Asia, as a whole, has been closed to foreign travel since the early 2020. When Covid first jumped the Chinese border, it’s closest neighbors pulled up their drawbridges, posted sentries, and enacted some of the strictest protocol on the planet. Slowly, towards the end of 2021, those drawbridges were starting to come down. But the sentries are still posted. Long term, open-ended travel is a completely different game.
My plans evolved a lot over the course of 2021. I knew I wanted out as soon as possible – most certainly before another Midwest winter. While my heart remains in Asia, the reality of returning was far from certain. I trained my sights on Central and South America. If it wasn’t possible to return to the Orient, I would at least bounce to the nearest tropics.
I always begin with blogs. I find fellow travelers who like to wander from the well worn path. I can spend hours following their adventures, cross checking itineraries and dropping pins onto maps. Soon a path starts to materialize. Less an itinerary than a general direction of movement. I like having an idea of what I want to see when I hit the ground, and it’s a great way to pacify my wanderlust.
Initially, my plan was to hit Mexico and head south. As I plotted my way on, through Belize, Guatemala, Honduras – my heart just wasn’t in it. The landscapes look spectacular, but in the end, the similarities outweighed the differences. Cross a provincial border in Asia and the language might change. Adjacent neighborhoods can have entirely different cuisines. Walk a few city blocks and you’ll pass Buddhist stupas, Hindu temples and Muslim mosques.
All of those Catholic, Spanish-speaking countries just started to seem homogenous. My biggest fear is to be on the road, doing the thing I enjoy most, and wishing I was somewhere else.
I pivoted to Africa for some time. Morocco looks amazing and I really enjoyed Egypt. I could head south to Kenya and Tanzania, or north into Mediterranean Europe. At the very least that would put me “in the direction” of Asia when regulations finally lifted.
And then Omicron. Just when restrictions were starting to ease a bit, this threatened everything. Originating in Africa, European countries halted travel routes and limited curbed entry. I am ok with being “stuck” in Thailand or India, but I wouldn’t feel the same level of comfort locked down in Uganda.
In December things were looking up for Thailand and India was starting to open again.
Thailand started the “Phuket Sandbox”, where you could stay on the island of Phuket for a week and move about freely after a negative covid test. By December it was “Test and Go” – arrive in Bangkok and upon receipt of a negative PCR you’re good to go.
India was about to resume international flights and began issuing 30 day tourist visas. A friend introduced me to the opportunity for a yearlong student visa in Dharamshala studying Tibetan Buddhism. Thirty days on the sub continent is not enough to do much of anything, so I decided to apply.
The Plan: January and February in Thailand, India March Onward
If you’ve never dealt with Indian bureaucracy, count yourself lucky. It’s a tortuous process at every turn. I sent my passport and documentation off to Chicago for the visa on December 11. Countless toll calls, document submissions, and emails later, my application was still pending. We’re moving into January now – about a week from departure – and my passport is still in Chicago! Finally, I plead with the consulate and got an email contact who I got the ball rolling and my visa was issued.
While dealing with the back and forth for the India visa, my Thailand plans crumble! I was all but set for the Test and Go through Bangkok, when they cancel the program because of the emerging the Omicron variant.
I pivot to the “Phuket Sandbox”, which is still open. In order to enter the kingdom, you have to obtain the Thailand Pass – submit proof of vaccination, health insurance, reservations for an approved hotel, prearranged hotel transportation, and registration/payment for covid test(s). Plus all the documentation you that would normally provide immigration on arrival.
I had several false starts for my departure date. If your planned arrival date changes by more than 72 hours, you need to reapply. It’s a real nail biter. Approval can come just days before you’re set to leave. Due to circumstances out of my control, I ultimately obtained 3 or 4 separate passes. I’ve become something of a reluctant expert
January 19 – the scheduled day of departure! One last hurdle though: a negative Covid Test with 72 hours of departure. I booked 3: one early in the week for my peace of mind, one just within the window of 72 hours where I would be confident to get the results in time, and one solidly 2 days before where I may or may not get the results in time. I failed the first test.
My family caught covid over the holidays, but I never felt a thing. Triple vaccinated and not a sniffle. I was crushed. After all of the work and planning, I got taken down by the Omicron after all. I have to say that I wasn’t completely surprised. My family all came down with it over Christmas. But I was crushed.
Most people would have thrown in the towel at some point. But I’m bound and determined. I set covid tests at 2 day intervals and even got a doctor’s note that I was officially recovered. February 1 would be wheels up.
My time in Thailand is far shorter than I would have liked, but I’m back doing what I love. And all the work and all the stress just make it that much sweeter.
Christopher’s Travels 