Phil and his driver's license

Phil went to Esteli to run some errands and use the internet today. This means I received a batch of e-mails that are responses to the ones I sent him over the course of a couple of weeks. Now, between appointments he deals with a huge amount of e-mail but if I catch him while he's on-line, sometimes we get a conversation going that almost resembles real time. Anyway, I thought I would share this with everyone because it's one of his typical Nicaraguan bureaucacy stories, received in two parts - and yes, I have warned him I do this.

From Phil 10:51...

I have to renew my driver's license today (and some other errands) so it will be a bad internet day. Let me quickly explain about the driver's license:

1. Go fill out a form and pay in BANPRO.
2. Go to the Red Cross for an eye exam.
3. Go somewhere and get a photocopy of my current license (which makes no sense as they keep it when they give you the new one and, no, no copies at Transito).
4. Go to Transito and sit around. Eventually they take your picture and 5 minutes later you have your new license.

Estimated time for all: 4 hours.

I had hoped I would get the Movistar 3G modem working so I could do stuff while sitting at Transito but still one more unknown.

And later... at 3:11, Phil is back in his vehicle on a side street using WiFi...

OK, first, I don't have a driver's license. I did all the hoop jumping and as a copy of my cédula is also required, had to find a place that did photocopies not near the five that do all near each other in the center of town.

Now, "inside" Transito I waited as always. I was then told to go to the ventanilla (little window) outside for license renewal. This makes no sense as the computers with the cameras are where I was but the guy who told me was sitting at one so, OK.

I wait in the line outside for probably half an hour. I was number 4 in the line. There were about a dozen it it when someone finally comes to the window and asks if anyone is there for a license renewal. Three of us are. She says "I am just doing multas" (traffic violations) now. We grumble. A few minutes later a guy comes to the window and says "we do renewals at 2PM". It was 11:30. I left.