Archive for Visas & Immigration

Flashback-packing !

August 15, 2010 / admin / 4 comments

It was exactly 5 years ago that I left on my first backpacking trip out of India. August 2005. My first Europe trip as well. I guess its been no looking back ever since that trip. So, this is a blast from the past – the post I wrote before my first trip.

fatter me larger backpack

I had been dreaming for eight years and saving for two years to go for a Formula 1 Grand Prix and that’s how it all started…


The Italian Grand Prix was in September… Scarlet Ferraris … Scarlet flags… thousands of fans dressed in scarlet… I sure wanted a taste of it… By March, I had accomplished the most difficult task… convincing my husband that our entire saving needs to go towards financing his wife’s dream to see Schumacher in flesh and blood. The decision that we were going to make that trip… Those words ‘Yes honey, I think we can manage with a zero balance in our bank accounts for sometime’… those were the most encouraging words for me. I just had those words, a free Internet connection at office and my will to plan the entire trip…


‘Entire Trip’ – you must be wondering how Italian Grand Prix turned into entire trip… Well, who goes all the way to Italy and just visits little Monza without seeing all the beautiful cities and countries in and around Italy… I bought a nice notebook and wrote my name very stylishly… and gave it a title ‘Mission Monza’. 6 months to go. That’s sufficient time to plan… So I thought… After all, I was an amateur traveler… My earlier experiences were limited to official trips within the country invariably planned by my company, school excursions geographically limited to South India planned by the teachers, family trips planned and funded by parents or impromptu day trips with friends in and around places where I have lived.


In any case, I started very optimistic like most people do, wanting to see all of Europe in 20 days and with a budget in mind that could probably just take me to the airport and back. My first itinerary looked like the index of an atlas. It had all the names of all the cities that I knew existed, within each of those European countries that I could spell correctly. If I had gone with that itinerary, sure shot I would have spent more nights and days in buses and trains and probably managed to catch the E of Eiffel Tower and L of Leaning Tower of Pisa.


Where do I start? Where… I was confused like any other traveler wanting to see the world. I decided to start by buying the traveler’s bible – Lonely Planet’s Europe on a Shoestring. I always wondered why it was Europe on a Shoestring and not Europe on a Sock with a hole in it. That’s probably how much I could afford.Now that I had committed close to 1000 Rs on a guidebook, there is no backing out… Right! Nope… my husband was having second thoughts about the cost of the trip, considering the excel sheet cost estimates that I was mailing him everyday after reading a few pages of the guidebook. I had to do something before he changed his mind. I decided to commit on the most expensive thing, which is buying our air tickets. Once we buy our air tickets, there is definitely no backing out… (Evil me waving those expensive air tickets in front of my husbands face with an innocent pout which stands for ‘Guess what I bought for us honey’ look… I am sure that would work!)


Air Tickets… Air tickets… I decided to go to The Wanderers… they are travel agents if you are wondering whether they were a band or something… I felt like I was sitting for an interview to do a Ph.D. in Travel & Tourism… they asked me intelligent questions like where I wanted to go, what I wanted to see, how many days, what was my budget, blah blah… And my preparation was weaker than my preparation for a microeconomics examination… I learnt 2 lessons that day… Lesson 1 – A cheap holiday is not easy… the more it costs you in terms or time and preparation, the lesser it will cost you in terms of money… Lesson 2 – A traveler has to learn to sacrifice… The list I had drawn out would ideally take someone a year to cover… and I just had to get more realistic… The objective is not to tick off 30 places like a To Do List… The fun is in experiencing each place like you are tasting a new flavour of ice cream for the first time… relishing every moment and making it last long… I rushed out promising to return after doing my homework.


Rome, Venice, Florence, Pisa, Milan, Paris, Bordeaux, Nice, Monaco, Cannes, Corsica, Barcelona, Madrid, Ibiza, Amsterdam, Brussels, Prague, Vienna, Salzburg, Interlaken, Zurich, Montreux, Lucerne… I started with a list 3 times longer… Pages of scribbling, pouring over the Internet, I landed up with a realistic list… 3 countries in 3 weeks… France, Italy, Switzerland… here I come!


How did I shortlist these three… Italy… well the race was happening there… that was obvious… The other two were the difficult choices to make… I could have done Sweden and Turkey… or Poland and Belgium… wait a minute… I did not need ‘Europe for Dummies’ to figure out that France and Switzerland were neighbouring Italy and would hence be logical options… Thank the map vendor outside Andheri Shopper’s Stop who sold us a world map about a year ago… We decided on these two countries instantly… all the stuff I had downloaded on other countries were neatly transferred to this folder called ‘Ruled Out’.


