Round the World Ticket

When I started inquiring about my flight tickets in September last year I had several options to choose from. The first recommendation from the travel agency I contacted to get detailed information was to book the flights individually. If it is properly done it could save you a little bit of money and is rather flexible in the selections of the locations. However, their proposal to fly from Osaka to Honolulu via Auckland scared me off. Continue reading “Round the World Ticket”

Those moments …

Sometimes I have those bright moments of awareness: Yes, I’m really travelling!

Today I’m sitting on five different local trains for about five hours trying not to miss the right station for my the next one, bringing me closer to my target, everything only in Japanese. However, I don’t feel lost at all. It just feels good, real. It makes me smile. When I was on the bus in Australia heading towards middle of nowhere, realizing that most people I know are upside down at the moment (at least from my perspective), or when I first smelled the fresh air of New Zealand it came over me as well.

A good feeling! It is like when you eat an apple and suddenly realize how tasty it is. You let nothing distract you. You just enjoy and you are eating the best apple of the world at this moment 😉

Exchange Rates

Looking at the exchange rates, one notes that it is quite handy that it is not necessary to think about them too often anymore. Rates are indicated in EUR vs. foreign currency:

Country Currency 6.1.2012
EUR Zone EUR 1.00
Great Britain GBP 0.82
Australia AUD 1.25
New Zealand NZD 1.64
Japan JPY 98.72
U.S.A. USD 1.28
Brasil BRL 2.36

Visa requirements

Looking through the list of countries I’m visiting, the following prerequisites for people with an Austrian citizenship apply to enter:

  • Spain, Germany, Great Britain: No requirements
  • Australia: Up to three month a electronic visa application is need (Tourist (e676) Visa). For longer stays or multiple entries a full visa has to be requested.
  • New Zealand: Up to three month no formal requirements with an Austrian citizenship (Immigration New Zealand)
  • Japan: Up to six month no formal requirements with an Austrian citizenship to enter the country. Nevertheless after 90 days a prolongation of the stay has the be requested with the local immigration office (Japanese Embassy, Vienna)
  • U.S.A: Up to 90 days only an electronic application with the The Visa Waiver Program is necessary.
  • Brazil: Up to 90 days no formal requirements

A very helpful site to find information about visa requirements is hosted by the Austrian Foreign Ministry. See detail lists for representations and embassies (German only).

It will be nice and sunny, interrupted by a few showers!

After leaving Europe on January 8 a warm and cosy year (almost) lies ahead of me:

Explanation: Average Temperature Minimum-Maximum (Precipitation in mm)