Things I've learnt in Asunción - 9 Nov 2010

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I've spent most of this week in La Paz, Baja California del Sur (a.k.a Mexico again!) but there was so much from Asunción I want to tell you that I'm keeping the title as it is. Firstly I want to correct my previous blog that said Mexicans don't like toilet seats, it is clearly only in Mexico City because here I had the pleasure of a toilet seat in every bathroom I frequented! Anyway this is what I've learnt...

I'm a church hopper...went to 4 different churches in 4 different towns in 8 days. Is that a record? (Rhetorical Question obviously)

Phil Scolari has a 2nd Job...I could have sworn he was driving hte bus to Asunción on Sunday

You'll always spot a Mennonite in the airport...I'm talking about Asunción airport of course. In Europe you would be hard pushed to find a Mennonite this side of the 20th Century but they are still prevalent in the Paraguayan wilderness and seem to like travelling because I always see them at Silvio Pettirossi.

You find the best things wihtout looking...oooooh look at Ralph getting philosophical in his blog. But seriously, I had a five hour slog around Asunción the other day (starting around 7am) for my residency (more below!) and after paying £25 to get four pieces of paper translated I was at a bit of a low (I mean you would be if you were fluent in the languages being translated!). But then I got offered a job by the translator after he heard me chatting to his 5 year old son...nice!

Becoming a Paraguayan resident is expensive...finally handed in all the documents, for people who love lists, here is the price breakdown, for those who don't like lists the total is £527.38 not including the 3,000 US dollars I have stashed away in a "holding" account.

1. Interpol Certificate - £6.50
2. Paraguayan Criminal Records Check - £3.25
3. UK Criminal Records Check - £10 plus legalisation by Foreign Office (£30) plus legalisation by Paraguayan Embassy (£23) plus postage (£80) plus legalisation by Paraguayan Foreign Minisitry (£15.60)
4. Vida y Residencia (Address confirmation by police) - FREE
5. Legalised Birth Certificate - Foreign Office (£30), Paraguayan Embassy (£23), Postage (£60) and Paraguayan Foreign Ministry (£20.78)
6. Sworn Statement confirming I will respect Paraguayan Law - £19.50
7. Copies of all the above documents - £13.00
8. Translations of the necessary documents - £26.00
9. Buses all over the city - £13.00
10. HIV and Siphyillis Test - FREE
11. X-Ray - FREE
12. Blood Tests - FREE
13. Heart Check-Up - £7.00
14. Hepatitis B & C test - £15.60
15. Leaglised Health Certificate - 65p
16. Residency itself - £130.50

Question of the Week

"Is it a real donkey?" My taxi driver Hugo (we are friends now) when I said I was going to measure the largest burrito...

And for those who kept reading your bonus things I learn't in La Paz, Mexico.

If you don't live by the sea don't try and compensate by eating prawns everyday...it might involve you being sick on the plane from La Paz to Mexico City and then spending the stopover in Mexico City shaking uncontrollably and having to take a break every 20 metres on the way to the gate (which of course just had to be the opposite end of the terminal!)

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Photos

La Paz Sunset
No reason for this in the blog but it is a great photo (view from my hotel room!)

12 milllion
That's what 12 million looks like (in guaranies) it was what I had to deposit for my residency

Comments

[Alex]

I DO love lists!
But seriously, how can you complain when you get a free HIV and Siphyillis test? And maybe after eating those prawns you should have a Hep A test too!

[Baron Von Pampas]

Residency
I always knew there was a reason more people weren't seeking to become residents of that fine country. Keep the British end up old boy!

[Dan]

Ok, I'm using "Is it a real donkey" whenever I don't hear or understand what someone says. Ref: Hugo (Taxi Driver), 2010 Congrats on the residency and commiserations about the Ashes in advance

[rjh5000]

To Dan
Comiserations about the rugby...I love Hugo, I'll make sure he features more heavily in this blog!