I arrived in PP last night
Be wary of what v12 and the admins from the Cambodian visa facebook page say. For many weeks they stated that no Cambodian visas were being issued unless the applicant had a letter of invitation (for employment) or documents to prove some valid/registered business purpose. I had neither of these but nonetheless was granted a visa a few weeks ago (much like the original poster here). I have since extended it for six months.
Also, regarding what someone said earlier in this thread about everyone having to pay about $1,750 USD for quarantine when arriving in Korea: "It is important to remember that all arrivals will be subject a mandatory 14 day quarantine upon arrival, and this costs 2,100,00 KRW, which is about $1,750 USD." This is simply not true, as not everyone has to pay this fee.
Also, regarding what someone said earlier in this thread about everyone having to pay about $1,750 USD for quarantine when arriving in Korea: "It is important to remember that all arrivals will be subject a mandatory 14 day quarantine upon arrival, and this costs 2,100,00 KRW, which is about $1,750 USD." This is simply not true, as not everyone has to pay this fee.
I think, it should be clear by now, the whole visa granting depends on the Embassy you apply and the fact, things have been eased by now.
Personally, IF I would have to make a trade off between 14 days state quarantine in Seoul and another week there to arrange the visa paperwork, with an additional chance, it still might be declined -just because the rules are more enforced at a wimp- I would (again) create 2 cm paperwork.
The paperwork maybe costs a few hours work, with a lead time of 1, maybe 2 weeks, in all freedom, at a cost of maybe USD 100, vs. the Korean route at roughly USD 2000 all-inclusive, in semi-prison. Let alone, your flight EU/Elsewhere via ICN to Phnom Penh to be significantly cheaper than 2 single journeys, with a 3 weeks stop in Seoul.
So, good luck to those bragging about their success to arrange a visa in Korean. Plan a little ahead and you'll save yourself quite some money (and imminent risk). Of course, when you are a Korean and live in Korea, things do change.
Personally, IF I would have to make a trade off between 14 days state quarantine in Seoul and another week there to arrange the visa paperwork, with an additional chance, it still might be declined -just because the rules are more enforced at a wimp- I would (again) create 2 cm paperwork.
The paperwork maybe costs a few hours work, with a lead time of 1, maybe 2 weeks, in all freedom, at a cost of maybe USD 100, vs. the Korean route at roughly USD 2000 all-inclusive, in semi-prison. Let alone, your flight EU/Elsewhere via ICN to Phnom Penh to be significantly cheaper than 2 single journeys, with a 3 weeks stop in Seoul.
So, good luck to those bragging about their success to arrange a visa in Korean. Plan a little ahead and you'll save yourself quite some money (and imminent risk). Of course, when you are a Korean and live in Korea, things do change.
Do they have WiFi in the Korean semi-prison quarantine? The food looked decent. Can you order more if you find the portions small?
No, it's dropped at your doorstep and that's what you get. It's a prison, not a luxury stay .......
V12's info was the first online info I saw on the chance to get a visa outside the company route. This was worth gold and motivated me to give it a try. As he rightly points out, the rules have been a little relaxed - as documented by the Aug. 4 regulations and the introduction of category IV - special visa. I fully agree with him that the more positive documentation an applicant can provide the better. I had less and it turned out to be fine. In other words, the bar might be lower now but that does not mean that his points are no longer valid.
The airline situation is improving and there will be no solution that suits best to anybody.
I did some check up on prices for Horace. A one month apartment with kitchen in Antalya etc. starts at about 165 USD online, free wireless, with own washing machine. Locally less as airbnb and the other websites take their cut.
Staying in Ankara can be very cheap as well but not nice in winter.
Travel in Turkey. Well he was his bike but long distance Istanbul-Ankara can be less than 9 USD for 440 km. The Cilician plain in Adana province and other coastal areas south of Izmir keep nicely warm in winter, we look at 20+ centigrade in January. Camping is also possible. The coastal provinces from Antalya in the east to Izmir are considered covid 19 safe by the EU.
Valencia to Istanbul on Air France 160 USD. I did not check for luggage etc. Around 200 USD or a bit less for most single airline flights from Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia. Malaga is bad.
If you can figure out a transit with airline change - you might save 50-60 USD.
Shorter flights wont make much of a difference in terms of expenses. So Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary etc. are not really a good option.
