En-Route to Israel…
Park Plaza Orchid.Tel-Aviv
When we got the opportunity to attend a Disaster Mitigation workshop in Israel I was really excited and looking forward to it. Since Maldivians require a visa to enter Israel we had to get it through the Israeli Embassy in New-Delhi and luckily a Maldivian Embassy is there too. As soon as we got all the relevant documents we mailed it to New-Delhi on the 17th and the Delhi Embassy was able to submit the documents on the 22nd. Since we were leaving on the 31st and with the Christmas and New-year holidays coming in between the Maldivian Embassy had to push the Israeli authorities so that they could send it through someone who is coming to Male’ on the 27th.
I received the passports on the 27th afternoon and as soon as I opened the visa page I found Shidhatha’s picture on my passport with my name and Vice-versa. I was shocked. I just can’t imagine how some-one could afford to make such a mistake. I immediately called the Maldivian Embassy and Rishfa was sad that she didn’t check it thoroughly. She told me she would check what could be done. I told her to ask them if it could be arranged through Israeli consulate in Mumbai since we would be staying in Mumbai for a day. But later we realized that it would be the 1st Jan which is a holiday. But I told her that we could arrange to leave early if it is possible. She called back and told me that the Israeli Authorities said that it would not be possible to arrange through Mumbai and the only option is for us to send the passports or for us to go to Delhi. Since it was 27th it’s impossible to send the passports back and forth, and the only option is for us to go to Delhi. I called the airline the following morning and we were able to get a ticket via Delhi.
We left Male’ on the 30th morning to Colombo and we spent about 4 hours at the Colombo airport on transit and boarded our Delhi flight around 3pm. As I came out of the immigration I saw a girl near the immigration counter and I had a feeling that it was Rishfa from the Maldivian Embassy and something is not right since she said that she would meet us the following morning. As soon as we met her she introduced herself and said that there is a huge problem and the Israeli Authorities called her after we left Male’ and said that they are moving office today and with the systems down they cannot issue a Visa. Unbelievably they are asking us to go to Mumbai. Both of us were tired from travelling from morning and this was what we least expected.
We had no idea that while we were in Colombo Airport planning our New-year in Delhi Rishfa was in Delhi trying to contact us.
Rishfa has already checked the available flights for us to go to Mumbai and she mentioned that there are 2 flights the same night at 8.30 and 9.30 and another flight at 9am the next morning. We thought that it would be better to catch the night flight since if we wait till the next morning we might not be able to reach the consular office on time. We took our luggage and started our journey for the domestic terminal. By the time we reached the Spice jet counter it was almost 8pm. We were able to get a ticket for Mumbai.
We thanked Rishfa for everything and checked in.
By the time we reached Mumbai it was after 11.30. I found a tourism counter and asked them for a room and we were able to get a good hotel not far from the airport. Since Rishfa did not give us the address of the Israeli Consular office in Mumbai we got the address from the guys who got us the hotel.
The following morning after breakfast we started calling the Consular office number but there was no reply. But rather waiting we thought that we would follow the address we got from the Airport. After about half an hour a woman picked up the phone and when I asked about the address she asked me what it is for I had to explain from the beginning and then only she gave me the address and it is another place. Luckily we were on the right track.
Once we reached the building the security guard asked us to wait in line and somebody would come. There was an Indian guy in the front and I asked him what is this line for and he said “to go inside”.
We waited outside on the road for more than 20 minutes when someone came and send the Indian guy inside and then asked us what we are here for. When we started he said “so you are sent from Delhi, we know your case” and then told us to wait. Another guy came later checked our passports and our bags inside out. He then talked on the talkie and told us to go inside. Inside the lobby the guy we met earlier was their. He asked the same question again, and asked us if we are carrying any weapons. He checked our bags took out my camera switched it on. I told him if he wants he can keep it till we finish. But then he gave it back. He then talked on his talkie and said that he has checked the two ladies and everything seems to be fine and then we were sent upstairs.
Once upstairs we waited in front of the Consular office among security guards. Shidh was called in first. I can see two Israeli guys in a uniform. They started questioning Shidh and I saw her moving back and forth through the security gate. Once they sent her into the office they called me. When I went inside they asked why I am here for. As soon as I started one of the guys said that now we know the story and we want to do a security check. He asked me to keep the bag and remove whatever is in my pockets. He asked me to walk back and forth the security gate. I felt like a puppet. I became a bit tense and he said the gate won’t bite.
He asked me whether I am carrying any weapons or Knives or any thing that could harm soneone, what religion and when I said Muslim he asked me about Shidh. He asked about Maldives our organization and in the end one of them asked me if this is my first visit to Israel and when I said yes he told me that I would enjoy it. I told him “I hope so” and he said you surely would.
Once inside the office Shidh told me that they asked her to remove the veil and when she told not in front of them, but if they bring a woman she is ready to do it, they said ok and asked her to remove whatever is under the veil.
Everything went very smoothly in the office and the Indian lady was very nice. She told us to check the visa’s before leaving.
By the time we finished our bladders were so full that we needed a toilet badly, but we didn’t want to ask them in case it might give them a wrong impression. Who knows they might think that we are assembling our bombs inside the toilet. The funny thing is nobody checked our body. I do understand why they were so concerned, we being Muslims and with the latest terrorist attacks in Mumbai where lots of Jews were killed, and the Israelis recent attacks to Gaza, they might think we are two Muslim ladies planning a suicide attack.
The hectic day ended with a visit to the heavily guarded Taj Mahal hotel. The palace area is still closed for renovation, so we could not see that part. But we had ice cream and waffle not to mention the heavy bill we got. Later to end the day we took a cab and drove around Mumbai Bollywood city where we got to see Shahrukh, Salman , Rekha and John Abraham’s house.
Tonight we are leaving to Israel and God knows what is in store for us there.
