Shortest Distance Between Two Points

Renewing an Australian passport while in the USA is fairly straight forward if you meet certain criteria. You fill out a form, write a check, get some photos and post it all off with your current passport.

I chose to use Fedex to send the package as I was a tad nervous about it disappearing. Sending a personal package via Fedex from work is nice and easy so I went with that.

The Fedex package path was somewhat longer and more convoluted than the path from my house to the Australian Consulate-General.

I would've had to make an appointment to deliver it by hand (and go through the whole security theatre rigmarole) so my passport got a trip around the Bay Area instead.