The next two months went in a flurry, a completely crazy time pouring over hundreds of hostel reviews, Eurail timetables, sightseeing websites and I felt like I had already seen most of the places I intended to travel to. I could tell you how long it would take to travel between each of the cities I planned to go to by train, air or bus, with daily departures and fare details. I could tell how much it would cost to stay in a 4 bed dorm, 6 bed dorm, mixed dorm, double room, twin room, single room in atleast 10 hostels in each of the cities. I could tell you where you could get beer for a Euro… After this intense research, I had excel sheets titled Itinerary Version 1.0, Version 1.1 and so on… linked to Stay Options sheet, Sightseeing sheet and finally a formula filled cost sheet which would calculate the cost automatically. I tried thousands of permutations and combinations till I saw the magical figure, which was my budget, on the cost sheet. I was home.


The best part of this search was short-listing a hostel in each city. With peculiar names like 3 Ducks Hostel, Flying Pig Hostel and Fawlty Towers
Hostel, I guess we had to rely on reviews and a large amount of gut feel, before we chose any hostel… there were equal amount of good reviews and bad reviews for each of those places… So, I figured the best approach was to actually book the cheapest place and take a chance… If two places tie for the cheapest option, then book one with perks like free breakfast, proximity to railway station, non-shared bathrooms, sheets for free, free maps, free internet connection, no curfew… the list is endless.


With everything figured out pretty much, the only thing left was to get a Visa to visit those countries. I was enraged to find out that British citizens and American citizens do not require a Visa to enter Schengen countries. I started my Visa application process in a protestor mode… ‘How can you discriminate against India’ mode… that was just my ‘Rebel without a clue’ side waking up for a few days… After a couple of days, I was feeling practical and started collecting all the documentation required… the docket I made contained everything from my blood group to my tax returns to my marriage certificate to my ration card… I had no clue what the guy at the French Embassy would do with all these details… as long as he let me and my husband enter his country as tourists… The fat docket and a crisp covering letter on my company letterhead clearly stating that I had a secure job in India, which paid well, was the assurance that I did not intend to run away to France to sell postcards outside Eiffel Tower. Oh God… how much I hated to lie…


Anyway… to cut a long story short… we got our Visa… confirmed our bookings… planned a little more… and it was now frightfully close to August and we still did not have backpacks. Carrying suitcases and walking all around was out of question. I searched on the net, on roadside luggage stores in town and suburbs and just couldn’t find a nice looking comfortable backpack. The search for the Holy Grail would have been easier. After umpteen enquiries, I managed to find a tiny store in Matunga, selling professional backpacks for long trips. Who would think the place most known for Idlis and Dosas in Bombay would be the place where I would find the ideal backpack. Mumbai Masala proves itself, yet again…


All our bags are packed, we are ready to go… Come August 20th and we set out of our homes with our backpacks and every vegetable Vendor in Pali market was wondering why we were carrying a bag the size of a sack of potatoes and grinning like idiots at 6 am in the morning… Little did they know what was in store for us… Little did we know…


Like I have always said in all my stories… the journey is the reward… the three weeks come and go like a super fast train… but it’s the planning which makes me feel like I went on a six month trip and not three weeks…


What happened in those three weeks… Well, this pre travelogue is not meant for that… Watch out for the travelogue… Coming soon to your mailbox!

Category: Air Travel, Backpacking Tips, Europe, Flashpacking, France, Hostels & Hotels, Italy, Monaco, Packing & Gear, Switzerland, Travel Tips, Visas & Immigration / Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Maria full of grace…. Aparna full of anger….

November 3, 2009 / Backpacking Ninja / One comment

How many of you have heard about the movie Maria full of Grace… the Colombian film about a pregnant girl Maria, who is a victim of the classic drug smuggling from Latin America you oh so often hear about. Stricken by poverty and fired from her miserable paying job, with a total lack of perspective but romantic in wanting to support her family, she decides to accept the offer to work as a drug mule, flying to USA with sixty-two pellets of cocaine in her stomach. Yeah! She swallows every one of them, without realising the consequences of the drugs on her pregnancy, on US immigration, on the methodology of extracting the drugs or the possible murder that it can result in if she fails to do so. The movie is stark, realistic, painful with absolutely no feel good elements. That’s why there are brutal portions of the movie that shake you up so badly that drug is not a word you would want in your dictionary.

