Dopo alcuni giorni trascorsi a visitare la maggior parte dei templi buddisti e induisti nelle vicinanze di Kathmandu, stamattina mi sono presentato per la seconda volta in ambasciata indiana per proseguire la richiesta del visto. Una settimana fa esatta ho effettuato la prima richiesta in cui si consegna un form compilato e paghi circa 3 euro, dopo di ciò ti invitano a ripresentarti tra una settimana.
Arrivo alle 8 per prendere il numero della coda, nonostante l’ufficio apra alle 9.30, ma trovo comunque una trentina di persone già in fila davanti a me.
Incontro varie conoscenze tra cui Rodney, un fricchettone americano di 64 anni, conosciuto in un pub che assomiglia a babbo natale con un cappellino da marinaio e la faccia davvero simpatica. Dopo un ora di attesa vedo arrivare pure Amjad, un ragazzo tedesco figlio di genitori turchi immigrati in Germania, conosciuto allo Shanti Jatra Organic Festival che ora vive da un mese in un monastero nelle vicinanze di Kathmandu a meditare. Conosco una coppia di italiani in viaggio da un anno, con il round the world ticket, che per fortuna dopo 3 ore di attesa riescono a farmi passare con loro. Consegno la richiesta compilata con foto e altri 30 euro al funzionario dell’ambasciata che mi dice di passare alle 17.
Nel mentre torno alla guesthouse perché ho un appuntamento su skype per un intervista sul mio viaggio, con Claudio Vigolo di Radio Lifegate, che dovrebbe andare in onda venerdì alle 18.30. Mi raccomando seguitemi.
Mi ripresento all’ambasciata e dopo un'altra ora di attesa finalmente arriva il mio turno ma quando mostro la mia ricevuta alla funzionaria dell’ambasciata mi respinge chiedendomi di aspettare ancora. Per fortuna mi accorgo di non essere l’unico vedendo l’espressione preoccupata di Rodney ma dopo pochi minuti finalmente arrivano gli ultimi passaporti tra cui il mio. Riprovo e questa volta mi appare un altro meraviglioso timbro sul mio passaporto!
Per un viaggiatore ricevere il visto d’entrata per un paese nuovo è un momento di gioia perché è come un tatuaggio che rimarrà impresso nella mente tutta la vita. Sono 5 anni che sogno di entrare in India grazie ad un libro che ha cambiato la mia vita, Shantaram.
Ora sistemo di nuovo lo zaino liberandomi dei vestiti pesanti e inutili, poi esco a bere l’ultima Everest (birra nepalese) che domattina alle 6 parto per il confine con il bus più economico e avventuroso possibile. Danjabaad Nepal ( grazie Nepal ).
After a few days spent visiting most of the Buddhist and Hindu temples around Kathmandu, this morning I went for the second time to the Indian Embassy for my visa. A week before, I had started the procedure, filling in a form and paying about €3 before being told to come back in a week.
So there I was at the Embassy at 8 in the morning to get my number for the queue, and even though the office opens at 9.30 there were already about thirty people queueing up. I met various people I already knew, including Rodney, a 64-year-old American freak who looks like Father Christmas with a sailor’s hat and a really funny, friendly face. An hour later along came Amjad, a German Turk I had met at the Shanti Jatra Organic Festival. He had lived and meditated in a monastery near Kathmandu for a month. I also got to know an Italian couple who had been travelling around the world for a year on a round-the-world ticket and who managed, luckily for me, to take me with them into the office when they were finally admitted after a three-hour wait. I handed in my filled-out form with a photo, paid another €30 and was told to come back at 17.00.
In the meantime, I went back to my guesthouse as I was going to be interviewed about my journey on Skype by Claudio Vigolo of Radio Lifegate. This should be broadcast on Friday at 18.30 - don’t miss it!
Then back to the Embassy. Another hour’s wait and it was finally my turn, but when I showed my receipt to the officer he said I had to wait a bit longer. This worried me and I noticed I wasn’t the only one when I saw Rodney’s expression, but a few minutes later the last passports arrived, including mine with another wonderful new stamp in it! When you are a traveller, getting your entry visa to a new country is a moment of joy, it’s like a tattoo that will remain impressed in your mind forever. For five years I have dreamed of going to India, thanks to Shantaram, a book that changed my life.
I then sorted out my backpack, got rid of the now-unneccesary heavy clothing and went out for my last Everest (Nepalese beer) before leaving at six the next morning with the cheapest and most adventurous bus I could find. Danjabaad Nepal (Thanks Nepal).
After a few days spent visiting most of the Buddhist and Hindu temples around Kathmandu, this morning I went for the second time to the Indian Embassy for my visa. A week before, I had started the procedure, filling in a form and paying about €3 before being told to come back in a week.
So there I was at the Embassy at 8 in the morning to get my number for the queue, and even though the office opens at 9.30 there were already about thirty people queueing up. I met various people I already knew, including Rodney, a 64-year-old American freak who looks like Father Christmas with a sailor’s hat and a really funny, friendly face. An hour later along came Amjad, a German Turk I had met at the Shanti Jatra Organic Festival. He had lived and meditated in a monastery near Kathmandu for a month. I also got to know an Italian couple who had been travelling around the world for a year on a round-the-world ticket and who managed, luckily for me, to take me with them into the office when they were finally admitted after a three-hour wait. I handed in my filled-out form with a photo, paid another €30 and was told to come back at 17.00.
In the meantime, I went back to my guesthouse as I was going to be interviewed about my journey on Skype by Claudio Vigolo of Radio Lifegate. This should be broadcast on Friday at 18.30 - don’t miss it!
Then back to the Embassy. Another hour’s wait and it was finally my turn, but when I showed my receipt to the officer he said I had to wait a bit longer. This worried me and I noticed I wasn’t the only one when I saw Rodney’s expression, but a few minutes later the last passports arrived, including mine with another wonderful new stamp in it! When you are a traveller, getting your entry visa to a new country is a moment of joy, it’s like a tattoo that will remain impressed in your mind forever. For five years I have dreamed of going to India, thanks to Shantaram, a book that changed my life.
I then sorted out my backpack, got rid of the now-unneccesary heavy clothing and went out for my last Everest (Nepalese beer) before leaving at six the next morning with the cheapest and most adventurous bus I could find. Danjabaad Nepal (Thanks Nepal).
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