June 13, 2007
Dalian (CHINA)
Visa Problems, Travel Plans, and Basketball with Locals
Well, it isn't the first time I have had a visa problem and somehow I doubt this will be the last time. As I mentioned while I was back in Singapore, I was only granted a 30 day visa (albeit with unlimited re-entries) over a 6-month period. I was hoping to travel to either South Korea or Russia, but the logistics (and price) are steep. Plus, I am not allowed to travel on weekends for safety reasons. So, my visa will expire in two weeks and I am left to figure something out.
I have been stamped into China six times already, so it is fair to say I know the system as well as anyone. I decided to go through the university I am conducting research at because they will be able to expedite the process for me - but I will only get a double entry visa with 60 days per entry. I have to pay a little extra money and re-work my end-of-summer travel plans, but other than that getting a new visa is a pain-free process.
Speaking of end-of-summer travel plans, my itinerary includes the following: China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and possibly Myanmar (still Burma to many people) if time and money permit. This region is one of the cheapest in the world for traveling, and also one of the most rewarding. I am not scheduled to arrive in Tokyo until mid-September, so I will have roughly 45 days of unadulterated adventures across Southeast Asia.
I will talk more about this later in the summer because there are simply too many adventures between now and then.
After work today I met with the other REU students for some pick-up basketball with the locals. We played 4v4, first to 11, winner stays. Our team won five straight battles before finally being taken down by a team of all-stars who took advantage of our tired bodies. Somewhere along the way I got a black eye from a stray elbow (non-malicious), and we all had bloodied knees, scraped arms, and blisters by the end.
