One Step Closer

Some good news regarding our visas.
On Monday morning I had a phone call from a representative of the French Consulate in Sydney, to say that our visas had been approved. I had already posted our passports back to them on Friday, BUT would you believe I forgot to put in a reply-paid self-addressed envelope for their return??? They had wanted a Platinum Registered Envelope, which I had never heard of before. When I inquired at our local post office I was told they didn't have, and have never had, such a thing. And you would understand why when you know that it is guaranteed to be delivered by courier by noon the next day. City to city. As we have one of the lousiest postal services in the state in our town the guarantee of delivery would be all but meaningless. So we decided to send the passports in a normal registered envelope, and silly me completely forgot about the return postage.
On Monday morning I realised my mistake and rang the post office, before opening time, to urgently request a favour! Because we live in a small town where people are helpful and provide personalised service, and because I begged her to, the post mistress addressed an envelope for me and sent it off, with a covering note enclosed. [Thank you very much Vicki.]
Now I just hope that the bureaucrats at the other end can match up the passports with the return envelope and send them back with their pretty little visa stickers attached.

Before next Friday...

(After my panic last week with the visas not being issued I changed our flight booking to buy us some time. Our departure is now 4.30pm on Sunday 24th February, one week later than originally planned.)