When I was in Bolivia, I was told that I resemble Maria. Maybe something about being with a bunch of Colombians… I looked Colombian enough. I did not give it much thought then. (But, sure as hell it was a compliment.. she is a South american beauty)

Anyway, its almost half a year since I got back from the trip and I saw a pirated DVD of this movie lying around in someones place. Reminded me of the comparison. And, then it reminded me of something else…… My Maria experience…

The first time Maria steps into the United States, pregnant, with drugs in her stomach, clutching her bag and looking terrified of the security check, you cannot help but feel the fear yourself. As one of the other mules is being led away by the police after an X-Ray scan, which clearly reveals the drugs, you can’t help but think about the dilemma she is in. But, pregnancy would have never had its advantages as much as this moment. Maria escapes the X-Ray and hence, manages to cross immigration purely by luck. However, those few minutes scare the shit out of anyone watching the movie, feeling Maria’s pain… But, she deals with it oh so beautifully…. with sheer grace indeed.

Well… cut to March 2009, Atlanta airport, early morning. Delta Airlines from Sao Paulo lands and I walked out of flight, chatting up this 17 year old Brazilian exchange student, most thrilled about going to Alabama or Arizona for his semester abroad. Speaking only Portuguese, this kid sported wavy long hair and carried just a dirty backpack, like me. In the entire hall full of passengers, 2 people were picked by the African American police crew (I’m not a racist, but this detail just makes the whole setting more visual) and who does that happen to be – Brazilian boy and me. I thought it was routine check that they put backpackers through but I was being too kind to the Americans. Little did I know what I was going to be put through. Without getting into too much detail, let me just say, I was strip searched, put through an X-ray, interrogated in a room about the possibility of carrying drugs, running away from India, having a 17 year old brazilian boyfriend in addition to the standard who are you visiting, what do they do, how do you know them, how much do they earn, when do you plan to go back, do you have a job, do you have a husband, why did you leave him for such a long time, how come you speak Portuguese, why do you train in a martial art, why did you talk to a stranger in an airplane….. You get the drift! They even had a audacity to remove everything out of my backpack and unfortunately landed up finding 3 brazilian porn magazines that I was carrying for my American friend (it was a dare, trust me). Other than that, they just found wierd looking instruments tucked away in nooks and corners of my bag and suspiciously shook it to see if it had pellets or something. My caxixi, an insrument that looks conical with coffee seeds in it and the little christmas light kind of samba ball with mustard like seeds in it may have gotten me arrested. Anyway, I had to shake them about in the three beats to convince them it was a Samba instrument. I even hummed a bit. Eventually, after 1.5 hours and wasting my beautiful morning, the fat guard decided to let me go. But, about 10 minutes before he decided that, I was totally mind F***ed and I decided to mess with him. So, I remember this dialogue very clearly.

Guard – Why Brazil for so long?

Me – Because I love coffee and the country has the best coffee in the world in addition to lovely people and cultural richness. And…… its 6 45 am, about an hour and a half since my flight landed and my friends are waiting for me hopefully. If you want to mess with me this early in the morning, a cup of coffee would have been nice.

Ice broken finally. Freak.

Guard – Hahahahahha (artificial laugh) Girl with a sense of humour eh. You can pack up your stuff and get your passport from the other counter. And that’s the way to the MARTA station. Good day!

Me – Thanks! You have a good day too (What I really wanted to say……. let me save it)

I left the airport indignant, having been treated so miserably when I knew I had done nothing wrong. I left with rage. I wanted to punch the guard before leaving, even if it meant getting deported to India that minute, with cancellation of my US visa. I remembered the painful day my mother missed her flight from Neward to Austin when the guards in the airport thought that her tongue cleaner was a weapon. I’d laughed at her then. Now, I know what certified idiots some of those Americans are. And I’m not surprised at all.

I’m just angry. and I sure as hell hope they don’t try that with me again.

Category: Movies, Not Just Travel, Travel Tips, Visas & Immigration / Tags: , , , , ,

Show me the visa …..

August 10, 2008 / Backpacking Ninja / 5 comments

If you are unfortunate enough to hold an Indian passport (normally I dont think being an Indian is unfortunate.. I love everything about India except the Indian passport) you need to read this post very carefully. Reading does not guarantee a Visa. All the paperwork as detailed below plus oodles of luck may just get you your Visa.

