-
Group eVisa for China – an attractive option for Round the World Travelers
In preparation for our future trip to China, we inquired about different options for obtaining a visa for China from the country we are in. The easiest and cheapest option is to apply for a group evisa. The group evisa for China must berequested through a travel agency This type of visa has been around for ages No need to give fingerprints. Fingerprints will be taken when you arrive at the scene The evisa will not be issued by the country from which you are applying, it is issued directly from China, by the Chinese authorities: National Immigration Administration (Exit and Entry Administration) of the People’s Republic of China So…
-
1 day at Las Peñitas & Turtle Conservation Project (Nicaragua)
This weekend, to our great delight, Lauriane, an expert on Central America and theorganization of trips for the mentally and physically handicapped – came to visit us in Leon. As a reminder, we got to know each other through a Facebook travel group (when I was looking for information about Nicaragua) and the trend went well right away. She proposes us to accompany her to Los Brasiles (where she spent three months in a turtle conservation association) and to Las Peñitas, the famous beach at only 1 hour from Leon. As usual, practical advice is at the end of the article. Part 1: Travel Diary Part2: Practical Tips Part 1:…
-
3 days in Ometepe (Nicaragua) by Scooter
With San Juan del Sur, Granada and Leon, the island of Ometepe is an essential stop in Nicaragua. The idea of spending 3 days on an island – located in the middle of a huge lake – with two volcanoes (one of which is active) is particularly appealing. Part 1: Travel Diary Part2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Diary How to get to Ometepe from Granada I will write a full article but to summarize, there are two methods: The 1st method called “lazy” consists of paying a tourist shuttle to the ferry in San Jorge (15$/person) and from the port, take the first ferry that goes to Ometepe (50…
-
Travel Guided Tour: Lake Ayopo, Pueblos Blancos & the Masaya Active Volcano (Nicaragua)
Today we have an appointment with David, a French speaking Nicaraguan guide highly recommended by Lauriane to visit the surroundings of Granada & Masaya. We enjoyed every minute we spent with him. I tell you about our little adventure in details. Part 1: Travel Diary Part2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Diary Paradiso Hotel near the Apoyo Lagoon David comes to pick us up in 4×4 around 8:45 am to bring us to the Apoyo lagoon. It is the only lagoon in the surroundings where the water is pure and one can bathe without fear. The others (from Masaya and Managua) are very polluted. We stop at Paradiso Hostel (link…
-
Learn Spanish in Granada (Nicaragua)
Since my Spanish learning week in Sucre, Bolivia 2 years ago, I have not taken any Spanish classes. Only courses via the applications I told you about here As a result, progress depends only on me. With my nomadic digital activities (to earn a living), Spanish is… how can I put it, my n-th priority. I realized that I had lost a lot of vocabulary and that my oral comprehension was catastrophic, in spite of our stay, after the first world tour, in Seville and Colombia. I inquired about Spanish courses in Colombia and the prices discouraged me (12$/hour – private course). But in Granada (Nicaragua) where we are currently,…
-
What about Security in Nicaragua in 2020? Dangerous country for tourists ?
Before setting foot in Central America, we asked ourselves this question and asked questions to the French expats living there. In Nicaragua, we were able to contact Lauriane, who is currently there, and who told us that the country was totally safe for tourists (safer even than Costa Rica). The demonstrations and roadblocks observed in 2018 no longer exist. Even on the site of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the whole country is in yellow, no zone is in orange or red, which is a very good sign. This is just the time to take advantage of it and have all the tourist sites for you alone. Moreover, Nicaragua is…
-
Interview with Lauriane Marecal: What to See, What to Do in Nicaragua? Addresses, Tips & Tricks
Editor’s note: following research for our next trip to Central America, we were led to contact Lauriane Marecal, a French traveler in love with Nicaragua. After almost 2 years criss-crossing Central America, Lauriane brings us in this long interview, recent information (2019) about the country, as well as the richness of this beautiful country still off the beaten track. Thanks to Lauriane for giving us her time. We wish her all the best for her project of a home for adults with mental and motor disabilities in Nicaragua. His Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/lauriane.marecal.9Sound Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/havana_nicaragua/ Hello Lauriane, can you introduce yourself? What brought you to Nicaragua? Hello to all readers.…
-
Tax refund: How to get the VAT reduction (duty free) in Japan?
Good news: you don’t need to be at the airport to benefit from duty free. All stores with a “tax free” sticker will allow you to save the 8% tax. Be careful, you have to spend at least 5000yen/purchase to be eligible for tax free. For this, you just have to show your passport. Be aware that in Japan, prices are all displayed tax free (including in restaurants) so don’t be surprised if the displayed price of the product you buy is 10,000yen and after the tax reduction, you still pay 10,000yen. All purchases will be put in a sealed transparent bag (like at the airport – as you aren’t…
-
2 days in Panama City (Panama)
After 2 months in Colombia, it is already time to leave – with regrets – this beautiful country for Nicaragua. We decide to divide the trip in two, because it is the opportunity to spend 2.5 days in Panama City and to realize my childhood dream: to cross the Panama Canal by boat. Part 1: Travel Diary Part2: Practical Tips Part 1: Travel Diary Bogotá => Panama City At the check-in, we are asked for the exit ticket (which we fortunately have). JB having forgotten to ask for a Priority Pass card for me (he thought the card was valid for two people), I find myself on uncomfortable chairs while…
-
Crossing the Panama Canal by Boat – A childhood dream come true
On the way to Nicaragua, we landed 3 days in Panama City to realize one of my childhood dreams: Crossing the Panama Canal by boat. Unlike the Suez Canal which is at sea level, the Panama Canal has several locks. The Panama Canal is 77 km long and crosses the Isthmus of Panama to connect the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. The French thought they could apply the same techniques used in the Suez Canal but failed miserably because of the technical difficulties (the excavation of the Culebra cut is too difficult for the means of the time) and the loss of human life (malaria, yellow fever)…. The project was then…
