport lately? When we took the cruise We noticed that our pass ports were expiring. ‘We have got to renew these’, says I.

So researching where, today we went to the post office in Summerfield. “Oh, just a renewal. No problem,” says the surly clerk, “fill out the application and write a check for $110,” he frowns.

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(More Daytona)

At the desk while filling the applications out, I told Sherry, ‘$110 is about twice it was the last time.’ 

Uh oh, there is that look again! “You didn’t hear him say that was $110 EACH! DID YOU?”

I stopped filling out the form, “EACH?” I said loud enough for everyone in the PO to hear. ‘It was $22 + $5 for the picture last time’. 

Well it is $15 for the picture this time, do you want to travel or not?…. That is $15 EACH!”

Yeah,” so I continued to fill out the form, but not too enthusiastically.

Upon approaching the counter the second time the sarcastic guy was busy and we got a smiling young lady; that eased the pain a little. So the Pass Ports are off to be realigned, refurbished or renewed for our next trip.

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(More Daytona, a Chick and her chicks.)

Next stop,DMV for Drivers license to replace Sherry’s lost license. I am familiar with only two State DMV’s.  North Carolina and Florida. I don’t know about your state, but I have never seen a smile behind a counter of DMV in NC. My experience is they have a mentality of “Us against You.” It seems that any little discrepancy they can find, they get a sordid kick of saying, “fix this and come back.” with an undertone of (IF YOU DARE!).

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(Surf at Daytona)

Florida DMV? Shucks you think your cousin is behind the counter; all smiles, and are thrilled that you took the time to come in and see them. As we ‘SAT’ (in NC you stand) while waiting, I told Sherry, “look, every person leaving that counter will be smiling whether they got what they want or not.” That was true, but usually everyone got what they wanted. I thought the first DMV was an exception, but now I have been to four separate offices and they have all been alike. I don’t know what Florida has done, but someone knows what they are doing who manages this FLDMV.

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(Some kids building a Castle at Daytona)

So Now Sherry has a new License with a choice of accepting the picture or taking another.

All in all not a bad day. When it ends good, you must smile.

Thanks for coming by the log.

NIte Shipslog

PS:

To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you hit the target.

 

Where ‘They’ used to get Gas:

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This guy might have got gas here, 1909 Ford.

The1909F

10 comments:

Paula said...

I like that idea about the target and I like the chick and her chicks.

Bookncoffee said...

We went to Daytona often when I was a child! I don't have a passport and probably won't get one. That seems high!

Anonymous said...

In my opinion, the passports should be given for free, using tax money. Living about 2,000+ miles from home travelling has become a kind of hobby, try to visit parents at least twice a year.
Please have you all a safe road ahead and a good Sunday too.

TARYTERRE said...

WOW! I didn't know passports were so expensive. I guess that's the price you pay for traveling. Going to our local DMV is always fast and easy. But the clerks waiting on us there seldom have a smile. They are all business. Sounds like Florida is the place to be. Take care.

betty said...

I am so impressed with the Florida DMV! They let you retake the picture if you don't like it on the license?? Wow, that is amazing in itself. I think most of the time at DMVs I've been at they personally wait until your worst pose and then they snap the picture. I like that they smile too! Seems like someone really worked on customer satisfaction there!!

Wow on the passports! I guess that's why I don't internationally travel! (that is also that fact that I am not much of going on a plane). But I'm betting since you need a passport for everything these days out of the country, they decided to make some extra money that way for the government. Now you guys got to plan a trip to use those new passports and Sherry's license!!

betty

Anonymous said...

You have to tell jokes to lighten things up, here in NC. While I was waiting for my son to take his learner's permit test, I saw a man studying his signs for a test. I asked him if he knew when to go on red and stop on green. He puzzled over it to no avail. "When you're eating watermelon," I said.

jack69 said...

Hey ANon! That may work, iffn he don't get mad. I never heard that!!! hahahahha

Anonymous said...

shirl72

I called the DMV to make an app. with the man that Louise told me because he went to her Church. My luck he had been transfered but made an app. This man was nice but no smile. Pass and got them renewed. Brother I guess I want need a passport since retirement as you know I
am a home body now. Maybe I will think about
traveling.

Shirl

Sheila Y said...

Now that you mention it, they didn't smile. Poor Cori, the lady she got for her driving test didn't look happy at all. Jarin and I got a passport back in early '92 to meet Rick in England. I think the company paid for them. Jarin's lasted 5 years, mine 10. Still have them though they have expired. Rick has a current one. Take care, Sheila

Rose said...

Prices keep rising for everything these days.

Enjoy your trip and take tons of pictures to share.

Did you hear on the News that Seniors on Social Security maybe receiving a 3.5% cost of living raise? That got me excited!

I have always hated the long wait at the DMV here in Florida and in Massachusetts many years ago.

I don't know what happened to my last post. It seemed to have disappeared and than when I received your email as to where did it go....I started it all over again. I'm sure I missed some details about it the second time around.

Hugs, Rose