I'm having a hell of time trying to get tourist visas to all these countries. It seems like South Asian passport holders are the pariahs of the world. I have to get a visa for every single country in the world, other than, for some reason, Hong Kong and Singapore. So, for this trip, that means I need to get 15 visas. I could finance a vacation just on the money I spend on those visas! And Smruti as an American citizen needs just 5 visas (Russia, Brazil, Tanzania, Jordan, India).
For example, I had to get a hotel in Russia to fedex me a visa voucher and original reservation documents (whereas Russia allows most other countries to send in faxed documents). This required several phone conversations with the hotels in Moscow and St. Petersburg. The visa I get for Russia will only be for the 1 week that I am currently planning to be there. We can't stay there for even one day longer or (we are told) we will be deported to a gulag in Siberia. And we can't stay at any other hotel because the visa voucher states that we have to stay at that hotel.
The Schengen visa (for France, Spain etc.) had a similar issue. It's bizarre that, for the sake of getting a visa, we have to book hotels even though we don't know our exact dates or places we're going to stay.
The good news is that that the African countries seem to be far less bureaucratic!
-dev
"We made our decision to take a round the world trip in about half an hour."
A round the world trip in half an hour is admirably quick. Takes me longer than that to commute to work ;-). OK snide asides apart, have a great time!
Similar to Dush, I needed a visa for Singapore earlier this year. I also needed to take a shower at hourly intervals. Beautiful place otherwise, don't miss the Merlions (the big one on Sentosa Island, and the water-spouting baby one on Esplanade). Despite being an animal lover (in theory), if I were attacked by a Hindi-speaking lion, that's exactly what I would say - "Mer, lion, mer!" I will now slink back to my cubicle...
Posted by: Prasad Gune | Tuesday, September 07, 2004 at 10:36 AM
Guys,
Sounds like a fantastic trip and lots of adventure and memories awaiting you two. I am sure it will be a blast, will look for updates and pictures. I haven't been to many place but the few I have been to...in India, try and go to Rajasthan if you haven't yet. Especially Udaipur and Jaiselmer (camel safari). For Spain, drink lots of Sangrias...find a square in one of the alleys off of the Rambla's and just enjoy sitting. Also got to check out the clubs/bars at the water end of the Rambla's...but don't go before 1am. Try going to Monsterat (sp?) as well, a half a day trip from Barcelona.
Posted by: sangi | Friday, August 20, 2004 at 12:30 PM
I hate to let you know that Africans are fine bureaucratic craftsfolk. I found out with $10,000 total bribe/fee money for an Internet line in Kenya circa 1995. That was just for the line, no service, just the line...It was for a government building too! aiya! Maybe 2004 will prove better for you. :) Open eyes, open wallets will open doors for you. Hakuna Matata.
Posted by: Benjamin | Wednesday, August 18, 2004 at 02:24 PM
No visa for Singapore??? You better double check that because when I went in November 2003 I sure had to get a visa!
Dush
Posted by: Dush | Monday, August 16, 2004 at 12:30 AM