Some basic steps before applying –
1. Make a list of all the countries you are visiting in South America – There is a separate procedure for each country. Detailed below.
2. Find out which country you are transiting through (Europe / South Africa / USA) – Ensure you have the Visa / Transit Visa for the same. If its USA, please check this website for Visa procedures – https://www.vfs-usa.co.in/Home.aspx
3. Find out when your passport expires – Your passport needs to be valid atleast for 6 months for you to apply. If your passport is nearing expiry, please account for a 1.5 months addition to your timeline for passport renewal.
4. Find out the number of blank pages in your passport – Most Visas require empty pages facing each other. Hence, if you need 5 Visas, you better have 10 blank pages.
5. 90 days is a key thing to remember. Visas are given normally for a period of 90 days. Also, Visas are issued only 90 days prior to entry. That means you have to enter the country 90 days within the issuance date and your visa is valid for 90 days from date of entry. So, you cant start applying 5 months in advance for your visas. Make an excel sheet with your itinerary and ensure that you do your applications depending on your date of entry.
6. Take passport photographs in all sizes possible. White background works best.
7. For application outside your city, get a reliable agent. One who is reachable on the phone and who will guard your passport with life.
8. Covering letter has to be credible. (Check link for sample – http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=ddvxdgts_8grgpnggk)
9. Leave letter from company has to be credible. (Check link for sample -http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=ddvxdgts_9ffxcsdgm)
10. Ensure you specify multiple entry if you are going for a long term.

The above points are extremely critical in applying, sequence of applying and date of applying. Unlike Europe, which has one Visa to enter many countries (Schengen Visa), South American countries require a separate Visa. Following are the countries in South America – Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia, Venezuela, Uruguay, Paraguay, Suriname and Guyana. I must, at this juncture, thank Paraguay, the only country in the world, which does not require Indians to hold a visa to enter.

I have detailed below the Visa application procedure and requirements for the countries I plan to visit – Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Chile and Bolivia. All these details will be given to you by your agent. But, nothing like the power of knowledge in advance.

Brazil
Can apply in Mumbai
Visa fees – Rs 1000
#Unit # 113 & 114,
11th Floor, Free Press House Building,
Free Press Journal Marg, Nariman Point,
Mumbai – 400021
Ph: 022 – 2283 4469
Application submission – 9 30 am – 12 30 pm
Visa collection – Depends on what time the visa officer asks you to turn up

Remember not to carry your cell phone / bag / laptop when you are going to the Consulate. They don’t allow you inside with any electronic stuff or bags.

Requirements
Visa Application Forms (Filled)
Covering letter detailing the purpose of your travel
Original Passport + Photocopies of first and last page
Photocopies of original air tickets to Brazil (no itinerary from trave agent)
Financial proof documents (6 months Bank statement, 3 Years Tax returns, Credit Card copy)
Leave Letter from Organisation you work for
DD for Rs. 1000/- for Consulate General of Brazil (Rs 500 in cash if you dont go in person)
Marriage Certificate (Incase passport is in Maiden name)
Photocopies of Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate

Visa is given for a period of 90 days. Anything longer than 90 days is not possible from India. One has to apply for extension in Brazil. One has to enter Brazil within 90 days of issuance of Visa.

Argentina
Apply in Delhi
Visa fees – Nil
B-8/9 Vasant Vihar, Paschimi Marg,
New Delhi 110 057
Tel: +91 11 4166 1982
Fax: +91 11 4166 1988
Apply through Travel agent – Recommending Riya Travels, Delhi

Requirements
1 Form
2 Photos
Original Covering letter to be attested by notary Exchange
Return Ticket
Onward Visa if any
Hotel Confirmation
Day to day itinerary dully notarized
Financial proof documents (6 months Bank statement, 3 Years Tax returns, Credit Card copy) – The Bank statement must have the name of the Bank Officer issuing the bank statement, with complete contact details of bank including the phone number. Embassy would call the bank to verify this account.
Authority letter on the letter head autorising Travel agent from Riya Travels and should be notarized.

Visa is given for a period of 90 days. Anything longer than 90 days is not possible from India. One has to apply for extension in Argentina. One has to enter Argentina within 1 year of issuance of Visa.