Turkey does not demand a Covid 19 test on entry unless you have fever or other symptoms. They offer online a travel insurance. 23 Euros for 1 week coverage. All covid 19 will be covered, no exam or test needed to get it. You can find the link on the Turkish airline website. Horace will need a visa on arrival as Brits do need one in Turkey, if I m not mistaken.
If I understand Horace's problems correctly, it is inability to withdraw funds from Aceleda and thus the lack of 2000 USD for a deposit that keeps him away from Cambodia. If sitting it out is an option, only he will know. My take would be to get back to Cambodia asap since we have little idea how the situation will evolve.
Being in a similar situation as Horace, I researched Turkey as a fall back location and it was economically speaking the best bet. I m in a different region of Europe but I am also very apprehensive of the second wave. Luckily my visa situation worked out and i have my tickets.
The airline situation is improving and there will be no solution that suits best to anybody.
I did some check up on prices for Horace. A one month apartment with kitchen in Antalya etc. starts at about 165 USD online, free wireless, with own washing machine. Locally less as airbnb and the other websites take their cut.
Staying in Ankara can be very cheap as well but not nice in winter.
Travel in Turkey. Well he was his bike but long distance Istanbul-Ankara can be less than 9 USD for 440 km. The Cilician plain in Adana province and other coastal areas south of Izmir keep nicely warm in winter, we look at 20+ centigrade in January. Camping is also possible. The coastal provinces from Antalya in the east to Izmir are considered covid 19 safe by the EU.
Valencia to Istanbul on Air France 160 USD. I did not check for luggage etc. Around 200 USD or a bit less for most single airline flights from Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia. Malaga is bad.
If you can figure out a transit with airline change - you might save 50-60 USD.
Shorter flights wont make much of a difference in terms of expenses. So Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary etc. are not really a good option.
Turkey does not demand a Covid 19 test on entry unless you have fever or other symptoms. They offer online a travel insurance. 23 Euros for 1 week coverage. All covid 19 will be covered, no exam or test needed to get it. You can find the link on the Turkish airline website. Horace will need a visa on arrival as Brits do need one in Turkey, if I m not mistaken.
If I understand Horace's problems correctly, it is inability to withdraw funds from Aceleda and thus the lack of 2000 USD for a deposit that keeps him away from Cambodia. If sitting it out is an option, only he will know. My take would be to get back to Cambodia asap since we have little idea how the situation will evolve.
Being in a similar situation as Horace, I researched Turkey as a fall back location and it was economically speaking the best bet. I m in a different region of Europe but I am also very apprehensive of the second wave. Luckily my visa situation worked out and i have my tickets.
- spitthedog
- Is the World Outside still there ?
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Horace,
How far did you go in roughing it on yer cycling trip then dude?
I betcha you've never tied the tent to a ceiling fan when the mozzies got so bad, like we did in Nepal?
Looking back, i'm so glad i didn't accidently, half asleep, turn the fan switch on, whilst the wife was still in there..
How far did you go in roughing it on yer cycling trip then dude?
I betcha you've never tied the tent to a ceiling fan when the mozzies got so bad, like we did in Nepal?
Looking back, i'm so glad i didn't accidently, half asleep, turn the fan switch on, whilst the wife was still in there..
"I don't care what the people are thinking, i ain't drunk i'm just drinking"
Again, not everyone flying into Korea has to pay $2,000+ USD for a 14 day quarantine there (and it is not necessary to be Korean either, as was stated). I know of two foreigners who recently flew to Korea and neither one of them had to pay for any quarantine there (neither are married to Koreans either). Remember that words have specific meanings......
- horace
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Good info my friend ( whoever you are). I will look into that option. How long does the visa last? I can access funds at the moment but one debit card has died and the other expires n a few months. Acleda are being total cunts and for a long time they quite simply ignored my emails or gave a different answer to my questions. The stress of lockdown, getting the bike stolen and dealing with those wankers completely overwhelmed me. However, over the last three months a friend in PP has been negotiating with the HQ in person. Unbelievably everytime he goes in it is back to square 1 as he is forever having to deal with different because the previous person is on holiday, off sick, or has moved to another branch or doesn't have the authority or intelligence to solve the problem.visitor-again wrote: ↑Sat Aug 22, 2020 2:44 pmV12's info was the first online info I saw on the chance to get a visa outside the company route. This was worth gold and motivated me to give it a try. As he rightly points out, the rules have been a little relaxed - as documented by the Aug. 4 regulations and the introduction of category IV - special visa. I fully agree with him that the more positive documentation an applicant can provide the better. I had less and it turned out to be fine. In other words, the bar might be lower now but that does not mean that his points are no longer valid.
