Parasailing

One last little mini-adventure here at home before I leave. My friend Lisa and I went parasailing here in Tacoma.

More visas

Six days until my ship sails. Time to make sure everything is ready. I learned today that the Viet Nam visa I thought I was applying for was a scam. There's $17 I'll never see again. I found the official Vietnamese Embassy website and applied for a real visa. I'll have to pick it up in the Vietnamese consulate in Shanghai.

Got my Australian visa in about five minutes online. Good on ya, mates! No visas required for Malaysia or Indonesia so I guess I've done all I can do.

Gifts for hosts? I don't know. I'll see if I can find something.

Eclipse

Before I begin my big trip I decided to make a little trip to Madras Oregon to view the total solar eclipse. It was really cool. Also cool was the campground filled with friendly intelligent people who were all there for the same reason.

I took this selfie under the total eclipse. Unfortunately my phone camera didn't notice the black middle and just made it look like the regular sun so I had to edit the picture to add the black spot which was really there I swear to god. Thirty minutes earlier I had been in my t-shirt but when the sun went away it got cold so I put on my sweatshirt. Notice how the horizon behind me is bright as if it's sunrise.

Less cool was the allergic reaction I suffered later that day while eating some sesame crackers. Nervous Nellies in the group insisted on a trip to the Madras ER where I got lots of nice antihistamines that ensured a good night's sleep. Also, I'll be taking an epi pen with me to China. I still don't know what it was that made my lips and eyes swell up.

My Chinese visa

When I started planning this trip the travel agency gave me lots of information about how to prepare. Part of it was, "A type M visa is required to disembark in Shanghai." I thought, OK, I want to disembark in Shanghai so that's the type of visa I should get. I even read the visa information on the consulate's website. It says for a type M visa I need a letter inviting me to China. So the travel agency sent me a letter on it's letterhead stating how I was arriving and that I need a type M visa. Turns out it's not that simple though. First of all, the Chinese consulate won't consider visa applications more than 90 days ahead of date of entry so I had to wait until July to do anything. So in July I went to a visa service agency in Seattle. They told me the consulate would not consider an application unless the supporting letter came from a company doing business in China and sported an official government stamp. So I went to a different visa agency. Holiday China China in the International District. They were willing to send in my application for a type M visa. But two weeks later they called and said the consulate would not accept the letter. So I had to change my visa application to type L (tourist) and change my disembarkation port to Ningbo.

I still don't understand why tourists are not allowed to disembark in Shanghai but I have an opinion about how this was conveyed to me. While "a type M visa is required to disembark in Shanghai" is technically true it would have been much more direct and helpful to say, "tourists are not allowed to disembark in Shanghai."

Anyway, another requirement for the visa is a recent photo with a white background, no glasses, no smiling, ears visible. The result is the photo above. I suspect that I suffer from Bitchy Resting Face Syndrome.

My 2nd post

Ship travel requires a bit more preparation than other forms. In addition to getting a Chinese visa I had to supply a variety of information to the shipping company. They needed a signed form from my doctor that I am healthy enough to travel. They needed proof of heath insurance that includes international emergency services. I had to sign a letter indemnifying the ship of any liability from loss or injury to myself even resulting from "unseaworthiness or other failure of the ship." I had to sign a form stating that I had read and agreed to all the conditions pertaining to living on the ship (no doctor, no drugs, stay away from the crew's work areas, blah blah). Also, because of the unpredictability of ocean travel, the September 3 departure date is approximate. I need to be in contact with the local shipping agent to learn the exact date and time I need to show up at the port of Seattle for embarkation. I also had to sign a form waiving trip insurance which they recommend.

It is all done so all I need now is to show up at the port at the appointed time. I even have all my shots. I had a fun shopping spree at REI to get some travel supplies and clothing. I got a new phone so I hope it won't die like my old one did last year on my flight to London. One last thing is I need to get some new walking shoes. Then I will be ready.

My first post

It is three weeks until my ship sails but now is a good time to begin. I have already learned a thing or two. I have been preparing for this trip since January. I started with the germ of an idea to start traveling with an open-ended itinerary. I want to visit Asia and Australia, two continents on which I have never set foot.

The problem is I hate long flights. I can handle three or four hours. After that it becomes tedious at best and a grueling ordeal at worst. Of course I know that's not the worst but I choose not to think about all the really horrible things that can happen on an airplane. My solution to the long-flight problem is to book passage on a freight ship. I have heard of people doing this for years and have imagined what it is like. It is more expensive than regular air travel and much more time-consuming. But what the hell. I can afford it and I have plenty of time. Also the ship will be my first interesting destination. I will have lots of time to get to know it and see how it works and where it goes.

Once over the Pacific Ocean I can continue my journey by train and shorter flights. I am looking forward to train travel in China. And I can stay put as long as I want. I like to visit a place for at least a few days and really get to know that one place. I find this more satisfying and rewarding than quick tours where I see a few sights and then move on. Accordingly, I have booked lodging for nine days in Shanghai. That is the only booking I have done so far. I would like to remain as flexible as possible while recognizing that some advance planning is necessary.