The US Passport Office

So, with two weeks left to go, Laurie doesn't have a passport!

You see, it expired a little while back.  So, Laurie, being on the ball about these things, mailed it in for renewal many many weeks ago, (I think around 12 or so).  Plenty-o-time, right?!  No.  The Passport Offices are way jacked right now.  They're severely backed up, and they're claiming that the passport is lost.  Great.  HUGE inconvenience, right?  Sure.  Well, now we've got to pay for all sorts of rushes and the like, go down to the passport office this week and get a new passport lickity split.  Plus, Laurie's from Canada, so she's got to show all sort of proof that she was simply born there, but has been a US citizen her whole life.  And, keep in mind, we're doing this at the earliest moment they would let us.  See, if your trip isn't around 2 weeks away, the office won't even talk to you to confirm whether or not your passport is lost, on its way, or being used as government toilet paper.

The Passport Offices are way jacked right now.

This, of course, is not to even mention the fact that we also need a Vietnam Visa, which you need a passport for first.

The lesson here everyone, if your passport is expiring, make the trip in person to a passport office, (I don't care how far away it is and how inconvenient it is), and do it mad early!

More to follow in the days leading up to the trip.