BootsnAll Travel Community

We've still got five months plus till we go, but it all just seems too hard this week! If we were using a friendly wee travel agent to do all our bookings and get visas it would be simple. But trying to work out when to get which visa is doing my head in. And what if they say NO? Then what? I can just see us stuck in Monoglia unable to get through Russia, China not wanting to take us back again.....
Of course it would be so much easier if we were flying places....but we're as stubborn as we're stupid and we want to do it all overland.....
I know we'll look back on it some day and say it was a grand adventure, but some days it's just plain tricky!

Vent over.

It'll work out just fine. There's nothing a few rubles can't solve. Seriously. The Russian visa is a b$%^, but there's always a way around the regulations. I per example got a three months business visa for Russia. Technically, that was impossible, because obviously I had no business connections in Russia. Practically, you just need to find the guy who wants your money.
China is exactly the same. I've done my Chinese visa in Kazakhstan - where they officially only issue Chinese visas to Kazakh citizen. And trust me, I'm not Kazakh.

So, don't worry too much. It looks like this big massive mountain you have to climb - but once on the road, there's only one step at a time to take. And usually, it falls into place.

hey mama-

i agree with elAdi's advice.
as i was reading your post, i can relate to your apprehension. before i leave for any trip, however small (some days that's just going out to the store with a couple of young children!) i get very nervous and worrisome. but i find that once i'm on the road all the worries dissipate and it all falls into place. i guess you sort of surrender to "the trip" and it will flow (a couple extra rubles is a good idea too, as mentioned ).

i've been mostly lurking because i've been busy but i am incredibly inspired by your upcoming trip! i have yet to bring my kids on a long term trip but hope to in a few years. good luck, you are amazing! your children are so lucky!