Peru
Apply in Delhi
Visa fees – Rs 1450
C-1/24, Vasant Vihar
New Delhi 110057
Phone: +91-11-2614-1154
Fax: +91-11-2631-2557
www.embaperuindia.com
Apply through Travel agent – Recommending Riya Travels, Delhi span>

Requirements
3 Forms
4 Photos white background latest within 06 months (should not be scanned)
Detailed Covering letter
Financial proof documents (6 months Bank statement, 3 Years Tax returns, Credit Card copy)
Return confirmed ticket
Hotel Confirmation
NOC from the Employer

Visa is given for a period of 90 days. Anything longer than 90 days is not possible from India. One has to apply for extension in Peru. One has to enter Peru within 90 days of issuance of Visa.

Chile
Apply in Delhi
Visa fees – Rs. 1950
146, Jor Bagh,
New Delhi 110003
Ph: +91-11-24617123
http://www.echileindia.com/
Apply through Travel agent – Recommending Riya Travels, Delhi

Requirements
1 Form (to be typed)
4 Photos white background latest within 06 months (should not be scanned)
Leave Letter from the Employer
Detailed Covering letter from the applicant
Financial proof documents (6 months Bank statement, 3 Years Tax returns, Credit Card copy)
Return confirm ticket
Hotel confirmation or Letter of Invitation
AUTHORITY LETTER for outstation applicant should be on a Rs. 50/- stamp paper duly notarised by notary. Should authorise travel agent, who will apply on behalf of applicant. Stamp paper should have the photograph of pax. stamped by the Notary and signed by the applicant. Left hand thumb impression of the pax next to the signature is also required.

Visa is given for a period of 90 days. Anything longer than 90 days is not possible from India. One has to apply for extension in Chile. One has to enter Chile within 90 days of issuance of Visa.

Bolivia
There is no embassy / consulate for Bolivia in India.
One has to apply from any of the other South American countries.
Prepare yourself with documentation similar to what is mentioned above and then apply.

Getting the Visa is the biggest milestone ever. Then, there is no turning back. Only 3 things more have to be done before you board the flight -
1. Scan the Visas and mail them to yourself
2. Send a thank you card to your agent and visa officers (if you know them) – Helps when you apply again
3. Celebrate like crazy !

Category: Travel Tips, Visas & Immigration / Tags: , ,

Yellow Yellow Useless Fellow

July 28, 2008 / Backpacking Ninja / 11 comments

If there is one thing more painful in India than getting your passport renewed or getting a driving license, it is getting the yellow fever vaccination. For those who don’t know what yellow fever is and why a vaccination is required, here are some facts -

  • Yellow fever is a tropical disease that is spread to humans by infected mosquitoes
  • Many yellow fever infections are mild, but the disease can cause severe, life-threatening illness
  • Yellow fever is found only in Africa and South America
  • Yellow fever is preventable by immunization. Travelers to countries with yellow fever should get the yellow fever vaccine.
  • Some countries issue a Visa only if you have a Yellow Fever vaccination certificate, issued by the authorised vaccination centre.
  • If you come back to India and cannot produce your Vaccination certificate, you may be quarantined for 6 days. (Refer to http://sachiniti.wordpress.com/2006/09/08/dino-morea-quarantined/ – Actor Dino Morea quarantined – They dont spare anyone)

I have consciously highlighted some of the words above. That summarises the reason why I had to get the Yellow fever vaccination. Getting an injection was hardly the issue. The process to get the same was the most painful thing I had to endure in my life.
Like any hopeful traveler, I headed to one of the two centres in Mumbai, which gives this vaccination – Seaman’s Clinic in Ballard Estate. As I approached Navbhavan building, there was a long queue and things definitely did not look right. We were about to enter the building, when we noticed an A 4 size printout pasted on the dirty yellow door. It read Yellow Fever – 80 injections Only – 2 pm to 4 pm. Well, 80 is a decent number.. so we thought. We went in and found more A4 sheets pasted on other doors, which read – No enquiry on yellow fever to be done here. We discounted the same thinking that people did not want to be disturbed with unnecessary questions. On reaching the inner room, we were approached by a peon, who dismissed us away in 2 minutes telling us that we should turn up at 10 am the next morning and stand in the queue. Bizarre but true. But, we did not understand the procedure.

On stepping out of the building and meeting 3 guys (who seemed more than happy to talk to 2 girls considering the shortage of women in that queue) explained to us that there are no systems in place for the Yellow fever vaccination. 80 injections are given officially, but unofficially it can go upto 120 or 130 or any number. It depends on the peon and the doctor. However, the catch was that the people queueing up were more than 150 everyday. Since there is no register to actually take down the names, the person who lands up first starts a list. This list is a sheet of paper containing the names and passport numbers of whoever turns up to take the vaccination. This list is made from the previous night onwards. People turn up all night and add their names to the list. 80 names get filled up typically by 5 or 6 am. We thought he was kidding. Who on earth would wait from 9 pm till next day 4 pm to get an injection.

