Monday, May 9, 2011
My Passports with Visas Came in Today
YIPPIE!!!! I got the Passports with Visas today!!!! Soooo happy. Valid for one month stay in Vietnam.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Air Canada Customer Service Sucks
Holy freakin crap! I have booked my seats over the phone with Lufthansa, Thai Airways, and Scandanavian Airlines today and each one took less than 10 minutes to get seats assigned and reservation codes. Air Canada, the last leg of the trip, has taken 45 minutes on hold then hung up on. Called back and now I am on the phone for another 15 minutes and who knows how long until I actually get to talk to someone.
Air Canada Customer Service SUCKS!!!!! Heaven help anyone who has to call in to their reservations line.
Update!!! another 35minutes on the line and finally get to talk to someone. She was rudely terse. If their flights and plains suck as well then it will be the last I ever deal with them.
Air Canada Customer Service SUCKS!!!!! Heaven help anyone who has to call in to their reservations line.
Update!!! another 35minutes on the line and finally get to talk to someone. She was rudely terse. If their flights and plains suck as well then it will be the last I ever deal with them.
Passports and Visas to Vietnam
Just got some Passport photos taken so I can send them in for the Vietnam Visa. The full visa requirements can be found here, which is the Vietnam embassy web site. The overall process is easy and seems to be less strict than I remember from 2003 and 2004 when I went last.
Basically:
1.Fill out the form
2.Send in form with 1 photo and passport
3.Include payment in form of money order, cashier's check, or certified check *I had to call the number on the page listed above to get the Fee amount as of today it is $70 per person*
4.Remember to also include a return envelope *I recommend a Fedex envelope with prepaid shipping and tracking. You can get them at http://www.fedex.com/ and look for "Print Return Label" under "Return Services:Label" here*
5. Wait usually 2weeks and you get it back in the mail.
I use this method because at the end of it I get a sticker in my passport to keep. The loose leaf version I have never done but my friends have and they get theirs taken away upon exiting the country.
I got the photos from FedEx Kinkos and it cost $14 including tax for 2 photos of your pretty self. I made high quality copies of the photos they took so I can use them in the future instead of paying $14 for 2 measly photos. You can actually make the photos at home. My buddy made some as directed by some web site and used them for some of his visa submissions successfully. I guess google "Make your own passport photo" and you should be all good.
There are other options for acquiring your Vietnam Visa such as Visa on Arrival which is cheaper. I have never tried to use a Visa on Arrival service and because I just cant afford to risk any delays on this trip I have opted for the tried and true method of an Embassy Issued Visa. Next time when I travel with more room on my schedule I will try the Visa On arrival since is less than half the cost. Here is the site http://www.myvietnamvisa.com/, and here is a link to the comparison chart of the Embassy vs. the On Arrival.
Oh and always remember to take a photo copy of your passport when you travel. Especially in places like Vietnam. The hotels request to keep your passport at the frontdesk. On my last trip they one of the hotels in Danang actually had trouble finding my friends passport. Dude imagine if they couldnt find it!!! That would have sucked. The difference in passport replacement with a photo copy as compared to without is like 3 days compared to without like 2 weeks.
One step closer to South East Asia!!! YAY!!!! Hopefully I dont get denied entry to the country on the count of all the debaucherous activities previously undertaken in said region... Just Kidding.
Costs for Visa's for 2 people:
Embassy Fee x2 =$140
Money Order Fee =$10
Photos at FedEx\Kinkos x2 =$28
FedEx Shipping with signature =$45
Visa total cost =$223
 |
| Things you'll need for a Visa to Vietnam |
Basically:
1.Fill out the form
2.Send in form with 1 photo and passport
3.Include payment in form of money order, cashier's check, or certified check *I had to call the number on the page listed above to get the Fee amount as of today it is $70 per person*
4.Remember to also include a return envelope *I recommend a Fedex envelope with prepaid shipping and tracking. You can get them at http://www.fedex.com/ and look for "Print Return Label" under "Return Services:Label" here*
5. Wait usually 2weeks and you get it back in the mail.
I use this method because at the end of it I get a sticker in my passport to keep. The loose leaf version I have never done but my friends have and they get theirs taken away upon exiting the country.
