Getting our cats to Beijing

Weather: rather nippy - a cold front is on its way.
Temp: 2-12
Exhange rate: RMB1 = R1.50
Walking: my first attempt at adding a short video clip to my blog. It's pretty arb, but if it works well, there will be more to follow. Let me know.

Leaving our cats in South Africa was not an easy decision, but since I didn't have a residency permit we had absolutely no choice. Rebecca has been looking after them and I'm forever in her debt - looking after our two madams, moving house, renovating your new house and digging up your garden all at the same time, with a toddler as first mate, can't be very easy, but Rebecca has been great and we owe her in a big way.

But leaving your cats with your nearest and dearest for a month or two is really easy compared to trying to sort out the logistics of actually getting them to Beijing. I've been dealing with a company called Keringa in Johannesburg who's job it is to get the cats here. It all seemed plain sailing till yesterday. Keep in mind that the cats are supposed to fly on Monday. So, yesterday they send through a mail saying that they just want to know when I'll be getting the State Vet Clearance Certificate. WTF is that? I don't know about you, but I certainly don't fly my pets around the world on a regular basis, so I assumed that they would sort out all the necessary documentation as I'm paying them a small fortune to do so. Yes, can we all say it together? Assumption is the mother of stuff ups. So, I called them; shouted a lot, but to no avail. They assumed that I would get the state vet certificate. But of course - let me just fly to SA to drive to Germiston to do that. ARGH! ARGH! ARGH! They say it's a misunderstanding - I say it's sheer incompetence. But all is not lost - I've asked the troops at Virgin Money to help and I'm hoping that the kitties will now be here next Friday.