I reached the clinic next morning at 7 am and saw a huge crowd. Guess what number I got on the list – 125, 126 and 127 for my friend Neesha, my husband Roy and myself. Attrocious. I was in a predicament. I really did not know whether it was worth waiting or whether I should come back another day. I decided to try my luck and wait all day. I did forget to mention that the reason why I came to Ballard in the first place was because Sahar International Airport, the other centre had run out of vaccines. A guy picked up my call and said – ” Vaaacine khatm ho gaya… Thhhheeeen chhhhhar din ke baaaad try karnaaaa”. It is indeed common that the centres run out of vaccines and people are left stranded outside these centres hopefully for the day they can get injected.

The wait all day was excruciating in some ways and entertaining in some other. Entertaining because I met / saw some really interesting people -

No 82 – A 24 year old guy who works in a cargo ship and has traveled to half the world told me the names of clubs I need to visit in Copacabana beach in Rio. Imagine.. he already had a yellow fever vaccination done earlier but laminated his certificate. Laminated certificates are not accepted in some countries and he was forced to get this done all over again.

No 138 – A tantrum throwing doctor, who felt that by claiming she was a doctor, could manage the injection faster than we did. She was wrong.

No 30 and friends – A black T shirt clad shippie (with a ear stud et all) who had taken control of the list and stood guard at the dirty yellow door with his wingmen – a blue t shirt clad optimist and a white shirt clad pessimist. The optimist always smiled at us and mentioned that they may give 120 + injections. The pessimist was not even hopeful of getting his injection.

No 102 and his dad – A 21 year old who had to go and work in Africa (Nigeria), who had been visiting the centre for days, but in vain. No (between 1 – 80) Bald Rich guy and family – Bald rich guy and family came 5 minutes before their injection, walked in royally, got their injection and left. They had the money to get some other guys to stand in the queue on their behalf.

No 124 – who was hopeful, because he had an air ticket

My friend Neesha landed up around noon with some Candies sandwiches. Roy decided to leave for work as he was already 3 hours late. We entertained ourselves by discussion our travel plan a bit more. It was around 1.30 pm and they called the first 80 people in. Around 3 pm, people started coming out with Yellow cetificates in their hand. The peon came out around 4 pm and called another 20 people in – No. 80 to 100. It looked like there was no hope for those beyond 100. Not today. Not another day.

A brainwave struck me. I made Roy rush to Riya travels and get dummy E tickets issued for us for the next day. Someone had told us that if we had to travel on emergency and could produce tickets, they have to give us the injection. After waiting the entire day, I was willing to go to any extent to get that damn injection. With tickets in our hand, we patiently waited for the peon to show his face. Patience turned into frustration for many who were in the queue. The commotion started to build up and everyone gathered around the clinic door. The peon came out and called for 5 people with tickets. I think the three of us were lucky to get in… being among the only 3 women in the entire queue, he called us in. We were made to sit in this windowless room with benches.

The peon and his sidekick (another peon I think) came in and discussed matters of money. The vaccination cost only 150 Rs. But, in a typical Indian way of asking for a bribe, the peon said – “Aap khushi se kitna denge”. I felt like telling him – “Pehle mein khush nahin hoon. Doosri baat…. mein aapko ek thapad dena chahti hoon”. Roy took over the situation. Exactly at that time, the impatient lady in the queue behind us thrust a 500 Rs note on the peon’s face and raised the stake. You can imagine how frustrating and infuriating it is. The rest is history…. you can fully imagine what happened.

We had to then fill the form, get the injection and the certificate. It all happened in 10 minutes. The doctor sure did not look like one I would go to under normal circumstances. He introduced himself as an ex-army commando, who is interested in martial arts and hence, would like to see my Capoeira class, when I told him about my martial art. He then wanted my telephone number. So, I just gave him a wrong number, got the injection, smiled politely and walked out with my Yellow certificate.

With this certificate valid for 10 years and knowing how difficult
it is to get it, I plan to do full “Paisa Vasool” – visit every country which has yellow fever in the next 10 years.

