Wow! I'm so glad you got out of that okay! As I was reading your story remembered a woman who had a real ordeal in South Africa not too long ago. She arrived WITH her passport, but it turned out that it only had two or three spaces left for visa stamps, and they wouldn't let her in the country. She was stuck in a hot, cramped room with people who were in serious trouble ... and without her husband and three children whose passports had been in order.

Thankfully, he was able to rush to the US consulate or embassy and get one of those emergency purple passports. But it took a whole day while she waited!

Ack.

I'm so glad it wasn't quite that bad for you!