Amazing ...

I sat in line today at the Traffic Office (S.A.'s equivalent of the DMV), waiting to get a traffic register certificate so that I would be entered into their sytem and thus, would be able to own a car here. While in that line, I talked to a South African man who was quite disgusted over how it took multiple trips to get the titling done for his vehicles. As we chatted, I thought of the many trips I've had to make to just get to the place of being able to purchase a car here.

There were the 5 trips to FNB (bank) that proved fruitless because each time I went, there was something not quite right about my paperwork.

There were the multiple trips to the mall to try and set up a department store credit card so that I could have a statement sent to the house to "prove" that I lived there.

There were the multiple trips to car dealerships and auction houses where I looked at 100s of cars.

There's the two trips to the Traffic Office that I'm not going to complain about ... they almost didn't accept my paperwork because it said "Visitor" in my passport.

There were the three trips to another bank that actually let me open a bank account without too much hassle ... imagine, three trips = not too much hassle!

And now, there will be the multiple trips to the car dealership where I think I'm going to buy my car. It's the end of the process, so to speak, and I'm really surprised I'm not more worn out!

Here's to hoping that God makes it clear which vehicle I'm to buy, and that I won't try to convince him to let me buy something cheaper. :o)