I got the photos from FedEx Kinkos and it cost $14 including tax for 2 photos of your pretty self. I made high quality copies of the photos they took so I can use them in the future instead of paying $14 for 2 measly photos. You can actually make the photos at home. My buddy made some as directed by some web site and used them for some of his visa submissions successfully. I guess google "Make your own passport photo" and you should be all good.
There are other options for acquiring your Vietnam Visa such as Visa on Arrival which is cheaper. I have never tried to use a Visa on Arrival service and because I just cant afford to risk any delays on this trip I have opted for the tried and true method of an Embassy Issued Visa. Next time when I travel with more room on my schedule I will try the Visa On arrival since is less than half the cost. Here is the site http://www.myvietnamvisa.com/, and here is a link to the comparison chart of the Embassy vs. the On Arrival.
Oh and always remember to take a photo copy of your passport when you travel. Especially in places like Vietnam. The hotels request to keep your passport at the frontdesk. On my last trip they one of the hotels in Danang actually had trouble finding my friends passport. Dude imagine if they couldnt find it!!! That would have sucked. The difference in passport replacement with a photo copy as compared to without is like 3 days compared to without like 2 weeks.
One step closer to South East Asia!!! YAY!!!! Hopefully I dont get denied entry to the country on the count of all the debaucherous activities previously undertaken in said region... Just Kidding.
Costs for Visa's for 2 people:
Embassy Fee x2 =$140
Money Order Fee =$10
Photos at FedEx\Kinkos x2 =$28
FedEx Shipping with signature =$45
Visa total cost =$223
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Planning Flights from Thailand to Vietnam
So planning this whole trip out got me real excited because you get the feeling of certainty that you will be on a a plane or at the destination on which you are researching. Oh its gonna be sweet!!!!
Well the logistics right, get to the logistics...
Ok so the flight costs are usually the most expensive portions of my travel and hence take up a large portion of my travel budget. Luckily I have been saving up my mileage points and was able to book both mine and my girlfriends tickets round trip for free. Sweet!!! However after looking at the cost of flying within the countries of destination the sweet got a little less sweeter but still sweet.
First step was choosing which Country to fly into:
Getting to Bangkok Thailand round trip in June.
From New York the cost was ranging anywhere from $900-1300 and up. From Los Angeles my friends got their tickets for $780 round trip.
Getting to Saigon Vietnam round trip in June.
From New York the cost was ranging anywhere from $1200-1600 and up. From Los Angeles the cost was $1100-1400.
Choice - Fly into Bangkok. I had enough United Mileage points to cover a round trip for me and my girlfriend into Bangkok for 130,000 miles total. The flights were not available to Vietnam with standard miles on the days I wanted. The only thing we had to pay for was the Ticketing fee of $25 per ticket each way and taxes. The entire round trip for both of us cost about $300 total. We have a layover in Frankfurt then land in Thailand in 2 calendar days.
Second step getting from Bangkok to Saigon(Ho Chi Minh City) and back:
The cheapest I found when I was in Thailand last and went to Vietnam was Air Asia(http://www.airasia.com/). Currently their flight schedule is 2 flights daily departing Bangkok at 7:45am arriving at 9:15am and 3:55pm arriving at 5:25pm. The return flights are 2 flights daily departing Saigon at 9:45am arriving at 11:10am and 5:55pm arriving at 7:25pm. Each way is $30-$42.
The other option is Vietnam Airlines which has 2 flights leaving daily departing bangkok at 11:20am arriving at 12:50 and at 7:30pm arriving at 9:00pm. The return flights are 2 flights daily leaving Saigon at 8:50am arriving at 10:20am and 5:00pm arriving at 6:30pm. Each way is $67-$222.
Choice - Vietnam Airlines. This one you are going to want to slap me in the face. Because we wanted to get to vietnam as early as possible that day we wanted to take the earliest flight out but we could not get the AM AirAsia flight because of circumstances. Thus we need to take the 11:20am Vietnam Airlines flight. Our base fare is $340 which isnt that bad but then check out the outrages taxes and fees:
1. Base Fare = $340
2. Passenger Service fee-International (JC)/01 Adult = $36
3. Other Tax & Fee/01 Adult = $175!!!!!!!
WHAT THE HELL RIGHT!!!!! 175 for tax and fee.
