The Fabulous World of Visas - India

Hello peeps!

Second installment of the serie.
 
Remember how border crossing in the Maldives was easy peasy?Well, let me introduce to visa procedure, Indian style!


All the official info is available here: http://in.vfsglobal.co.uk/

If you have a passport from Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand or Singapore then lucky you little bugger - no need for advance procedure, you can get a 30 days visa with single entry on arrival in Delhi and Mumbai ONLY.
 
The rest of us will need to get a tourist visa before entering the country. Usually a 3 to 6 months visa with single, double or multiple entries, no extension possible.

You will need for the application:

• Passport valid for a minimum of 180 days with at least two blank pages.
• 2 recent 50*50 size photographs. Check they are the correct size!
• The online application form with signed declaration.
• For the double entry visa you will also need to submit a tentative travel itinerary

That's only the start.

If you are like me a non UK passport holder you will also need the following:  

- If you have been in the UK more than 2yrs, you will need to provide:

•  A stamp of indefinite stay OR
• A utility bill for the current month and for at least 2yrs back. Only landline phone, gas, electricity, water, council tax and tenancy agreement are accepted - no bank statements and no mix and match of the utility bills.

- If you have been in the UK for less than two years there is a form to fill in and processing time will be minimum 10-15 working days in this case.

The application form is filled in online, then you print it with all the forms and document check lists required. Make sure everything is signed where needs to be.

Either post everything including your passport to the Hayes mission or book an appointment and drop the paperwork at your local application centre. The appointment time is issued when you do the online application but can be modified after.

It takes about 1wk to process the application. You can choose the delivery option for your passport when you do the online application.

Happy days :)

The Fabulous World of Visas - Maldives

Hello peeps!

I thought I might do a serie of "informative" post rather than just my usual ranting and outpouring of thought. I will do this from time to time on different topics, so if you ever think about visiting the same countries, at least I can give you a head start on what to expect and how to avoid the pitfalls.

Sooooo... Welcome to...

THE FABULOUS WORLD OF VISAS - or how to get lost in bureaucracy!

Aside of all the excitement of planning a round the world trip, one of the tings i found decidedly not glamorous is the think about the visas I will need along the way.

First thing first - I will be going for a year, so not point getting all the visas I could possibly need before I go because chances are most of them will expire way before I get anywhere near said countries!

I will however get some before I go and the rest I will just pick up along the way. Wish me luck :)

Today's topic is the Maldives.

All official info available here: http://www.immigration.gov.mv/index.php/entry-to-maldives.html

There no procedure to go through before entering the country. A 30 days free visa issued on arrival.

You will just need to show: 

• A valid passport
• A valid ticket onward ticket
• Enough funds to cover the expenses for the duration of your stay - US$100 + $50 dollars per day - OR a confirmation of reservation in a Tourist Resort or a Hotel.

It is that easy!
 
A word of caution: the Immigration officer is well within his/her right to issue anything up to 30 days. Sad but true - so smile, be polite and look smart. Could prove a bit of a challenge after a 13hrs journey, but just think about that cocktail you will sip when you arrive at the hotel - it is worth the hassle!

Happy days :)

Living out of a suitcase

Hello peeps!

This week my journey has well and truly started.

I moved out of my flat on Tuesday and moved into a friend's spare room. It was a bit of a shock when I got there.

All my life packed in 3 suitcases, 3 bags and 4 boxes, fighting for space among my friend's stuff, a single bed on one side and the pump in the fish tank promising to turn me insane in the middle of the night if I don't switch it off. That, and the uncertainty of what the next year and a half will bring.

Was tough. Real tough. I actually cried. Life as I knew it was over and a new life I know nothing about was begining.

After the first couple of nights, things are feeling a lot more settled.
Wake up around 7am, courtesy of the 3 kids upstairs running around.
New shower routine - don't forget the bathrobe... would be best to avoid any unfortunate incident...
Wi-fi detox - that one is still bringing tears to my eyes! I def need to get them a router :(
New parking spot in the street.

But also - starting to feel this trip shaping up and becoming real.

I will be leaving the UK in 7wks. There no time to sit around and hope for the best.

It will be the best because I will make it the best.Simple as that.

It's just that I might spend the w.e in my bathrobe not doing much... one needs to enjoy the quiet house before the kids come back on Monday morning!!!

:)

The clock is now ticking

Hello peeps!

This whole "I'm off traveling next year" thing is starting to get very real now. The countdown has started and I now have exactly 2 months until the end of my life as know it.
 
In a week's time, I will be officially homeless. So from next Sunday, I will be lodging at a friend's, waiting for the first part of the trip - 2 months back home in the Caribbean in December/January.

I will be back in the UK in February to finish my visa applications, then I will be off again early March for 11 months.


