Friday, 25 November 2011
Tuesday, 8 November 2011
Visas on arrival
Phnom Penh
It's all quick. You provide a passport size photo, they take one with a digial webcam and the scan your thumbs and four fingers, hand in the visa application form given on the plane, and queue to pay the fee and collect the passport which goes from one person to another , for up to 4 or 5 of them, to be called.
Watch the change if you pay with a 50$ note as it's a common scam to be given 5$ less. First hand info! I counted the change right there in front of them and i was 5$ short and told them so. No questions asked, they give you the correct amount. Cheeky monkeys.
It costs 20$.
Laos
Simple but more rudimentary. Basically no scanning nor digital photo. You provide a photo, fill in a form there on the spot with little space to do it.
different fees for different nationalities. Spanish 35$ + 1$ for service (can you believe it?)
After, immigration and your entry form.
vietnam
NO visa on arrival unless you've applied for an e-visa.
We had our visa done in Madrid. 65$ for one entry. 80$ for double entry.
It takes a week or so.
It's all quick. You provide a passport size photo, they take one with a digial webcam and the scan your thumbs and four fingers, hand in the visa application form given on the plane, and queue to pay the fee and collect the passport which goes from one person to another , for up to 4 or 5 of them, to be called.
Watch the change if you pay with a 50$ note as it's a common scam to be given 5$ less. First hand info! I counted the change right there in front of them and i was 5$ short and told them so. No questions asked, they give you the correct amount. Cheeky monkeys.
It costs 20$.
Laos
Simple but more rudimentary. Basically no scanning nor digital photo. You provide a photo, fill in a form there on the spot with little space to do it.
different fees for different nationalities. Spanish 35$ + 1$ for service (can you believe it?)
After, immigration and your entry form.
vietnam
NO visa on arrival unless you've applied for an e-visa.
We had our visa done in Madrid. 65$ for one entry. 80$ for double entry.
It takes a week or so.
Floods in Cambodia
http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/2011/nov/01/cambodia-floods-disease-toll
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-15246653
I flew out on October 13th, arrived in PP on October 14th.
Yes, one of my main concerns before departing was the floods affecting the South East Asia. I was selfishly concerned about to what an extent it would affect my travel plans, how much it would rain but my thoughts were also with the families going through this ordeal.
On arrival in Bangkok, from the plane I could see fields and fields of what seemed flooded land but I was unsure whether it was floods or not. the closer we got to the mouth of the river, the more obvious it was. Yes. Thailand was covered in water. Then the plane took off for Phnom Penh and the situation was pretty much the same. We did see fields of flat land, rice paddies, dotted with palm trees, green and lush but as phnom penh was approaching, the situation got worse and huge extensions of land were undoubtedly flooded, with houses, temples and bulidings surrounded with water. The meandre of the river faded by its own overflowing and the inability of the land to drain more water.
The weather on arriving was good. No sign of flooding in the capital from aground. Fortunately. No sign of flodding in the city centre. Life as normal. Dry streets, but what seemed high river water levels, but then again, we'd never seen "normal" water levels as it being our first time there and not having spoken to any local yet, other than our tuk tuk driver.
No sign of rain, of typhoons which had worried me so much up to my departure.
then, two days later, on the bus to Kep, and days later to Siem Reap, we find out the extent of the floodings while on the bus. This slightly higher seat allowed our eyes to reach a bit further, to go out of the safety of the city centre and yes, flooding was bad, it probably didn't prevent carrying on as "usual" but still water carries waterborne diseases, and in places where animals and humans share the same land and house only makes things worse.
Narrow passages leading to houses by the river, in the city, shacks of rugged metal planks and wood. When crossing the Japanese bridge, we see more of the flooded land. A lot of damage. It will certainly take weeks before this dries out.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-15246653
I flew out on October 13th, arrived in PP on October 14th.
Yes, one of my main concerns before departing was the floods affecting the South East Asia. I was selfishly concerned about to what an extent it would affect my travel plans, how much it would rain but my thoughts were also with the families going through this ordeal.
On arrival in Bangkok, from the plane I could see fields and fields of what seemed flooded land but I was unsure whether it was floods or not. the closer we got to the mouth of the river, the more obvious it was. Yes. Thailand was covered in water. Then the plane took off for Phnom Penh and the situation was pretty much the same. We did see fields of flat land, rice paddies, dotted with palm trees, green and lush but as phnom penh was approaching, the situation got worse and huge extensions of land were undoubtedly flooded, with houses, temples and bulidings surrounded with water. The meandre of the river faded by its own overflowing and the inability of the land to drain more water.
The weather on arriving was good. No sign of flooding in the capital from aground. Fortunately. No sign of flodding in the city centre. Life as normal. Dry streets, but what seemed high river water levels, but then again, we'd never seen "normal" water levels as it being our first time there and not having spoken to any local yet, other than our tuk tuk driver.
No sign of rain, of typhoons which had worried me so much up to my departure.
then, two days later, on the bus to Kep, and days later to Siem Reap, we find out the extent of the floodings while on the bus. This slightly higher seat allowed our eyes to reach a bit further, to go out of the safety of the city centre and yes, flooding was bad, it probably didn't prevent carrying on as "usual" but still water carries waterborne diseases, and in places where animals and humans share the same land and house only makes things worse.
Narrow passages leading to houses by the river, in the city, shacks of rugged metal planks and wood. When crossing the Japanese bridge, we see more of the flooded land. A lot of damage. It will certainly take weeks before this dries out.
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