I got more than I bargained for today at the US Embassy in London
Added 2020-01-08 19:16:21 +0000 UTCToday I travelled to London for an appointment at the US Embassy to try and get a travelling visa. Whilst waiting for my turn, a loud, american announcement blared out from the tannoy exclaiming "Attention, move away from the windows immediately and take cover. Move away from the windows and take cover. This is not a joke. This is not a joke." Not exactly what you want to hear in such a place. We followed the orders none the less and stood about for a few minutes, unable to leave. The staff didn't know what was going on but that it was no false alarm. Having been aware of the ongoing escalating friction between Iran and the US but having not really been following it closely over the past 12 hours, it did cross my mind whether world war III was commencing, which was a scary thought. Then my thoughts turned to my bag, which I had stashed outside in a bush because on the website it said that bags were not allowed, even though loads of people had bags. Surely it wasn't that, but because we were banished from the windows I couldn't know for sure. In the end it turned out that some nutter had tried to force his way in to the embassy down stairs before being swiftly dived on by the security and then the police.
To top off what was a thrilling episode, I was told that I was allowed into the states, despite having an old, lingering and in my opinion unjust criminal record. Unfortunately there was one casualty, dry Jan.
Comments
I wonder how often things like that happen in an embassy. Especially in those circumstances right now the stuff has to be tense as hell during such announcements.
Nora Sander
2020-01-09 19:55:15 +0000 UTCYeah you;re right, but your mind can't help but think of such things when something like that happens!
tom davies
2020-01-09 11:09:43 +0000 UTCYou're half right, it's my mate Jan who's got a really dry sense of humour
tom davies
2020-01-09 11:08:45 +0000 UTCA stupid drunken brawl when I was 21, nothing serious but annoyingly it's followed me around.
tom davies
2020-01-09 11:08:15 +0000 UTCGood thing it wasn't your bag, also, I wouldn't be too worried about any sort of WWIII (probably an optimistic statement).
James Detmer
2020-01-09 01:45:08 +0000 UTCI thought you were referring to someone abstinent from alcohol named Jan.
Caleb Rinard
2020-01-09 01:35:18 +0000 UTCWhat was the criminal record for? Go on... don’t tease!
Matt
2020-01-08 22:11:05 +0000 UTCWest coast van trip baby. Me and Verity. Will be posting lots of updates / vids on Patreon. Thanks for the offer though, maybe some other time!
tom davies
2020-01-08 19:30:27 +0000 UTCWhere are you planning on visiting in the states? If you happen to come through Kentucky, I got you
Ben J
2020-01-08 19:18:32 +0000 UTC
