Wholly fricking EXPENSIVE
I just went to a company that processes Visas. Ultimate destination Nepal of course. I could have done this myself but I used this company before and it was relatively painless. THIS time there was significant pain... to my pocketbook!! They charged me $224 for a Visa to Nepal. Two-Hundred-and-twenty-four-dollars-and-ninety-one-cents to be exact. I was dumbfounded! I just looked at the woman behind the counter and said "Are you sure?!" She replies "Oh yes ma'am, it will take 11 days that's with tax of course" My brain is whirling, should I say fuck it, snatch my passport from her hand along with my "almost happy visa photo" and do it myself? I have a month but what if I screw it up and I don't have my passport back in time for Bhutan? But Jesus, I don't need the express service here.
I got back to work and googled Canadian Visas for Nepal. $80USD for a multiple entry into Nepal. Now lets say they Fedex my documents to the Nepali Consulate in Toronto at $40 both ways. Righto that's about $160 and that would mean that the Visa company is taking about $60 in profit. Providing they ARE sending it on an expensive courier which is feasible I suppose if I'm getting all my stuff back in 11days. I dunno, it still feels like I've been raped and pillaged in some way.
I could have waited and gotten a Visa entry at the Kathmandu airport, but I have visions of long line-ups, no air conditioning, people jostling in line and one bored Government Official moodily stamping passports. In the long run I would rather pay the bucks and have the Visa beforehand. Next trip though I hope I have enough lead time to do it myself and save some money.
I am also looking at Cameras. After my Mongolia trip I decided to put away my SLR for good and go totally digital. I really couldn't see a measurable difference between the shots taken with my Canon and the images taken from my point and shoot camera. I should back up thats not entirely fair. The wide angle zoom lens on my SLR made for excellent closeups and I could get some quality shots from far away. While I've been leaning towards buying the Canon EOS Rebel digital back which can take my existing lens, it would work out cheaper to pick up the newest generation of Long zoom Wide Angle Digital Cameras. One draw back I won't be able to change lens but honestly, I don't do that with my Canon anyhow. A friend has recommned the Panasonic DMCFZ18K Lumix Digital Camera. The reviews are positive. I'm amazed at what you can pick up now for $500. Digital technology just keeps getting more affordable and its looking like its about the amount of camera I need. Its smaller than what a DSLR would be and cheaper but I think the quality will be fairly good. While I love to take images and I know I have a good eye for composition, I really haven't been too focused (pardon the pun, ha yuk) on the technical aspects of photography. Perhaps lucky for me that I can take my images in photoshop and tweak enough to make up for my lack of technical ability. But at the end of the day that can't replace a well composed shot, and engaging subject matter.
Jason Thompson informed me that I am now on the roster for his annual Cognac and Cheeze Slideshow. A much anticipated event that I look forward to. Typically it has been Colin, Jason and Rapheal presenting cool stuff they've done over the year. Last year Jason didn't feel he had as much to contribute and he changed it up by having Nic and Karena presenting on their trip to Nepal, although they also climbed mountains there so it still fit. I reminded him that I wouldn't be climbing in Bhutan and he gave me a look and said "Its not all about climbing Lise" and fair enough. Its a group of friends who love the outdoors and we love to see what other people are up to. It will be missing Colin's presence and that'll be tough and I think it will especially underscore that the real event is all of us enjoying each others' company and looking at cool pictures. Now I feel like I'm on assignment! :-)
I got back to work and googled Canadian Visas for Nepal. $80USD for a multiple entry into Nepal. Now lets say they Fedex my documents to the Nepali Consulate in Toronto at $40 both ways. Righto that's about $160 and that would mean that the Visa company is taking about $60 in profit. Providing they ARE sending it on an expensive courier which is feasible I suppose if I'm getting all my stuff back in 11days. I dunno, it still feels like I've been raped and pillaged in some way.
I could have waited and gotten a Visa entry at the Kathmandu airport, but I have visions of long line-ups, no air conditioning, people jostling in line and one bored Government Official moodily stamping passports. In the long run I would rather pay the bucks and have the Visa beforehand. Next trip though I hope I have enough lead time to do it myself and save some money.
I am also looking at Cameras. After my Mongolia trip I decided to put away my SLR for good and go totally digital. I really couldn't see a measurable difference between the shots taken with my Canon and the images taken from my point and shoot camera. I should back up thats not entirely fair. The wide angle zoom lens on my SLR made for excellent closeups and I could get some quality shots from far away. While I've been leaning towards buying the Canon EOS Rebel digital back which can take my existing lens, it would work out cheaper to pick up the newest generation of Long zoom Wide Angle Digital Cameras. One draw back I won't be able to change lens but honestly, I don't do that with my Canon anyhow. A friend has recommned the Panasonic DMCFZ18K Lumix Digital Camera. The reviews are positive. I'm amazed at what you can pick up now for $500. Digital technology just keeps getting more affordable and its looking like its about the amount of camera I need. Its smaller than what a DSLR would be and cheaper but I think the quality will be fairly good. While I love to take images and I know I have a good eye for composition, I really haven't been too focused (pardon the pun, ha yuk) on the technical aspects of photography. Perhaps lucky for me that I can take my images in photoshop and tweak enough to make up for my lack of technical ability. But at the end of the day that can't replace a well composed shot, and engaging subject matter.
Jason Thompson informed me that I am now on the roster for his annual Cognac and Cheeze Slideshow. A much anticipated event that I look forward to. Typically it has been Colin, Jason and Rapheal presenting cool stuff they've done over the year. Last year Jason didn't feel he had as much to contribute and he changed it up by having Nic and Karena presenting on their trip to Nepal, although they also climbed mountains there so it still fit. I reminded him that I wouldn't be climbing in Bhutan and he gave me a look and said "Its not all about climbing Lise" and fair enough. Its a group of friends who love the outdoors and we love to see what other people are up to. It will be missing Colin's presence and that'll be tough and I think it will especially underscore that the real event is all of us enjoying each others' company and looking at cool pictures. Now I feel like I'm on assignment! :-)
posted by Lise B at Thursday, February 28, 2008
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