Getting your visa for entry into Tanzania has never been simpler.  You post your passport, a couple of photos, your application form and some cash to the Tanzanian Embassy in London and a few days later they post your passport back, visa approved. 

Or so Ally thought when she sent her passport off in early January.  The embassy confirmed receipt on January 12th and everything seemed to be on track.  Days passed but the arrival of a visa stamped passport never came.  Then earlier this week Ally contacted the Embassy who confirmed they had posted it back earlier in the month.  After a frantic day tracking her passport through Royal Mail it seems that whilst it had reached Dublin (where Ally lives) it then got re-routed to ...

PORTUGAL!!!

Well done Royal Mail!

After endless phone calls (thank goodness to Antonio in the Sportingbet Portuguese Customer Service team) the passport was located and placed on a KLM flight back to Dublin via Amsterdam last night.  Phew!

So I email Ally this morning to ask if she's got it ... the answer "I'm waiting in Dublin mail centre now as I type for the last half hour waiting for them to find it ... Yeah they just can't find it, flight it was supposed on landed last night alright"!!!!!!

Finally at 10am this morning, after a very stressful few hours, the passport was found and handed back to Ally. 

Five days to go and counting ... there's nothing like a lastminute drama to keep things interesting!

Now all we have to hope is that my camera is delivered today after being destroyed by water damage after the insane breacon beacons training day!  Keep those fingers crossed please :)