Moving out, planning the trips and manage tensions at work whilst dealing with the pain from my recent break-up - stress factor is definitely cranked up into red zone. I am even starting to question whether I took the right decision. Maybe now was not the right time to change everything.


The clock is definitely ticking a little bit faster now - but at the moment it feels more like a bomb timer than anything else.

:(

Lost and found

Hello peeps!

Long time no posted, I know.I was a bit lost in the land of broken hearts, but I saw the light, brothers and sisters, and I am back!

Back for more, (slimmer), better, stronger :)

A few things have happened since my last post:

1. I am confident I will be able to survive India.
Laugh as you might, but I was actually thinking maybe I could just skip this part of the trip... Fear of the unknown and all - all cleared up with a bit research and planning.

2. I have found a travel buddy for my first stop in the Maldives
On some forum, jetting off with a new found travel buddy is compared to getting married after one blind date... and thus, should be avoided at all cost! However, for someone who has never even been on holidays on my own, going on the road for a year on my own was a little (a lot) daunting (blooming freaking me out!).
So I decided to take a transitional step between "never been on holidays on my own" and "yeah baby, bring it on" and meet up in the Maldives with a random girl I meet on lonely planet!

3. I looked for a backpack - and gave up... for now :(
I have been looking for a backpack and a wash bag this week. Who would have known there were so many brands/colours/sizes/fits to choose from?? Well I didn't so I have parked this one until later!

4. Couchsurfing seems to work
I have posted - and received invites from a few people in Bangalore and Goa. The best bit - not all of them look like they would chop me up and have me for aperitif!

5. I am resilient and things WILL get better
This one is more related to the broken heart stuff, but also applies to my travels. I am been going back and forth between come back and f*ck off, but this is it. I am taking back control of my life. How can I expect to go off for 12months and come back in one piece if I cannot even decide what is good for myself?
It hurts, but it is for the best - for myself :)

That's it for now lovely people.

More to follow on my new buddy... Let's see if she passes the Angela Test!

Travel safe.

OMG - What am I doing???

Hello peeps!

I woke up this morning with a thought - more like a question to myself: what the hell am I doing?

I just quit a steady job, with a good wage and I am about to throw away a life in a safe and stable country to go traveling on my own to places I don't know.

Hence the question - WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING???

I know I am following my heart on this. I am doing something I really want to do - but it is the biggest and scariest thing I have ever done!

Me, on the road like a hobo, sleeping in hostels and sharing facilities with at least another 3 people, not always girls! Me of all people - those who know me must be wondering if I haven't lost my mind.

But despite the cold sweat this morning, it feels good when I am talking about my plan. It males me smile. It makes me immune to the stress at work. Even my dad gave me the thumbs ups today - he has definitely lost his mind that one!

So I will look at all this scariness right in the eye and embrace it. Because I think it means I am alive. And it is always a bit scary to be alive.
Well that - and put together a bullet proof escape plan in case everything goes wrong so I can get back home in one piece. Thank you BA :)

I am smiling again. So it must be good :)

Itinerary

Hello there!

I have done some progress on my planning since last time. Now I have pretty much defined when I will go - end Feb 2013 – which countries I will visit and roughly how long I will stay.

0- I will go back home to the Caribbean see the family in December and January then come back to London early February, get all my stuff together then hop on a plan again!

1- From London, my first stop will be the Maldives.  I will stay for a couple of weeks, relaxing on the beach and slowly melting away my stressed self. Like a holiday at the beginning of the trip.

2- From there, I will fly out to India where I will stay for about a couple of months, traveling around.

3- Next: Hong Kong for about 2-3 weeks for some shopping and a short overland trip to China.

4- After filling up on dim sums, I will be heading down south to Thailand. This will be the main part of the trip. I intend to stay for about 3 months, alternating between hostelling and work-for-keep.

5- Leaving Thailand, I will end up in Bali/Lombok for a few weeks for my second “holiday”.

6- After recharging my batteries, still heading south, I will then reach New Zealand. There also  I will alternate between hostelling and work-for-keep for a couple of months.

7- Next is Fiji where I want to be there for my birthday end of October. I am planning to stay at least 2-3 weeks, soaking up the sun and visiting around.

8- Now the next leg of the trip is still TBC. There are two options: either heading to Patagonia then head up to Brazil or Brazil straight away from Fiji. Both are equally appealing, and I quite like the idea of Patagonia, but first I need to see if I can get a flight or overland transfer from Buenos Aires. Staying in Brazil for a couple of months sounds good too!

9- Whatever the option I will choose in 8, Brazil will be my last stop before flying back to London.

I just need to get a good deal on the ticket then I can start putting some meat around the bones of this trip with things I will do/see. It will not be a day by day type of planning, more like a very loose short list of the main things and activities that will add some spice to the plan.

Catch up soon!