Getting (things) done in Isntabul
Currently getting a couple of visas sorted here. First is the Iranian, and I'm starting to feel a little more optimstic with this one having met a truck full of overlanders who've aquired 20 out of the 23 visas they applied for, although to be fair they wangled them as an 'academic trip'. Still, getting the applicaion into an agency on another browser window right now.
The other visa is for India... just got ****** by the good old British FCO on that one. £63 for a 'Letter of Recommendation' that took all of five mınutes to produce. My ****ing gov't (and I don't just mean the politicos here) are a bunch of mercenary gits. Anyway, should get the Indian vısa on Frıday at which point I'll get on the road agaın. Spent far too much time here drinking with backpackers, overlanders and Aussies. Actually it's been good to have some company rather than just ranting to myself all day. Could do without the hangovers though. Also met an Aussie/ Canadian couple who are cycling from London to Austrlia and a fellow Brit, Rob, on his way to Japan after being made redundant. Now Rob I'd come across by reputation earlier in the trip as a few times people told me about another English long distance cyclist who'd inevitably passed through a day or two beforehand. Good to finally meet the chap!
In other news got conned by a taxi driver today on my way to get shafted by my own gov't (had to grab a cab to get there durıng theır short opening hours). When I went to pay the driver palmed the 50 I'd given him and showed me the 5 he said I gave him. Now a 5 and a 50 look quite similar and I was in a hurry so I chucked him 'the right money'. When I counted it later I realised the con... still, he took me for less than HMG!
The other visa is for India... just got ****** by the good old British FCO on that one. £63 for a 'Letter of Recommendation' that took all of five mınutes to produce. My ****ing gov't (and I don't just mean the politicos here) are a bunch of mercenary gits. Anyway, should get the Indian vısa on Frıday at which point I'll get on the road agaın. Spent far too much time here drinking with backpackers, overlanders and Aussies. Actually it's been good to have some company rather than just ranting to myself all day. Could do without the hangovers though. Also met an Aussie/ Canadian couple who are cycling from London to Austrlia and a fellow Brit, Rob, on his way to Japan after being made redundant. Now Rob I'd come across by reputation earlier in the trip as a few times people told me about another English long distance cyclist who'd inevitably passed through a day or two beforehand. Good to finally meet the chap!
In other news got conned by a taxi driver today on my way to get shafted by my own gov't (had to grab a cab to get there durıng theır short opening hours). When I went to pay the driver palmed the 50 I'd given him and showed me the 5 he said I gave him. Now a 5 and a 50 look quite similar and I was in a hurry so I chucked him 'the right money'. When I counted it later I realised the con... still, he took me for less than HMG!
posted by Bill at 3:45 pm
1 Comments:
hey bill, thanks for your reply on the lonely planet!so im wondering if you have managed to get ur iranian visa yet? u can email me back privately if u want at mark_booker86@yahoo.co.uk
i hope it goes well for you.Mark
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