Documents 2
The Peoples Republic of China demanded we present ourselves in person at the Consulate to apply for visas. The nearest one to us is Manchester, so a quick blast across the border was in order. Two hours later I am trying to explain sheepishly to Mick, - well – they shouldn’t have put it in such small print – we had applied too early. Chinese visas can only be issued 3 months before required date! Double-check the visa information – small print as well!
A quick blast up to Aberdeen, to the Consulate for the Republic of Kazakhstan, there they only wanted a letter explaining why we wanted to go to Kazakhstan, the relevant fee (£27 each), and we were able to pick up the passports the following day.
The price of visas differs drastically following no logical pattern. £40 for Russia, £27 for Azerbaijan, £8 for Georgia. For the 11 countries we need to obtain them for, the price will be approximately £300.
Visas are not the only paperwork of course. Medical Insurance is essential, making sure that the cost of being flown home from some obscure plot on the planet, is well covered.
Campbell Irvine are a company specialising in round the world trips and even with a 50% loading for being a motorcyclist, £295.50 (each) for 4 months cover is quite a reasonable sum. (If they knew the extent of my off road experience they would have trebled it!) Although we will be away for nearly 6 months, some of the time will be in Europe, where adequate medical cover is available. (BMW’s own insurance includes EEC countries)
International Driving Licences and the translation of the V5 document are obtainable at either the AA or RAC, but the dreaded ‘carnet de passage’ the downfall of many a round the world trip, are obtained only through the RAC.
The Carnet is a document that allows the temporary importation of a vehicle into a country.
Basically it works like this.
Pakistan for instance, wants a massive 500% of the value of the vehicle in duty. If your prized possession of a motorcycle is worth £4,500, that means you must deposit £22,500 in a secure account. Most people are unable to get so much out from under the mattress and so take the option of an insurance premium to cover the said duty. This is usually about 10%, i.e. £2,250. Add to that the 5% tax, £112.50, the cost of the carnet itself, and the RAC refundable deposit, means that to take your £4,500 bike to Pakistan you would have to stump up £2832.50. Granted you would be able to claim back the refundable deposit and half the insurance premium (£1125) provided you discharged the carnet once back in the UK, but by any stretch of the imagination that is one hell of a lot of petrol money! (Is my Yorkshire upbringing showing through?)
A little prick? … yes, well, injections!
A visit to the travel clinic at my doctors surgery ascertained that I could do with, Tetanus, Polio, Typhoid, Cholera, Hepatitis A & B and Rabies. They would not agree to give me Japanese Encephalitis because of the possible side effects; Mick’s doctors in Doncaster had no such reservations (they breed ‘em tough in Balby) and consequently he suffered – as only men can suffer – what was worse according to him, was that he had to pay for the misery! I was sympathetic honest!
The time scale for injections was a little over 5 months; so don’t leave it too long!
In all the weeks of planning plotting and scheming I would not be exaggerating if I said many nights sleep were interrupted with nightmare scenarios of passports missing in the post and having to start all over again. Have I planned the timing of the visas correctly? Will things work according to plan? But what the heck, its all part of the adventure!
It’s not over yet, four weeks to go and three visas required… so watch this space!
Sue
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