The airline situation is improving and there will be no solution that suits best to anybody.
I did some check up on prices for Horace. A one month apartment with kitchen in Antalya etc. starts at about 165 USD online, free wireless, with own washing machine. Locally less as airbnb and the other websites take their cut.
Staying in Ankara can be very cheap as well but not nice in winter.
Travel in Turkey. Well he was his bike but long distance Istanbul-Ankara can be less than 9 USD for 440 km. The Cilician plain in Adana province and other coastal areas south of Izmir keep nicely warm in winter, we look at 20+ centigrade in January. Camping is also possible. The coastal provinces from Antalya in the east to Izmir are considered covid 19 safe by the EU.
Valencia to Istanbul on Air France 160 USD. I did not check for luggage etc. Around 200 USD or a bit less for most single airline flights from Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia. Malaga is bad.
If you can figure out a transit with airline change - you might save 50-60 USD.
Shorter flights wont make much of a difference in terms of expenses. So Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary etc. are not really a good option.
Turkey does not demand a Covid 19 test on entry unless you have fever or other symptoms. They offer online a travel insurance. 23 Euros for 1 week coverage. All covid 19 will be covered, no exam or test needed to get it. You can find the link on the Turkish airline website. Horace will need a visa on arrival as Brits do need one in Turkey, if I m not mistaken.
If I understand Horace's problems correctly, it is inability to withdraw funds from Aceleda and thus the lack of 2000 USD for a deposit that keeps him away from Cambodia. If sitting it out is an option, only he will know. My take would be to get back to Cambodia asap since we have little idea how the situation will evolve.
Being in a similar situation as Horace, I researched Turkey as a fall back location and it was economically speaking the best bet. I m in a different region of Europe but I am also very apprehensive of the second wave. Luckily my visa situation worked out and i have my tickets.
On top of those problems is the fact that after 4 n half years on the road all my equipment is dying. The plan always 5 years and to return to Cambodia early 2021.
k440, something to do when you're pissed.
- horace
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How far did I get, as far as Spain x 3 via Vietnam x 3, Laos x 2, Thailand x 3, Malaysia x 3, Sumatra , Java, Bali, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Morocco x 2.spitthedog wrote: ↑Sat Aug 22, 2020 3:10 pmHorace,
How far did you go in roughing it on yer cycling trip then dude?
I betcha you've never tied the tent to a ceiling fan when the mozzies got so bad, like we did in Nepal?
Looking back, i'm so glad i didn't accidently, half asleep, turn the fan switch on, whilst the wife was still in there..
When the lockdown hit I had cycled over 57,000 km. On the new bike I have cycled about 1500 but that has all been in the Sierra Nevada.
k440, something to do when you're pissed.
- horace
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Just looked again and realised I misread your question " how far in roughing it?"
I slept in a disused goat/ sheep shed in the Atlas mountains.
In Sumatra I slept in the corner of a restaurant ( not dissimilar to your photo).
In Thailand on numerous beaches. But the roughest had to be the ferry 36 hours from Bintan Island to Jakarta.
I slept in a disused goat/ sheep shed in the Atlas mountains.
In Sumatra I slept in the corner of a restaurant ( not dissimilar to your photo).
In Thailand on numerous beaches. But the roughest had to be the ferry 36 hours from Bintan Island to Jakarta.
k440, something to do when you're pissed.
- horace
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For some reason I cannot edit my post.
A few more rough ones spring to mind.
In Malaysia I did a warm shower hosting thing where a fat shaven headed muslim host who offered me the floor at the foot of his bed and never shut up till he fell asleep n snored all night long.
In the central highlands of Vietnam I stayed in the only gh in town that was more like a prison , no windows and about 10 cm from wall to bed. The key broke in the lock and the owner just kicked the door off its hinges and I slept all night night with no door!
Another one in Vietnam on the central coast which was recommended by RobW had mould of many different colours growing on the walls which were constantly damp and the tiled floor had water seeping up from underneath. The electrics were a real shocker too ( pardon the pun) .
A few more rough ones spring to mind.
In Malaysia I did a warm shower hosting thing where a fat shaven headed muslim host who offered me the floor at the foot of his bed and never shut up till he fell asleep n snored all night long.
