Passport – check
On Tuesday morning I went to pick up my passport. Luckily this time I didn’t have to queue at all (I went to the police station at 8:30 am). The lady asked me for my current passport that needed to be cancelled. I stared at her a bit and said I didn’t have a passport (I did have a 1-year passport in 1997). She still insisted, “it expires in January”. I said again I didn’t have a passport. Then she noticed that the paper that was attached to my passport had a wrong, but very similar, name. She apologised and said “I’m glad I didn’t rough you up more.” 
My photo is still bad but it isn’t as noticeable under the plastic. This time I don’t look like I’ve escaped from prison as I did on my first passport.
Next step: ETA (Electronic Travel Authority) and plane tickets…
For the whole story, see category Tourist of Oz.
Well thank God you didn’t look like a criminal! Oh, and BTW, I finally got through Half Life 2 Episode One. I whined away and kept reading the cheat sheet and finally got through everything. I’m such a weeny man.
:!:Hurray for getting through Episode One:!: