I hate applying for visas! It's the one drawback to this goal I've set myself - to visit a new country every year of my life.
The passport I hold carries no weight in the global arena. I looked at the (short) list of countries that offered visa on arrival to those from Sri Lanka and almost wept with relief when I realised that the Maldives offered visa on arrival and wouldn't bankrupt me for a weekend's visit.
Walking through the airport, getting a visa stamped and going on my way was such a novel experience. A far cry from the usual visa circus months ahead of a journey. I loved it! And love the Maldives for it!
The number of times I've suppressed the desire to reach across a counter and shake an infuriating visa officer for giving me the runaround!
To go to the Republic of Ireland last year, for example, the daft website was not updated; therefore, I had to make two journeys to the visa office because when I went there the first time I was told they needed a copy of my entire passport, not just the page the website mentioned. And for me that's two passports, copied front and back. Sigh.
And the office was on the sixth floor.
And the lift was broken.
The passport I hold carries no weight in the global arena. I looked at the (short) list of countries that offered visa on arrival to those from Sri Lanka and almost wept with relief when I realised that the Maldives offered visa on arrival and wouldn't bankrupt me for a weekend's visit.
Walking through the airport, getting a visa stamped and going on my way was such a novel experience. A far cry from the usual visa circus months ahead of a journey. I loved it! And love the Maldives for it!
The number of times I've suppressed the desire to reach across a counter and shake an infuriating visa officer for giving me the runaround!
To go to the Republic of Ireland last year, for example, the daft website was not updated; therefore, I had to make two journeys to the visa office because when I went there the first time I was told they needed a copy of my entire passport, not just the page the website mentioned. And for me that's two passports, copied front and back. Sigh.
And the office was on the sixth floor.
And the lift was broken.
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