What's the worst thing about travelling?
by prudence on 07-Jan-2011
There are several possible contenders as answers to this question.
Flying, for example. You do this only because you have to. There is no joy in economy class.
Being besieged by taxi drivers on arrival is another of my pet travel hates. You're tired, you're dehydrated, you've not yet sussed out how stuff works, and before you know it, you're awash with dodgy offers of transport. I really like the places that have regulated this.
But my prime current candidate for the traveller's wooden spoon is VISAS.
They cost a fortune. They require photos that turn out to be ridiculous. They involve forms full of ambiguous questions.
And they're the ultimate anxiety-creator. I remember trugging up and down to London to organize visas for Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso. I remember an emergency dash to London before leaving for New Zealand, because the right visa was in the wrong passport. I remember being totally stressed in Auckland when my Iranian visa arrived at the absolute last minute. I was so relieved I took a photo of it. And sometimes it's just confusing -- like when your application for a Vietnamese visa is returned unopened...
And now I'm in a visa pickle again. There's confusion, miscommunication, misunderstanding, delay -- and it's not even got to the Consulate yet. Will I get this wretched visa in time??
Flying, for example. You do this only because you have to. There is no joy in economy class.
Being besieged by taxi drivers on arrival is another of my pet travel hates. You're tired, you're dehydrated, you've not yet sussed out how stuff works, and before you know it, you're awash with dodgy offers of transport. I really like the places that have regulated this.
But my prime current candidate for the traveller's wooden spoon is VISAS.
They cost a fortune. They require photos that turn out to be ridiculous. They involve forms full of ambiguous questions.
And they're the ultimate anxiety-creator. I remember trugging up and down to London to organize visas for Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso. I remember an emergency dash to London before leaving for New Zealand, because the right visa was in the wrong passport. I remember being totally stressed in Auckland when my Iranian visa arrived at the absolute last minute. I was so relieved I took a photo of it. And sometimes it's just confusing -- like when your application for a Vietnamese visa is returned unopened...
And now I'm in a visa pickle again. There's confusion, miscommunication, misunderstanding, delay -- and it's not even got to the Consulate yet. Will I get this wretched visa in time??