SOME FACTS Countries which need you to take a Yellow Fever Vaccination
Africa – Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire), Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Ivory Coast (Cote D’Ivoire), Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan (South of 15 ° N), Togo, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia.
South America – Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, Panama

Where in India can you get your Vaccination http://www.sticholidays.com/sticholidays/india/yellowfever.php http://www.clickjobs.com/js/visa/yellow_vaccination.html
Other quick options to get a Vaccination

  • Out of India – Its easier, organised and efficient. However, its more expensive
  • Approach a newspaper (like Mid Day) and ask them to do a sting operation so that the process gets better in Mumbai
  • Take a newschannel with you to the centre, so that the peon has no choice but to call you in first

Run out of Vaccination – It happens !! Check out some newc coverage on the same – http://www.gujaratglobal.com/nextSub.php?id=4162&catype=Travel http://www.hindu.com/2007/09/02/stories/2007090255270600.htm http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/04/stories/2008070460170400.htm
Mellow with my Yellow…



Category: Travel Tips, Visas & Immigration / Tags:

The Master Checklist….

July 21, 2008 / Backpacking Ninja / 7 comments

All the planning in the world cannot prepare you for what South America has to offer. I hope to build the mother of all checklists through this post…. everything and anything one needs to look into before boarding that plane to South America… The list is in no particular order or hierarchy. If you ever plan to visit South Am, I would suggest you arm yourself with a printout of this post about 3 months before your flight to ensure you have everything ready.

As of today, this is a checklist which has not been tested practically… if I have a different experience from my actual plan, I will update this accordingly… this post gets updated regularly…
1. AIR TICKETS – Getting cheap connections to South America from India is a feat. Unless you plan to walk overland from India to London and then take a flight, I doubt anything to South America can come cheaper than 75000 Rs. Research on Air tickets is of utmost importance. Look up my post Art of Air Tickets for the same. I bought mine from Riya Travels. They give the best deals in Mumbai. (022-66594949)
2. TRAVEL AGENT – He better be your friend. You will be calling him about 5 times a day with varied options and expecting him to whip up itinerary emails for you at the speed of light. For that, he better be a good friend. My agents Vasu and Aarti from Riya Travels Mumbai are fantastic.
3. GUIDEBOOK- Lonely Planet South America on a Shoestring has been a great option. Ive read it cover to cover and its been amazing. For additional research, you can always look up the internet after an induction with the LP. If you have a friend still working in an organisation, you can bookmark pages and ask them to give you back to back printouts in font size 8 which you can use as throw away guidebooks.
4. TRAVEL FORUMS – Register yourself on Travel communities / forums – The ones I recommend are Lonely Planet Thorn Tree Forum, Trip Advisor and Couchsurfing. While Trip advisor and Thorn tree can be used purely for advice (ranging from ‘which hotel do i stay’ to ‘whats the cheapest way to get from your bus station to your hotel’ to ‘can i eat exotic fruits in the amazon’), Couchsurfing is great to make friends, stay with locals and get local advice. Its the mother of all sites.
5. VISAS – Keep about 90 days in your hand before you travel for all the Visas. Brazil has a consulate in Mumbai, but Argentina, Chile, Peru and other countries have their embassies in New Delhi. Some countries like Bolivia are not even present here. You need to really map out your travel plan keeping in mind the Visa procedures. There is a shitload of paperwork to be done and the more detailed it is, the better your chances of getting a Visa. Look up my post ‘Show me the Visa’. My agents Nematullah and Premlata, from Riya Delhi, are fabulous.
6. US Visa – Yeah, it helps.. not to get other visas.. however, cheapest air connections may be through the US. And US does not allow people to transit if you do not have a Visa. Getting a US visa is not that difficult.. the process is amazing. Look up VFS USA

7. MAPS – Buy a large map of South America. Else, print out mini maps of every country and mark out border crossing towns, places you want to visit, road / rail routes, etc. This makes overland travel easy.
8. BUS TRAVEL – Bus travel.. its the best way to get around. Long long journeys but the only cheap option. Internal flight costs can kill you. Hence, look up the bus booking site for every South American country and try and get advice on distance and costs from travel forums. Online booking can be tricky as sites are in Portuguese / Spanish. Write on travel forums for advice and book your tickets when you get there. For bus travel in the United States (short distance), you can check a Chinatown bus option else you can check Greyhound.

