EXTRA Blog: The story of the USA visa

Probably the question that some are asking is why I, as a German, am applying for a USA visa. Simply it is because I don’t just want to cross the country from West to East in 3 months. My plan was first to stop off at Hawaii, then to go on to California. In Summer to go along the West coast through Canada to Alaska, then back in a loop through Canada and through the US National Parks, then from West to East through the South of the USA. A year was planned for that, for which I needed a visa.

Yes, that was the plan, if everything had gone to plan, which actually never happens.

I don’t know any more how many visas I’ve applied for and received on my travels. In any case, my passport is almost full. Right from the start of the application for the USA, everything went completely differently.

My first attempt, in the US Embassy in Melbourne failed because I didn’t have an appointment. Immediately from the not-so–friendly reception staff you get a card where you find the Internet address where you can get an appointment.

So, back again and on the Internet. To help, there are two phone numbers on the card. For the first one you see straight away that the charge for the call costs 1.90 AUD (1.16 Euro). For the second you are connected with a member of the Consulate staff that costs 20 AUD (12.28 Euro), no matter how long the call is. So preferably don’t call here either.

In the end I muddled my way through the program myself, entered all the details correctly, even managing to charge the fee for the appointment of 14 AUD (8.60 Euro) to my VISA card.

Sue helped me with a passport photo that met the US Government specifications exactly and had to be attached to the application.

As well as that I needed a statement of relationships/links outside the USA to guarantee I would leave the country again.

It could be relating to my job, studies, family or property that I own. As the first two didn’t apply, my siblings and mother probably not important enough, only my own apartment would serve. My sister had just looked for the document for that and sent it. Many thanks again for that.

So I went well prepared (to the best of my belief) on my way to the US Embassy again. This time an entry was granted as I had an appointment. Several others did as well so despite this I didn’t avoid waiting an hour. At last my number was called and I went to the counter of a nice lady who had nothing else to do other than check that I had everything with me. That was unfortunately not the case as I hadn’t paid the fee for the visa, 170 AUD (104.3 Euro). The USA is the first country that requires the fee before the visa. There was nothing for it, I would have gone not a single step further unless I had gone to the Post Office straight away and paid up.

With the receipt I could go once again through all the security controls of the US Embassy. It was like being at an airport, all bags were X-rayed, I myself had a wand waved over me. The only things I was allowed to take up with me were my purse and the papers for the application. The things you have to endure.

This time I could go directly to the counter of the nice lady, but unfortunately this time she couldn’t find my application in the computer. I was informed that I would have to fill in the application on-line again. For that there were computers available in the room, but I needed data that I didn’t have to hand. I had my laptop there, i.e. downstairs in Reception, but I wasn’t allowed to bring it up. The lady thought there would be an Internet cafe on the other side of the street and I could go there. So I looked for half an hour in the rain for this but didn’t find anything. In the meantime it was almost mid-day and the embassy was only open until 12:30. So I decided to go back and get myself a new appointment.

At first at Reception they didn’t want to let me in any more. They wanted to know why you went out, why you came back etc. They said I could only get a new appointment over the Internet. Somehow I managed to get them to let me in. Over the Internet I would have had to pay 14 AUD again. The nice lady had an understanding and gave me an appointment for Friday.

I could fill out the application much quicker the second time. But I then got an e-mail from the US Embassy that I should come with the certificate of my first application, as apparently they had found the application in their computer after all.

On Friday I went early to the US Embassy again. After waiting an hour I was again allowed in front of the counter where it was checked that I had all my documents with me. As my application was in the computer as well all my finger-prints were taken and could wait for an hour again until I was allowed to have an interview. In the meantime it was 12:15 already, and because of that it went really quickly. The interview didn’t even last 5 minutes. I tried to explain what I was doing, and had as before for the Australian Embassy, put reports together of my travels. That didn’t impress them. As they couldn’t get to grips with the document stating that I owned an apartment in Germany, they eventually decided I needed links to Australia, the country I would go back to, where I applied for the visa. And why I hadn’t applied for a visa in Germany. To the first I said, it was new to me, because all would understand I would need links outside the USA no matter where they were, and to the second, I left Germany 1 year and 8 months ago, and didn’t know whether and when I would travel in the USA.

That was all the same to them however, and they only said that I should travel to Canada, they could give me no visa, signed a letter, gave it to me and said I had to go, there were other applicants waiting. I only asked about the money that I had already paid, to which they replied it was the handling fee and for the finger prints. No thanks, for that I had paid 112 Euro so that the US government had my finger prints and could turn me away the same the next time I appeared at its gates.

I stood there, but not long as there was nothing else for me to do but go. On the way out, I thought I should see it not as the end but as a new challenge.

At home I read the note that I got again, that stated I had to show links outside the USA. Now it was clear why I was sent away directly – if only I had read it earlier...

Apart from that it was stated that it was not permitted to appeal against the judgement.

As I felt I had been handled unfairly and wanted an explanation of the situation, I wrote an e-mail to the US embassy asking where my links had to be, and that the ownership of an apartment was not accepted. That was 2 weeks ago but since then I have had no answer. I will go into it again.

With that, USA was not only the first country that asked for all fees in advance but also the first country that wouldn’t let me in. I have been in the USA so often already and it had never felt compelled to stay.

Apart from annoyance at having spent so much for nothing, I had in the meantime got around to the idea of flying from Australia to Chile and to go through South and Central America.

After Australia, where I was very spoiled, back in the poor countries, where you only got necessary everyday things and only spoke a little of the language, would certainly not be easy, but much more interesting for it. I have become knowledgeable about it, am totally fascinated, and am really enjoying the thought of it.

Probably at the end of it I would be thankful to the USA that they didn’t let me in.

In the meantime I had actually got an answer from the US Embassy. It stated that as they could not verify the document of my apartment I had to get the visa in Germany. I didn’t want it any more, I was looking forward to South America.

Despite this I demand a World Wide Visa for Cyclists!!!

On the Great Ocean Road to Melbourne

After a bit of toing and froing, my decision matching the weather i.e. changeable, I decided in the end to leave my comfortable stay in Warrnambool on Saturday 26. September and to make my way along the Great Ocean Road.

Over the last few days the weather forecasts were always worse than the actual weather so I set off very optimistically.

I easily found the side streets again through meadows of contented cows that Mary had shown me over the days before. Just before Peterborough I got on the Great Ocean Road and just then it started bucketing down. The wind also got up, there was no place I could turn round as it blew me in my way again.

After Peterborough the famous stone formations began, the Grotto

London Bridge, that fell down years ago, and the Ark,

 

with the bubbling waves in the heavy storm made a wonderful show. No wonder that this coast is also known as the “Shipwreck Coast”. It was easy to realize that some ships met their end here.

I remembered more places here from my first tour, although then it was summer the weather was the same. I recognized Port Campbell once more, this small over-priced tourist trap that I didn’t like the last time either. It is mostly famous for the 12 Apostles, of which only 8 are still standing, that come just after the place.

 

I’d been advised several times not to travel on the Great Ocean Road at the week-end. I’d had no problems though. Perhaps at normal week-ends there is more traffic, on this Saturday the day of the big Australia Football final the streets stayed empty, as in Europe when the soccer final takes place, a great day for cycling.

I was only over-run by hordes of Asians and Indians that stormed the coast by the 12 (8) Apostles in bus-loads. Thanks to the strong wind no-one stayed long. It even blew the waterfall back up the cliff.

 

After the obligatory photo I went on, but not for long. The wind continually blew me off the street, it was simply too uncomfortable for me.

In Princetown I found a small camp-site, where if I am not wrong, I was 5½ years ago. A woman who was travelling the Great Ocean Road had already settled under the roof of a building. I joined her, and as I didn’t have the slightest interest in putting up my tent in the storm and rain, I cleared out a store room again in which we made ourselves comfortable.

The next day the weather wasn’t any better, but there was nothing for it, it was not a place to stay. Over the last few days I had asked almost everyone about dirt side roads as an alternative to the Great Ocean Road. When I got there, I remembered that last time I went on a side road. Only I thought it was the ‘Old coach road’. It started right at the camp-site. I remembered it was very traversable. After I got stuck in sand after 1km and in the end after 2.5km had to turn around, I really had to ask myself how a road could change so much.

Back to the main road, a few meters further the ‘Old coach road’ started. This made a much better impression on me. A look at the map confirmed that had mistaken the road.

Perhaps I should wear my reading glasses from time to time.

This way corresponded to my memories, almost flat, on a good traversable surface, snaking alongside the Gellibrand river. The heavy downpour of the previous days was clearly visible. But the cows suffered from this more than me as they only had small places in the meadows and because of more puddles.

I was already physically and psychologically ready for the long ascent of Lavers Hill. Going up it wasn’t so bad as it was only 8-9 degrees. Going down it was a bit worse. Added to the cold were side and head winds. Very unpleasant. Despite this the area was very nice, rain forest mostly.

Then a second hill came totally unexpectedly, but once I had got that behind me it was downhill only to Apollo Bay.