Total flight cost for Vietnam Airlines for two people round trip from Bangkok to Saigon $551.00.
For AirAsia(http://www.airasia.com/) each way with taxes and fees came out to $75 for the same dates. If we could have waited for the later flight then I would have totally taken AirAsia and saved $250 bucks. Oh well, it is what it is.
Third step getting from Saigon to Nha Trang and back:
Well there is only one choice to fly to Nha Trang and thats Vietnam Airlines, They offer 5 flights a day at 6:00am, 7:45am, 3:40pm, 7:00pm, and 7:50pm all taking about 55min air time. The return to saigon at leaving Nha Trang at 7:45am, 9:30am, 4:45pm, 6:05pm, and 9:35. These flights all cost from $32-$67.
My flight breakdown for 2 people, taking the morning flight there and the late evening flight back.
1.Base fare = $203
2.Passenger Service fee-Domestic (AX)/01 Adult =$9
3.VAT - Value Added Tax (UE)/01 Adult =$20
Total =$232
Flying in Vietnam is expensive compared to the other countries in the region. Freaking crazy even just looking at a domestic flight from Saigon to Nha Trang. Comparitively you can go from Bangkok to Singapore or Jakarta to Kuala Lumpor for the same price.
Well the logistics right, get to the logistics...
Ok so the flight costs are usually the most expensive portions of my travel and hence take up a large portion of my travel budget. Luckily I have been saving up my mileage points and was able to book both mine and my girlfriends tickets round trip for free. Sweet!!! However after looking at the cost of flying within the countries of destination the sweet got a little less sweeter but still sweet.
First step was choosing which Country to fly into:
Getting to Bangkok Thailand round trip in June.
From New York the cost was ranging anywhere from $900-1300 and up. From Los Angeles my friends got their tickets for $780 round trip.
Getting to Saigon Vietnam round trip in June.
From New York the cost was ranging anywhere from $1200-1600 and up. From Los Angeles the cost was $1100-1400.
Choice - Fly into Bangkok. I had enough United Mileage points to cover a round trip for me and my girlfriend into Bangkok for 130,000 miles total. The flights were not available to Vietnam with standard miles on the days I wanted. The only thing we had to pay for was the Ticketing fee of $25 per ticket each way and taxes. The entire round trip for both of us cost about $300 total. We have a layover in Frankfurt then land in Thailand in 2 calendar days.
Second step getting from Bangkok to Saigon(Ho Chi Minh City) and back:
The cheapest I found when I was in Thailand last and went to Vietnam was Air Asia(http://www.airasia.com/). Currently their flight schedule is 2 flights daily departing Bangkok at 7:45am arriving at 9:15am and 3:55pm arriving at 5:25pm. The return flights are 2 flights daily departing Saigon at 9:45am arriving at 11:10am and 5:55pm arriving at 7:25pm. Each way is $30-$42.
The other option is Vietnam Airlines which has 2 flights leaving daily departing bangkok at 11:20am arriving at 12:50 and at 7:30pm arriving at 9:00pm. The return flights are 2 flights daily leaving Saigon at 8:50am arriving at 10:20am and 5:00pm arriving at 6:30pm. Each way is $67-$222.
Choice - Vietnam Airlines. This one you are going to want to slap me in the face. Because we wanted to get to vietnam as early as possible that day we wanted to take the earliest flight out but we could not get the AM AirAsia flight because of circumstances. Thus we need to take the 11:20am Vietnam Airlines flight. Our base fare is $340 which isnt that bad but then check out the outrages taxes and fees:
1. Base Fare = $340
2. Passenger Service fee-International (JC)/01 Adult = $36
3. Other Tax & Fee/01 Adult = $175!!!!!!!
WHAT THE HELL RIGHT!!!!! 175 for tax and fee.
Total flight cost for Vietnam Airlines for two people round trip from Bangkok to Saigon $551.00.
For AirAsia(http://www.airasia.com/) each way with taxes and fees came out to $75 for the same dates. If we could have waited for the later flight then I would have totally taken AirAsia and saved $250 bucks. Oh well, it is what it is.
