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Hey fellas,
Been a forum member here for a couple years, but not so active (actually had to re-register). Anyway, glad to be back.
Now that I am done with grad school, I was planning on making a pretty big trip before starting work in the big apple. I’ve got about 6 months, and I was hoping to travel overland/sea from China to Germany. I’m not too worried about the Balkans and Europe, but things get a bit shady for me from China through Central Asia until I hit Turkey. I’ve traveled and lived abroad for a couple years, but nothing this extreme, so I was hoping for expert advice that only Polo’s Bastards can provide.
I know the first hurdle I am gonna hit is going to be getting visas for these countries, especially since I plan on leaving in March. In fact, I am probably largely screwed in that respect, so I might have to wing it a bit.
On that note, I don’t really even know where to start with all this. It’s a massive trip, and I have connections only in Georgia/Armenia and the Balkans. I know nobody in Turkey, Kazakhstan (or any of the other ‘stans for that matter), etc, and I will be traveling on my own.
Give it to me straight fellas: is this even realistic? Am I going to end up on CNN wearing a blindfold?
Drop some wisdom on me guys. Any input is very much appreciated.
-Harbinger
A logical question…sorry I failed to put that in earlier. I am travelling on a US passport. I am a bit worried about getting visas approved and sent back to me in time to get into (and out of certain countries in Central Asia).
I’d also love to hear of anyone who has connections in Tajikistan, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, Azerbaijan, etc, etc. Even an emergency contact would work in a pinch.
-Harbinger
Likewise, does anyone know anything about getting ‘sponsored’ for a trip such as this? I have heard of a few people getting some cash from magazines or travel guides to write about and/or photograph their adventures. I’ve got some minor writing experience, and a lot of travel under my belt, but I am definitely no journalist by any stretch…
-Harbinger
@Harbinger wrote:
connections in …Turkey
I have a very useful contact in Van, SE Turkey. Best to let me know once you’re down there.
@Harbinger wrote:
How active is this board? I used to post on Black Flag Cafe, but there was a lot of noise on that board as well as real discussion.
-Harbinger
We have virtually no noise, and subsequently things are generally much quieter around here. But most travel-related questions do get answered.
I’ve found over the years that places like PBs are invaluable for making useful contacts, therefore there’s always someone who knows someone that can provide valuable advice for the most out of the way places.We tend not to compare ourselves to the BFC. There are some great folks there, but it’s a different beast from us entirely.
Well, that sounds great Lee! I guess I should get more specific. Namely, how shall I go about flying into China and getting into Mongolia from there? Is that something I should expect to be problematic? I like to play things by ear a lot, but I don’t want to make any huge mistakes that could have been avoided with a little research. I guess that’s why I’m here. Hopefully, I’ll be able to keep posting as I make my way through Central Asia… :)
-Harbinger
Harbinger – if you want, we can set you up with an account so you can post directly to our “Logs” section as you’re travelling through?
According to the below page, US passport holders don’t need a visa for Mongolia meaning you should only need your passport to get from China to Mongolia.
http://www.un.int/mongolia/visa.htm
Important: While visa is waived for US nationals traveling for the purposes mentioned this category (tourist) the following is required:
1. an invitation letter by the host tour operator/agency in Mongolia or other relevant host entity in Mongolia
2. OR a contract with the host tour operator/agency in Mongolia or other relevant host entity in Mongolia
3. OR/AND a return ticket
crud. I don’t want a tour. I wonder if I can just find someone who is out there to ‘host’ me. Or maybe all I need is a return ticket, but then again, I will be traveling overland, so I won’t have one, especially because I have no idea how long I’ll be staying.
Any ideas? Maybe enough cash, i.e. a credit card, will be proof enough that I can get out of the country when it’s time to go? That seemed to work in the Balkans, but I’ve never been out to Asia (aside from Japan)
-Harbinger
The chances of you being sponsored by a magazine are slim. Th easiest way would be to show some of your copy to the editor of your local paper and ask them.
Let them know where you have been before and what you have done there. Media outlets will be very careful for insurance reasons and will most likely ask you to send some copy and will promise to take a look at it, but not to publish it unless it is good enough, so ask them what they want before you go.
Then sit down and study their house style, in effect what makes the New York Times different from the New York Post. Carefully study their travel section and how is written because that is what works for them. Talk to any of their inhouse travel writers and ask them plenty of questions about the house style. The same rule should apply to the news sections.
