Visa application - finished!

Entrance to Application Centre on Gee Street

Off to an early start today - got up at 6:45 in order to get the 8:50 train to London to finally sort out my Visa! Last night, strangely enough, was the first I head of the riots which have been going on in London which have been going on for the past three days. Whilst on the train, SB sent me a text to let me know that she wouldn't be coming to London as a result of said riots, which is obviously a shame, but I could understand very well where she was coming from. Arriving at Paddington, I made a quick journey to Moorgate and from there on to Old Street. Due to previous exploration, I knew where to find the Russian Visa Application Centre on Gee Street (just off of Central Street), and so made my way there.

Receipt for Visa application

Once inside the Visa Application Centre, I took a ticket and was promptly called to a desk, where I was attended by KS. She made a thorough job of checking through my papers, and I found myself feeling quite nervous as to whether there were any discrepancies in them. Fortunately for me she failed to realise that I have not yet acquired insurance for Russia, nor have I yet bought either my flights to the Russian Federation or my return flights! After what seemed an age, she finished checking over my details and asked me how I wanted to receive it - I asked her if they could send it by mail, and she pointed out that they charge for this - however, the cost of postage was far less than the cost of returning to London once more would have been, so I gratefully accepted, and, after filling in the address on the front of an envelope she gave me, I handed over the £83.80 and took my receipt, before heading back to the tube.

Ticket to wait my turn to apply

Having finished in the consulate, and hoping that it will be some time before I next have to make that journey, I decided to meet up with LI, whom I had agreed to meet in Leicester Square - a stone's throw away by Tube, and I was there within 20 minutes - travelling to Euston and then southbound on the northern line. Despite emerging from the Tube at a station which I had never before visited, it was easy for me to locate LI, sat outside an Italian Bar, casually smoking and chatting on his mobile. Joining him, we had a nice meal, then decided to let RT know that we probably wouldn't be having dinner with her later due to the riots, which could prove to be something of an inconvenience. Once we were done, therefore, and after paying the bill, we both took the Northern line to Waterloo, where I bade him farewell and then caught the Bakerloo line to Paddington, there to get the 15:06 back to Exeter, although this service was delayed by about half an hour.

Fire caused a couple of days ago during the riots in London