In the central highlands of Vietnam I stayed in the only gh in town that was more like a prison , no windows and about 10 cm from wall to bed. The key broke in the lock and the owner just kicked the door off its hinges and I slept all night night with no door!
Another one in Vietnam on the central coast which was recommended by RobW had mould of many different colours growing on the walls which were constantly damp and the tiled floor had water seeping up from underneath. The electrics were a real shocker too ( pardon the pun) .
k440, something to do when you're pissed.
Get out. I inspected it myself and imagined I'd stay there if I couldn't afford the villa with pool just a couple of hundred metres to the right.horace wrote: ↑Sat Aug 22, 2020 7:15 pm
Another one in Vietnam on the central coast which was recommended by RobW had mould of many different colours growing on the walls which were constantly damp and the tiled floor had water seeping up from underneath. The electrics were a real shocker too ( pardon the pun) .
Once I was a backpacker you know.
As an EU citizen I am allowed 90 days at a time in Turkey but then need to stay 3 months away. In other words, this is not a permanent solution. It is meaningful in terms of low costs, presence of a Cambodian embassy and a large airport. Right now only expensive Asian flights to PNH though. Singapore flies to IStanbul and back but does not offer connections to PNH.
If all goes south, you might consider Albania. Very moderate climate on the coast, cheap expenses overall but no Cambodian embassy. Also 90 days but it seems you can apply for a residence permit.
I was in a similar situation. I have enough cash on my two Cambodian cc but I have zero trust in ABA and the other bank that they would not block my cards once I do a cash withdrawal. This would have also cancelled my flights. In the end, I borrowed money from a friend. He will have to wait 1 - 3 weeks for the return of the money, depending on quarantine or self-isolation. The bank is next to my place and I might just need 20 minutes (traffic) more to get there.
This option = bite the bullet asap will be the cheapest and most secure option. Case numbers in western Europe go up again. Just saw that for instance Germany has more than 2K per day now. Worried about my transit through Frankfurt....
I also dont see any chance that the deposit requirements will be drastically reduced.
In sum, hoping to avoid the deposit is a strategy for a very long haul. The sitting out the deposit abroad will cost more than the deposit even in case of a positive test on arrival (meaning quarantine). Plus the mental stress caused by insecurity is a constant drain. I had enough about 6 months.
Important will be to understand that the gains in terms of flexibility concerning the visa and flight connections are not irreversible. We simply dont know what will happen once the flu season starts or how much more the party scene fucks up everything.
It is very difficult for me to get out of my pre-Covid thinking. I constantly catch myself making assumptions based on years of travel that are now useless at best. We need to accept that those days are gone and we live in a new world for the time being.
If all goes south, you might consider Albania. Very moderate climate on the coast, cheap expenses overall but no Cambodian embassy. Also 90 days but it seems you can apply for a residence permit.
I was in a similar situation. I have enough cash on my two Cambodian cc but I have zero trust in ABA and the other bank that they would not block my cards once I do a cash withdrawal. This would have also cancelled my flights. In the end, I borrowed money from a friend. He will have to wait 1 - 3 weeks for the return of the money, depending on quarantine or self-isolation. The bank is next to my place and I might just need 20 minutes (traffic) more to get there.
This option = bite the bullet asap will be the cheapest and most secure option. Case numbers in western Europe go up again. Just saw that for instance Germany has more than 2K per day now. Worried about my transit through Frankfurt....
I also dont see any chance that the deposit requirements will be drastically reduced.
In sum, hoping to avoid the deposit is a strategy for a very long haul. The sitting out the deposit abroad will cost more than the deposit even in case of a positive test on arrival (meaning quarantine). Plus the mental stress caused by insecurity is a constant drain. I had enough about 6 months.
Important will be to understand that the gains in terms of flexibility concerning the visa and flight connections are not irreversible. We simply dont know what will happen once the flu season starts or how much more the party scene fucks up everything.
It is very difficult for me to get out of my pre-Covid thinking. I constantly catch myself making assumptions based on years of travel that are now useless at best. We need to accept that those days are gone and we live in a new world for the time being.
- horace
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^^ I like this fella.
Sept/ Oct Spain, Nov, Dec, Jan Turkey, Spring Greece and see what the score is after that. K440 brings hope, cheers.
Sept/ Oct Spain, Nov, Dec, Jan Turkey, Spring Greece and see what the score is after that. K440 brings hope, cheers.
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k440, something to do when you're pissed.
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