SNAFU #1, just 2 weeks prior to departure. Was talking with my friend Andy re: meeting and celebrating our October birthdays in Kathmandu - after I leave India - and he mentioned that an entry VISA for India might take a while.
Went online and surprisingly found out that US citizens cannot get an on arrival VISA at the Delhi airport - or anywhere else for that matter. If you are from Burma, Viet Nam, Lao, and about a dozen other countries, it is available on entry. But Great Britain and US are not on the "on entry" list. As if British or Americans are a high risk entry group of people. I can understand Pakistani or Bangladeshi citizens being closely screened, but not a US citizen. Go figure. Most Americans I have talked with were glad to escape the squallor, poverty and beggars and return to the US anyway.
Spent better part of two hours exploring every available option - fly to San Fran and go to the Indian Consulate, use a rapid VISA online service, etc. every effort ended with "not enough time" answers. I just cannot get it done in time. Sooooo......the flight currently booked from Ankara to Delhi needed to be changed. Had more problems finding availability of a points flight on Turkish Air through United. It appears to me.....and to the United agent I talked to for 35 minutes.....that as of 10/13, flights are not offered for points. Took what was available and depart Ankara 10/13 for Kathmandu. Will only cost about $35.00 to change the ticket and I will spend a few more days on the Black Sea coast.
If India still draws me, I will persue a visit and a VISA from Nepal before I go to Thailand.
Travel is all about change of plans. If you are not flexible and roll with the changes and go with the flow, you will go nuts.
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