Tramites: Round 2

It's possible we're finally getting to grips with this place.

Two years ago, we took Leah to get her Argentine passport. A summary of the blow by blow account was on the blog here. An interesting comparison: here's Passport Tramites: Round 2.

2008 we left the house arrived at 10:59 and walked out at 13:32. Two and a half hours. There were about 10 people in the special 'Mothers and Babies Under 2' section. Comparative bliss, but no fun at all, and that was a 10 people process.

2010, we arrived at 11:17, and walked around the corner to find the 'Every Mother and Baby Under 2' room. I swear to God I have never seen so many little toddler and parent-like people in the same place, such a small place, in my life.

But we're learning. Watch.

11:17 Arrive to giant queue, snaking left and right like the Medusa. Also like the Medusa, this queue appears to have 3 heads, and upon removing one... two grow in their place.

11:21 Face to face, but avoiding ey contact, with Medusa-lady no1, we pass Stage 1. We receive our number: we are number 99.

11:26 Forms filled out, we move to Stage 2: handing in the forms to Medusa 2. Done!

11:38 We sit down, and start chatting to our sleepy looking neighbours.

- What number are you guys, we chirp?
- 42. You guys? 
- Er... 99... Um, how long have you been here?
- About three hours. 
- What number is it now? 
- 35 I think. 


Doing the Maths, I made that about 5 hours waiting time.

Furthermore, the office closes at 16:00, and if you are not seen today, you have to come back another day.

What's more, if you are no.99, and no.98 is the last person to be seen that day, you are not no.1 the next day. You have to start the whole process all over again.

Approx five hours to kill in a stinking, overheated airless Medusa queue filled with crying babies, bored toddlers, irate parents and exhausted pensioners, with the chance that you might not even be seen that day?!?

But this is what we've learned. Solution.

11:59 Phone ever-willing-to-eat-and-talk friends Silvie and Henry, who live in nearby San Telmo. Arange to meet for lunch.

12:00 Arranged!

12:01 - 12:45 Idyllic wandering in the sun around San Telmo which has never looked more beautiful for spending an hour in the traumites office.

12:45 - 14:30 Lazy lunch. Bread, olive tapenade, steak, wine, good company, good cholestrol, waiter like Javier Bardem in No Country (yup, that's the one where he's the serial killer).

14:30 Jog back to office to check the progress. 83 is up. Perfect. Phone in order of coffee and go to pick up Katie and Maia.

15:17 Pay bill, head back to the office.

15:23 Walk in to hear no.95 Struggle to hide the smugness.

15:24 - 15:59 Queue with fascinating dude from Los Polvorines, the town of the school where I work. He's the first person I've met from the other side of the wall. Top guy.

16:01 Done and dusted, home in time for tea and medals.

Now THAT's what I call Tramites.

Oh. I should mention that in two years there are two obvious improvements to the system.
1. There was a bar of soap in the men's toilets (although still no running water in the sink)
2. There are now more computers.