so typically Swiss.

i am a little under two months away from a 6-month adventure to the middle east, nepal and various countries in south east asia - therefore, made a visit to zentrum für reisemedizin (http://www.ispm.uzh.ch/travelclinic.html) to top-up my vaccinations...

two weeks ago was my first visit. i lost my vaccination booklet from the trip to india i took nearly a year ago (multiple dirty looks...), so they had to put in a request in to find my record in the archive (with a passive aggressive "keine problem"). or more specifically, something to the effect of: "fine - get your first rabies vaccination now and then when you come back for your second installment, we will have your papers and do the rest then." easy, took the obvious scolding - i deserved it.

i went back today and my record was never ordered/no where to be found in the office (even after i was told a note was made in the computer). okay, easy - a mix-up. but then i was informed that it would take at least a month for them to find them in the archive (note: getting very close to my departure date). so i explain - i was told it would take a week AND honestly, a month? in a country that over-documents everything and then alpha-files it and then cross-files it with birthdates and likely eye color and mothers maiden name...or whatever insane system - A MONTH?!

with a deep-breath, i offer the solution: in two weeks i have to get my 3rd rabies shot, could they find the record and do the rest by then? some whispering in swiss-german and over-the-shoulder scowling which then manifested into a verbal berating for losing my first booklet (note: no problem-solving here, just blame for something i can't do anything about)...and not even 3 minutes later my record magically appeared from the archive.

so, unless there was some cosmic-time lapse i missed and its really Nov 29th, i am pretty sure this is just another way the swiss inflate the amount the time it takes to do something bc it would be too impolite to say: "i just don't feel like doing it right now, or tomorrow, or next week but maybe in 3 weeks i'll think about doing it (but, that is, only if i feel like it)"...

Just be glad you weren't trying to sort it out in the UK. You'd still be sat there now in a queue with a ticket in your hand saying 976 and the single manned desk is still dealing with number 132...

My sympathies - at least you are getting out the country for a while! There definitely is an element here whose only joy in life comes from the criticism and head shaking at others. I barked at one today and it went away.
Enjoy your trip!

Awesome rant.

You remind me of a friend of mine.

Reviving this thread not to rant, but to give a recommendation.

If you need a travel clinic, consider visiting http://www.travelclinic.ch/
It came highly recommended from a friend of mine, and I visited them due to an upcoming trip to a "medically challenging" country.

The website is in German, but the doctor, the assistant nurse, and the secretary all speak very good English. In addition, the doctor, Danielle Gyurech, speaks Italian, French, Spanish, and Portuguese.

All the documentation and the explanations you need are available in both German and English, they really make time to explain ther risks/measures to take, answer all your questions, and discuss together what the best approach is depending on your personal circumstances - required vaccinations, recommended ones, treatments, length of your traveling, location, etc.

One other very important thing: they send you the bill in the mail, but before you leave they lay out to you the total amount you will owe, broken down by treatments, etc. so no hidden charges later. They have a well stocked pharmacy if you want to already get some medicines, otherwise they can give you the prescription and you can go to the pharmacy of your choice.

Aside from looking like a gruyere now for all the shots they gave me, I had an excellent treatment and I highly, highly recommend them for anyone thinking of traveling to unusual locations.

This is true!

But you would have a got a free translator, and been somewhat relieved that although there was a huge que, no one is pushing in front of you.

Dunno - I don't need a translator in the UK.

Isn't it normal for emergency cases to jump the queue, though?

Non-emergencies just get worked through a list so there's no opportunity for queue jumping, even if you go and sit right next to the doctor's door. At least that's my experience.

I wasn't implying you, my post was a mere swipe at the english system of bend over backwards for jonny foreigner whilst neglecting their own.

I do wonder how many here would need a translator in case of any emergency in CH? Who would then complain when one is not provided immediately for free.

Pot - kettle - black. Oooh, I forgot- Brits are not 'that' kind of foreigner (are they?). And they just wouldn't expect the swiss system to bend over backwards for jonny foreigner (or would they? well only for the 'right' kind of furiner). This is hilarious, really.