Third step getting from Saigon to Nha Trang and back:
Well there is only one choice to fly to Nha Trang and thats Vietnam Airlines, They offer 5 flights a day at 6:00am, 7:45am, 3:40pm, 7:00pm, and 7:50pm all taking about 55min air time. The return to saigon at leaving Nha Trang at 7:45am, 9:30am, 4:45pm, 6:05pm, and 9:35. These flights all cost from $32-$67.
My flight breakdown for 2 people, taking the morning flight there and the late evening flight back.
1.Base fare = $203
2.Passenger Service fee-Domestic (AX)/01 Adult =$9
3.VAT - Value Added Tax (UE)/01 Adult =$20
Total =$232
Flying in Vietnam is expensive compared to the other countries in the region. Freaking crazy even just looking at a domestic flight from Saigon to Nha Trang. Comparitively you can go from Bangkok to Singapore or Jakarta to Kuala Lumpor for the same price.
Me and My blog
This is funny... I have been working in the technology industy for 13 years now and this is the first blog I have ever written for public release. Well that being said I have nonetheless been using the blogosphere for assistance into my queries of the personal unknown, especially reading up on the travels of other people around the world.
After spending the last 11 years traveling throughout the United States and Internationally building up, if anything, a broader view of our world I thought I should give back. I am by no means the most seasoned traveller but a little background on me and where I have been is probably the best way to introduce myself. I travel usually 2-3 times a year for anywhere from 10 days to 5 months. I have been to Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Japan, Osaka, Tokyo, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Baja Mexico, Canada, Germany, Czech Republic, Hawaii, California, New York, Oregon, Washington State, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Wahington DC, Virginia, New Jersey, and New York.
I am not a "BackPacker". What I think a Backpacker does:
- Carries a big back pack with all their belongings
- Low Cost travel
- Strict Budget
- Independent - no tours
- Short Periods of time spent in each Destination
My tavel profile and what I do:
- I have one carry on bag usually
- I dont look for low cost I look for best deal
- I dont usually have a strict budget, but i am not rich or anything like that
- I am up for a good tour if it is the best use of my time
- I like to spend as much time as needed in 1 place to unwind, then move on
I have never done the "Backpacker" thing and I dont have anything against it, I travel because of work or leisure. I guess I would say I am a budget traveller who chooses relaxing leisure time over the number of stamps on my passport. Not trying to denote anything as better than the other because I would definitely backpack at some point in my life just not now.
The actual impetus of this post came from my planning of my next trip to Thailand and Vietnam. After spending hours researching the best routes between destinations and the best prices, I thought to myself why arent I taking notes, and hey someone else might be interested in the information. Hence the birth of this blog.
This blog is a way for me to remember, share, and hopefully giveback back to the travellers blogosphere who have helped me these years. Enjoy!!!
After spending the last 11 years traveling throughout the United States and Internationally building up, if anything, a broader view of our world I thought I should give back. I am by no means the most seasoned traveller but a little background on me and where I have been is probably the best way to introduce myself. I travel usually 2-3 times a year for anywhere from 10 days to 5 months. I have been to Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Japan, Osaka, Tokyo, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Baja Mexico, Canada, Germany, Czech Republic, Hawaii, California, New York, Oregon, Washington State, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Wahington DC, Virginia, New Jersey, and New York.
I am not a "BackPacker". What I think a Backpacker does:
- Carries a big back pack with all their belongings
- Low Cost travel
- Strict Budget
- Independent - no tours
- Short Periods of time spent in each Destination
My tavel profile and what I do:
- I have one carry on bag usually
- I dont look for low cost I look for best deal
- I dont usually have a strict budget, but i am not rich or anything like that
- I am up for a good tour if it is the best use of my time
- I like to spend as much time as needed in 1 place to unwind, then move on
I have never done the "Backpacker" thing and I dont have anything against it, I travel because of work or leisure. I guess I would say I am a budget traveller who chooses relaxing leisure time over the number of stamps on my passport. Not trying to denote anything as better than the other because I would definitely backpack at some point in my life just not now.
The actual impetus of this post came from my planning of my next trip to Thailand and Vietnam. After spending hours researching the best routes between destinations and the best prices, I thought to myself why arent I taking notes, and hey someone else might be interested in the information. Hence the birth of this blog.
This blog is a way for me to remember, share, and hopefully giveback back to the travellers blogosphere who have helped me these years. Enjoy!!!
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