signed undertakings …

One of the legacies of empire is bureaucracy. The Romans were famous for it, the American Government is notorious for it and the English imposed it on the Commonwealth and celebrate their proficiency with it in Brussels. Why am I talking about this? Well I have just received the details for getting a visa for India (Our first training course there in December, places still available). I have to turn up in London on one day with forms, photographs and letters and return the next day to collect the passport. I know it will be a nightmare from bitter previous experience. I went onto the web site this morning to see an interesting variation. If I was a journalist and visiting for a holiday then I would have to bring with me (1) a letter from my employer stating the purpose of travel and (2) a signed undertaking that “the application will not do any media or media-related work during his/her stay in India”. Interesting that one, fortunately there is nothing in there anywhere about blogging …..