The Bizarre isn't very bizarre, but it's bizarrely stupid. We were on the long haul flight home traveling from Tokyo to Munich. I was seated about half way down the plane behind Parta. Parta is a company manager and is a dignified gentleman with a large moustashe. About four hours into the journey, the head air hostess came up to Parta and informed him that a couple of the boys who where seated further back in the plane had been asked to slow down drinking the plane's free alcohol. "Well that's great," I thought. "Those boys are probably quite tipsy and the plane's crew are trying to tell our company manager who only speaks Russian and Georgian, and himself has already had a beer and two double vodkas." Worse was to come though, when twenty minutes later the air hostess was back telling him, that one of the boys had tried to light up a cigarette! They didn't know who it was, but it was obvious that it was one of our lot. The crew ended up swapping one of the passengers around who had complained, but as far as I know that was the end of it. How you could accidentally/intentionally get a lighter past security and then be stupid enough to use it is beyond me!
I know that a lot of people hate these long haul flights, but I think that they are slice of heaven. All you do for twelve hours is sleep, watch movies and every now and again a pretty lady (or guy depending on your preference) comes by and gives you food. The only thing you have to worry about is how often you go to the bathroom. The only problem with it is that it only takes one person ruin the experience for lots of people. I was so ashamed to be part of the group that was being so inconsiderate of its fellow travelers. I'm starting to feel a bit wary of travelling with this company. It feels like living in an earthquake zone. You never know, when it's going to act up and completely ruin your day. If you think this comparison is a bit extreme, just read on!
The next story is The Ridiculous, and hits a lot closer to home. We started out from Tbilisi at 02:30. Or at least that was our scheduled starting time. Georgian organization being what it is, we didn’t actually leave until 03:00. Tardiness in this case didn’t matter, because the airport had been covered in a deep layer of thick fog. Additionally the check-in process was seriously undermanned and it took three hours to process us all. We eventually made it out of Tbilisi two hours late. We got put on a later flight for Munich to Frankfurt, but fortunately our major flight from Frankfurt to Nagoya was well into the afternoon and we had no problems making the connection.
After flying through the night, and clocking up 30 hours of travel time we finally arrived in Nagoya. We were all glad to finally be in Japan and made our way to immigration. I handed over my passport along with what I took to be a permit to work in Japan which had been given to us on the plane. The official took my papers and started leafing through my passport. After looking through my passport twice he asked me why I didn’t have a visa. WELL! That went down like a fire in a fireworks factory. I had been assured by Gvantsa that I didn’t require a visa for Japan. However, according to the Japanese official, I don’t require a visa if I’m just visiting as a tourist for less than 90 days. Because I was going to be working in Japan I required a working entertainer’s visa.
The official moved me to a holding area while they figured out what to do with me. Will had the same problem and was with me in the holding area. Will, craving a cigarette and tired from the long trip was well pissed and acting up like a dog with a bee sting in its behind. I was trying to consider my options as calmly and as slowly as I could. If they turned my back I would have have probably bought myself a ticket back to England or Australia rather than go back to Georgia. I hadn't left anything of major value in Georgia and had had a gut full of this place that continues to be as reliable as a politician's word of honour.
After about fifteen minutes, the official came and informed us that we had been granted tourist visas. Before we could work though, we had to make a trip to the nearest immigration office and apply for the correct visa. This was a workable solution. Far from the required outcome but good enough. Oliver had also struck the same problem, but for some reason they dealt with his a bit differently. They took him inside their office for quite a while and we were all left anxiously waiting. When he finally reappeared, he told us that they had interrogated him, asking why he didn't think that he needed a visa. He explained to them that the company had informed him that he did not require a visa. He was then given forms to sign saying that this was his statement and they issued him with the entertainer's visa.
It was a stressfully end to the journey, but thanks to God, we had gotten through it. Will and I had to make a couple of trips out to the immigration building to get the correct visa, but it was an easy process. By then we were in the very efficient hands of our Japanese tour operators who took care of everything.
So, I’ve had to get two visas from the Georgian administration and they had managed to screw up both of them. Completely Ridiculous! Note to self: ALWAYS CHECK VISA REQUIREMENTS AND IF POSSIBLE ARRANGE OWN VISA!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Stupid story for today is by far the most scandalous and stupid I've ever written up. I'm not going to mention any names because it's such a serious affair. The nuts and bolts of the matter is that that three senior members of the company, one of them a principle dancer, were deported for allegedly shoplifting. To be completely fair, I do not have or know the official story. All I can tell you for a fact is that these three people were deported. But the whisper channel tells me that they got a bit drunk one night and being a bit ambitious decided they wanted to steal some sake and playing cards from a convenience store. Needless to say they where caught and some serious #### has hit the fan.
I don't know what the consequences (if any) have been for these three individuals. But this incident pared with the one on the plane show how much disrespect some of these company members have for other people and the law's enforcement. This will give you an idea of why I'm not as comfortable in this company as it appears I should be.
It wasn't all doom and gloom though. A couple of more amusing incidents included: Oliver getting stuck the wrong side of the final curtain of the final performance. (Awkward!) Nina having the curtain come down on top of her in the curtain call of the first performance. (Oooops!) And myself nearly missing the final performance due to a communication break down. (Not My Fault!!)
All things considered, it was a very adventurous tour. But wait there's more! I've saved the last post to tell the best parts of the trip. Hopefully that will be up in the next couple of days.
Till next time,
Rodney Cuthbertson
DreamChaser
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