I headed to the next desk that I was directed to and it looked like it was going to be another couple-hour wait. Things weren't looking so good, looked like there was another flight to Manchester at ~8am the next morning. It was 7 or 8pm by now and I was already scoping out places to sleep in the area. When I was next in line, I saw them handing out hotel coupons out to a lady who was stranded, just like me. She was holding a Mexican passport. This meant that she either had a Schengen visa already, or they gave her one for the overnight stay. The thought that I might be able to get out of the airport and see a bit of Paris that night did a lot to boost my morale.
So I walked up to the counter, and, as suspected, she offered me a free hotel stay for the night and a meal. Then she asked if I had a visa (uh-oh). I shook my head, hopes semi-dashed. She proceeded to explain to me that she could try and get me a one day visa but it would be the French Police's decision at the end.
After a half hour wait (during which I fell asleep at my chair), Air France staff woke me up and handed me my passport, letting me know that my visa had been granted. I hurriedly walked over to the counter, half listening to the nice lady's monologue about my meal options and location of my hotel. All I could think about was how I had about 11 hours left in Paris and how much sight-seeing I could fit into that time frame. Considering that I was under-dressed for the cold in Paris and clueless about public transport in that illustrious city, I assumed that it was going to be a long night. (In hindsight, it was a lot longer than I could have imagined at the time.....)
So I walked up to the counter, and, as suspected, she offered me a free hotel stay for the night and a meal. Then she asked if I had a visa (uh-oh). I shook my head, hopes semi-dashed. She proceeded to explain to me that she could try and get me a one day visa but it would be the French Police's decision at the end.
After a half hour wait (during which I fell asleep at my chair), Air France staff woke me up and handed me my passport, letting me know that my visa had been granted. I hurriedly walked over to the counter, half listening to the nice lady's monologue about my meal options and location of my hotel. All I could think about was how I had about 11 hours left in Paris and how much sight-seeing I could fit into that time frame. Considering that I was under-dressed for the cold in Paris and clueless about public transport in that illustrious city, I assumed that it was going to be a long night. (In hindsight, it was a lot longer than I could have imagined at the time.....)