9. MUST SEE THINGS- Always decide what are the places you definitely want to see before you set out – For eg: Machu Picchu in Peru, Uyuni in Bolivia, Christ Redeemer in Rio, Pereto Moreno Glacier in Argentina, etc. This will help you plan your trip around the places you want to visit. I will be putting up my list soon.
10. BACKPACK – Buy a great backpack, which wont give up on you, when you are traveling. Wildcraft makers of amazing travel equipment in India are sponsoring mine. Its fabulous. Go check it out. One also needs to have a daypack in addition to a backpack when you are traveling for 7 months. The daypack can carry gadgets plus a change of clothes / jacket incase you are headed on a day trip somewhere. One foldable bag (which can open into a side bag) is a great if you are hitting the beach, etc. This can be neatly folded and kept inside your main backpack.
11. SHOES – Shoes that can last for 6 months. Comfortable and practical. I use my light Adidas slip on sneakers for the same. And one pair of flip flops / beach slippers is a must. Crocs make super comfortable light sandals and they have given me a lovely blue pair to travel with me. Check it out.
12. YELLOW FEVER VACCINATION – Get a yellow fever vaccination done. Its a nightmare to get this in Bombay. A post of mine will be dedicated to this – ‘Yellow Yellow Useless Fellow’. Minimum 15 hours in the queue and a bribe to top that is your only hope. I should complain to the Anti corruption Bureau..
13. BLOG – Set up a blog. A travel website. Whatever you feel like. Something that can capture your adventures and keep people back at home informed about what you are doing. If you have a little extra money, register a URL and redirect to your site. You can use Go Daddy or Register.com . I used Redif.com (Indian site) to do this. I used it thinking that Desi tech companies will have good customer service. Its been the worst nightmare. Once I registered my domain, they mention that I need an email with them to redirect URL to blog. They are number one cons. I have been going back and forth between Rediff customer service and blogger help group, but in vain. My URL is as of now not working. And I am yet to figure out stuff like DNS and CNAMES. Befriend a techie. That’s the only hope. Check out my website www.backpackingninja.com to read the post on online nightmares I went through.
14. MONEY MONEY MONEY – Figure out the money situation. Ive figured out that taking a Forex card to South America may not be a good idea as Forex cards only load USD, Pounds, Aus Dollars or Euros. It would then mean double conversion – INR to USD and USD to South American currency. Its better to have 2 International debit cards from 2 bank accounts in India – one preferably giving you a Visa debit card and another with a Mastercard debit card. All banks (MNC) charge you 2.5 to 3 USD for every withdrawl. So, keep that in mind while budgeting. And ask your bank to authorise international withdrawls before you leave so that you have no trouble withdrawing.
15. CREDIT CARDS – Credit cards only for emergencies. Take one emergency credit card, which you can use online and for other major buys. If you have someone back home who can pay your credit card every month, it would be good. Else, ensure you can pay online from your bank account. This allows complete control of finances.
16. TRAVELERS CHEQUES – A good friend adviced me that travelers cheques are not in use anymore.. they are good if you need to show financial position to get a visa. Otherwise, its cumbersome.
17. FLASHPACKING – Traveling with GADGETS – If you plan to be a flashpacker, one who wants to carry all your gadgets during your travel, prepare in advance. Make a list of things you want to do – Write, Upload Photos, Videos, B
logging, Emails, etc. Check out the resources with you currently. For eg: I have a company laptop, which I have to give back (since Ive quit), a Nokia phone (display messed), an IPod in good condition and a fantastic Canon Camera. So, the basics I am looking at carrying are cheap phone which can SMS and make calls plus charger, Ipod which can double as a external hard disk with a Laptop charger, Canon camera with a Battery charger and USB connector and a mini travel laptop. I have shortlisted and purchased the ASUS EEE PC – a 7 inch mini laptop which serves the purpose. It is just about a kilo, extremely compact, windows XP enabled, with a builtin microphone and webcam, wi-fi, bluetooth. What more can you ask for.
18. GIFTS- Pick up small gifts for people you meet, people who host you or generally travel friends you make. For women, small earings, bindis, bangles, silk scarves, spices make wonderful gifts. Its a little more difficult to shop for guys. But, gendar neutral stuff like bookmarks, keychains, coasters, wall hangings, music works. Incense sticks are great. One of the best gifts you can give someone is a bunch of mp3s from India. Take assorted Indian music in a pendrive and share it with people.

19. FREE WI-FI – Check out my post Wi-Fi Wonders for details on how to access free wi-fi when you are traveling.

… more soon..

Category: Air Travel, Backpacking Tips, Flashpacking, Food & Drinks, Hostels & Hotels, New Language, Packing & Gear, Public Transport, Responsible & Safe Travel, Road Travel, Travel Tips, Visas & Immigration, Weather / Tags: ,
 
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