Actually releasing it into the hands of a postal clerk will be mentally challenging, but I’m ready to try. I’ve been carrying around my completed passport renewal form for a good three months now. I secured the necessary unflattering 2×2 photo this weekend, courtesy of Walgreens. Size was the only actual mandate. The washed-out slightly stunned result was just lucky, I guess.
Now comes the difficult part: relinquishing my current passport for renewal. I am in the early planning stages of my next trip. My target date isn’t until next spring. This shouldn’t be a big deal.
But, what if…? Spontaneity keeps life interesting. And for at least two weeks, and maybe longer -my spontaneity will be confined to the borders of my own country. If something international comes up before the return post, I’ll feel like the kid lacking a permission slip for the class trip.
My neighbor just went through the renewal process and assures me that his passport made the journey back and forth within two weeks. My last passport experience almost required congressional intervention, so I’m understandably hesitant. But tomorrow morning, I’m taking the plunge. As long as no one in the Bureau of Consular Affairs stops to laugh at the photos, I should be travel-ready in plenty of time.
