Well actually I’m a little bit pissed off by something I read a few minutes ago.
I have both British and Swiss passports. Both countries have accorded me the right to travel and would offer me some form protection at their embassies and consulates when I am travelling. If I was a known criminal my passport would be withdrawn and I couldn’t travel.
Some countries even afford me the right to visit their countries without applying for a visa. They trust the judgement of those that accorded me a passport.
Apparently if I want to visit a country that will remain nameless (but I know you are intelligent people) that although I don’t need a visa they will require me to make an application 48 hours before travelling through a website that will put me through a lot of hoops and ask a whole load questions that I won’t feel like answering.
You might say “Well if you don’t want to do it, don’t visit.”
That’s what I conclude too, right now and on the spur of the moment.
I sincerely hope that all governments do exactly the same thing and then we can just make the most of it where we are and get on with our lives. What good does travel do anyway? We can always build walls, turn off the TV, power down the networks and head back to the caves.
If you treat people like undesireable monsters you turn them into the very monsters you are trying to avoid.
on Jun 11th, 2007 at 11:40 pm
Yes, indeed
on Jun 12th, 2007 at 10:12 am
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to you
HAPPY BIRTHDAY dear Graham
Happy Birthday to youuuuuuuu.
You have been most fortunate not to have needed a visa to travel to countries and I can understand your frustration. For me, it is just something I am used to. I don’t need a visa to visit the UK but I need a visa to visit every other country in the world and some countries require a full one on one interview before even thinking of granting me a visa. It is the norm for South Africans but we do have Visa organisations who take the pain out of the application by doing it for you. Visa applications are very expensive and even if the visa is declined, you are not able to get your money returned to you. Some countries will only grant a visa if you have an air ticket and completed several of 3658 forms they have, have an invite from the person you are visiting (who also has to fill out forms on their end), have medical insurance etc. Whilst other countries insist that you do not even deem arranging travel until such time as a visa has been granted. So I count myself lucky that I don’t travel all that often.
Have a superlicious birthday today. Hope all your dreams and wishes come true. *Mwah*