Actually I only wanted to go very quickly through this tourist spot, but met Sebio and Kati, two Spanish cyclists, the first that were cycling round the world that I had seen for ages. They were looking for a camp-site and, as we had some experiences to swap, I hooked up with them.

We were sent away from the first camp-site as all the places for tents were under water. But at the second, located on a hill, we were more successful. A nice, new, luxurious place, affordable for three of us. We spent the evening in the cosy, heated camp-site kitchen, I gave them information about Asia, and got it about America. Once again it was really nice.

 

Although the weather looked better the next day I still wanted to reach Bawron Head where a nice warm dry place was waiting for me.

I left Sebio and Kati very early, got going and … after 3km had a puncture! Extremely strange as it shouldn’t have happened with good tyres and good roads. Nothing to be done but to change the tube and go on. It could have been worse, at least it wasn’t raining.

In my opinion, the most beautiful stretch of the Great Ocean Road is between Apollo Bay and Anglesia. The road goes up and down along the cliffs there and you see something of the sea for longer. In addition the weather was great, it was a wonderful bicycle tour yet again.

I went on side roads from Torquay to Bawron Head. They were all nice small paths, with signs everywhere to watch out for cyclists. There were many of them there but almost all were racing cyclists with Lycra shorts, probably inspired by Cadel Evans who spent his summer there.

One of them slowed down to my speed to start a conversation with me. Normally this lasts 500m perhaps, then the most important questions are asked and answered, and then they can sprint away. David lasted for a long time next to me and, as he established that he was a neighbour of my hosts Steve and Pat, he rode all of the remaining 20km next to me there. It was really nice to have a conversation along with the ride.

I received a hearty welcome from Steve and Pat and could use the guest house in their garden right away. What a luxury, a complete house with kitchen, bathroom, living room, bedroom, full fridge and books, books, books. You could easily spend a while there.

Steve and Pat are very interesting characters. Steve writes for a local paper, took accurate notes of everything that I told him about my tour and wrote the following article about it:

http://www.stevecraddock.id.au/Time_%26_tide/Entries/2009/11/1_No_more_visa_problems_for_ages!.html

His father and he were one of the climbing pioneers on Mt Arapiles, the climber’s paradise where I had just been.

Pat is an excellent painter, and her pictures were up everywhere, reflecting the atmosphere of the area very well.

Paul and Sue, friends from Melbourne of Pat and Steve, came the next day for lunch. I was at their place 5 ½ years ago, they visited me in Steinen 4 years ago and we were very happy to see each other again.

It was very restorative day for me as in the morning I could sort out and dry my things and patch my inner tube naturally.

Finally the last part to Melbourne came. Just on this day a North wind was forecast which meant a head wind for me mostly.

The first stretch to Queenscliff where the ferry to the Mornington Peninsula stops, was OK though. It was also unusually warm, the first time since I don’t know when that I could ride without a jacket.

When I crossed the Philip Bay last time the water was full of dolphins. This time there was no trace of the animals, perhaps the water was too cold.

Things had been done over the last few years on the Mornington Peninsula. Nice cycle tracks went alongside the beach on which ever more colourful huts stood, really idyllically. I wondered what they had in them.

 

The wind made the stretch into a real challenge. Convinced I would make it to Sue and Paul’s house before darkness fell, I took my time.

Paul waited for me before Philip Bay branches off to Camberwell for which I was really grateful. The traffic had increased a lot over the last few kilometers as I got near to the second-biggest town in Australia. He showed me the small little-known ways up to Camberwell. We reached the house just before dark. Sue had already prepared a bite to eat for us before I moved into my new home. After the meal I wasn’t up to much however.

Now I’ve been in Melbourne for 2 weeks already and I still like it a lot. It felt like home with Sue and Pat, which does me a lot of good after the long time on the roads. Thanks to the Melbourne Arts Festival with the fantastic opening spectacle

 

 

and the Bike festival that began with the “Bike to work” event,

 

which always offered something interesting, I can take it here very well. To calm my itchy legs, I go running in the mornings and go from time to time with Paul on lengthy cycle tours. At Sue has damaged her knee, she can’t go cycling and I can have her super light bicycle. It is really fun to pelt through the area after Paul with only 9kg under my behind. Melbourne has the biggest and best network of cycle tracks that I have seen up until now, through woods and along streams, really nice. My stretch in the town is great too, along the Yarra River. In comparison to other towns the cycle tracks were really used.

Melbourne is the ideal place for me to stay until Tasmania gets warmer and I can take the ferry there on the 12th November.