Don’t do it for free, no matter how much you want to see your name in print because if you do that for free, then maybe you can come round and dig up my garden for free too. It’s exactly the same principle.
Play on your local (boy or girl) from the hometown in a far away land stuff because all news is local and if you know of anybody from the same town who is out there, then try to meet up and interview them.
This might sound terribly boring, but remember that most people either don’t care or have never heard of most of the places where you are going, so the local angle is what sells.
The nationals watch the provincials, so you could end up being contacted by someone bigger if your local rag gives you enough attention.
Also contact the local radio station. Call first to make a good impression over the phone (your voice is what counts), then try to meet the editor in person and do the same as mentioned above. Ask about gear (an iPod with a microphone is god enough for some jobs) and try to get a letter of accreditation from either the paper or the radio/ TV station.
Remember, most will try to minimize association for reasons of liability. The last thing they will want is some idiot getting them into trouble and ruining their reputation, so do your homework on trip and try to sound well informed and mature when you talk to them.
Same applies to pix. Stick yourself into as many as you can and forget the arty, nat geo crap because the average reader barely gives a second glance to pix, unless they are art students.
Wow, that advice was solid. I really appreciate it. I think I have some good leads on local rags that I can approach, and with any luck I’ll end up with some cash or gear to sport on my trip.
Speaking of which, I just found some pretty interesting opportunities in Africa through some connections down there. Since I don’t have my heart set on the Central Asia idea, I might be up for a little bit of the dark continent. Any recommendations? My rough plan consists of South Africa, Kenya, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Tanzania, Niger and maybe Ghana. Any other ‘must see’ places I’m over-looking?
As usual, the advice is very much appreciated.
-Harbinger
Sit down and look at how the article is structured. See how they lead in, check the mid-section and how they round off the article and then try to compare the same story in different newspapers by different authors.
Same with radio and the likely questions they will ask you (inexperienced types usually get a Q&A at the start) so listen carefully to the kind of questions they begin and finish with.
Media outlets are unlikely to supply gear or money. You will be lucky to get a letter of accreditation or even just the time of day, so don’t get your hopes up.
Don’t waffle over the phone or when you meet them and let them know you have a very clear plan about where you are going and what you will be doing and concentrate on the local angle all the time.
Talk to your local university and the relevant dept about doing stuff for them on your travels too.
It took me three months to get to talk to the editor of the local paper. I called and emailed him a few times a wekk. I made contacts with photographers and writers who worked for the paper and they emailed him on my behalf. I showed them my work to get them behind me.
I think, in the end, he just got sick of me calling and emailing and finally talked to me to get rid of me. But that’s how it starts initially. At least for me. I was just relentless.
Hello travellers.
IThis is my first time posting. I’m a semi-active blackflagger. After checking this board out I must say it seems to fit me better.
Anyway, Im leaving for a trip in that area in a month. A friend and I will travel (on swedish passports) from Damsacus to Beijing. We have almost all of our Visas already and everything is taken cared of by ourselves. So it is indeed posssible to arrange it yourself.
What you need id LOI, Letters of invitation, these can be quite easily arranged from local travel agencys for a modest cost. Modest for us, a fortune for them, of course. I can only speak for what goes for swedish passport holders, for example we can get Visas for Iran but Ive heard that american passport holders needs to book a tour.
Syria, Iran, Kazhakstan, Kyrgisistan and China was very straightforward in theory even if Iran gave us a lot of pain.
Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan demands LOI. We are arranging this with a organisation called AsiaTravel. In Turkmenistan we had to book a tour cause independent travel is very restricted. We will have a guide/guard with us all the time. The uzbek visa is just to buy from them and we will organise our trip ourselves.
Mongolia is not in this trip but my last visit there was with a Visa bought at the consuate in Sweden and it looked like a blue post-it note with a stamp. The Chinese and Russian borde officials laughed at it while the mongol officiall seemed less amused..
/ Thomas
Allright. Finally in China.
Everything that I posted in this thread worked out just as it in realitty. The only problem we almost got was that your supposed to keep your entry and exit papers: customs forms, entry cards etc for the entire stay in the CITS. When you leave tha last country theyll ask for the first ones. We had kept our ones, for no reason except luck, so we had no trouble. Dont know what happens if you dont. Maybe I dont wanna know.
/Thomas
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