The Long Wait....

Whereas but at that silly ICA. Have decided to collect Little Arielle's passport today. It was ready on 29th Feb but we only have time over the weekend to do the collection. We went over at about 9.50am and the carpark was full with cars. There were other cars waiting alongside, making the carpark cramp and narrow. Thus, we decided to pop over after our tim sum breakfast.

We reached ICA at about 12.15pm. XP parked at another carpark and placed a half-an-hour coupon as he said that collection only needs to take about 5 minutes. There were automated machines for us to scan our collection card and it would auto print out a queue number for us. I happened to look at the card and realised that we din bring along Little Arielle's birth cert. This is one of the required document. Proceeded to check at the information counter and was informed that as long as both parents brought their ICs, we are able to collect the passport. Hengz ah, else gotta detour back liaoz.

As I was leaving the information counter, I suddenly saw the waiting time on the display board! I got a shock of my life when it reflects 91 minutes for passport collection! When I looked at the queue number board, there are 600 numbers in front of us! Wat seh! Cannot imagine myself having to wait there for that long. The whole place is full of people and it feels like a fish market. People talking away and children fussing away. Tried to pet Little Arielle to sleep but she just refused. I guessed the environment is not conducive for her to sleep. We suspected that the crowd is due to the upcoming school holiday next week. Parents must be taking the chance to bring their kids overseas. ICA should have come up with a queue specially for children below 7 years old. In this way, parents would be spared of the wait as children are not patient at all. How to keep them still for 1hr+?

Little Arielle was getting impatient even though we were just there for half an hour. She din want to be in her stroller. Therefore, we have no choice but to let her down and walk. She was happily walking around and I was busy following closely behind her. It was indeed tiring to be her "maid".

XP took over and carried her. We moved to another part of the service area to wait. Haha, guessed what! We happened to see Jennifer Lim with her sister, mother and son. She is an ex-CSO and now happily working part-time. This is a good option as the next half of the day can be spent with her son. Well, I would probably consider doing part-time only if I have a 2nd one or perhaps when mama is not able to cope. It all boils down to = can't bear with my salary hee hee! Well, I guessed in this realistic society, its always good to have another source of income. I can have the spending power to provide the best for Little Arielle. In any case, I dun have a 2nd one now and mama is still able to cope with Little Arielle so I shall just continue with my work.

Going back to Jennifer Lim, she's here to accompany her mother for the collection of her passport. She has already waited for about 2 hours. She was turned to Little Arielle and started playing with her. When asked for her name, this naughty one said "Arielle". Oh, the first time I hear her saying her own name. Was so happy at that moment! Little Arielle then played with Jennifer's son. Soon, it was her turn. XP suggested that we tap on their turn to do the collection together. Jennifer asked the counter staff and they refused. They claimed that they need to see the queue number. Alamak, need to be so strict or not leh?

It was getting colder as the crowd reduces. We were the last few standing. Finally, it's our turn at 2.30pm. Waited until so tired liaoz leh. The wait is 2 hours long! We were only at the collection counter for 5 minutes. The staff just said that children below 6 do not have to affix their thumbprint in the passport. After handing the document to us, we can leave. Huh, waited for 2 hours and the transaction only took 5 minutes!!

We quickly left the building as our carpark coupon is long overdue! Hengz ah, no summon for us leh! Little Arielle finally decided to fall asleep in the car. Wat seh, seems like she will only sleep in moving vehicle leh. That was 2.45pm when she slept and she actually woke up at 9am this morning! I was tired too and both of us slept in the car hee hee....