1.
Opening Doors to Hidden Countries
Stefan Krasowski
Rapid Travel Chai

2.
Before We Start
If you want to be an idiot…do it at home
…and don’t tear up visas at immigration
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

3.
Itinerary
Why
How
Where
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

4.
Who am I?
I lived in China for 8 years
I work in international business
I plan obsessively
I travel fast
I come back exhausted
My wife is the opposite
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

5.
Why Hidden Countries?
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

6.
French Canada or France in Canada?
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
Photo by Gord McKenna ,flickr
St. Pierre & MiquelonMontreal, Quebec

7.
How to Get to St. Pierre & Miquelon?
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
United or Air Canada to St. John’s, Newfoundland
Drive to Fortune and take the daily summer ferry

8.
Tourist Hordes in Rome or Rome in Africa?
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
Photo by jimmyharris, flickr
Colosseum, Rome Colosseum, El-Jem, Tunisia

9.
And While You’re in Tunisia
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

10.
How to Get to Tunisia?
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
2 hour flight from Europe – easy for FTU-ers!
Inspired Star Wars Sandcrawler

11.
Cons and Pros
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12.
Cons
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
Red tape (visas) can be a hassle
Some destinations unavoidably expensive
Standards vary…a lot, especially at hotels
Stress…especially with companions
Andaman Islands, India

13.
Awards can do a lot, but not everything
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
Delta or United award to Saipan or Guam
Freedom Air to Tinian $84 - $261
Rental SUV $50
= Driving North Field, B-29 Superfortress Base
Enola Gay Loading PitAir Ops BuildingFreedom Air

14.
Pros
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
Every day is off-peak
Enjoy breathtaking sights without crowds
No tourist industry = few tourist scams
Authentic interaction with locals
Make a difference with your dollars
Learn
“You went where?” bar stories to tell
Kyrgyzstan

15.
Dominican Republic’s Tourist East
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
Photo by Marlene lls, flickr Photo by Larry Armstrong, flickr

16.
Dominican Republic’s Quiet West
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

17.
Tips
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

18.
US Passports
Get the large passport book
Get a passport card for land & sea & backup ID
Enroll in Global Entry/NEXUS/SENTRI and
add to airline profiles for TSA PreCheck
Have scans and copies
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

19.
Second US Passports
Great for frequent travelers who need visas
Easy process
Only valid for two years
Longer validity in 2015?
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

20.
Visas for US Citizens
travel.state.gov is reliable
Land borders – may not have visa on arrival or allow foreigners
Specialist visa agents vs big generalists like CIBT
10-year India and 3-year Russia tourist visas
Must pay Argentina reciprocity fee online in advance
Yes, you need a visa for Australia
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

21.
Tech
Unlocked phone + local SIM card
T-Mobile – free data & text to 120+ countries
Encrypt – TrueCrypt
Get a VPN – WiTopia
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

22.
Insurance
Insure yourself, your trip, or
your stuff?
Annual or per trip?
Credit cards often insure
your trip and your stuff
I insure myself – GeoBlue
Trekker Choice annual plan
insubuy.com,
travelinsurancecenter.com
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

23.
Health
CDC Yellow Book cdc.gov/travel
Know scientific names of your meds
(aspirin = acetylsalicylic acid)
Plan ahead for vaccines
Malaria pills pros and cons
International Certificate of Vaccination
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

24.
Yellow Fever
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
Source: CDC Yellow Book 2014

25.
Safety
Don’t be:
Drunk
Drugged
Debauched
Especially when you don’t
speak the language or
know the legal system
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
The Rapid Travel Chai ‘3 Ds’ of Travel Safety

26.
Rapid Travel Chai
Guide to Culture in One Slide
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

27.
Don’t Be These Guys
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
Aussie football fans
in Oman
Wearing
shorts
Flippantly
wearing
local hats
Their shirts at
least have
sleeves

28.
Where to Start?
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

29.
Where to Start?
Explore outside your social media bubble
Consider offbeat and offseason
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
Yamamoto’s Bunker,
East New Britain,
Papua New Guinea

30.
UNESCO Sites
Bhimbetka Rock Shelters and Sanchi Buddhist Monuments,
Bhopal, India
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

31.
Traveler’s Century Club
Anne of Green Gables & lobster suppers,
Prince Edward Island, Canada
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

32.
Thorn Tree Forum for Destinations
Lonely Planet Thorn Tree forum
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

33.
Miles and Points
Beyond Cathay J to Bali
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

34.
British Airways Avios are Awesome
Redeem for short, expensive flights
Fill in gaps on itineraries
Africa, Canada, Pacific, South America flights
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

35.
Check Non-Alliance Partners, Too
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
+

36.
Some offbeat flight awards
Star Alliance:
Copa in Central America (with United complementary upgrades)
Ethiopian from Washington D.C. for Africa
Turkish flies 100+ countries
OneWorld:
Avios, Avios, Avios
SkyTeam:
AeroMexico for Central America and even Europe and Asia
China Eastern + China Southern for trips around Asia
Delta seasonal JFK flight to Prince Edward Island, Canada
Tarom for Eastern Europe
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

37.
United Micronesia Island Hopper
Join missionaries, military, dignitaries, and islanders
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

38.
Palau and Peleliu
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

39.
Pohnpei
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

40.
Air France KLM Caribbean Hopper
Visit Caribbean on the way to Europe
Avoid Delta: positioning flight to Miami to pick up Air France
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

41.
Haiti
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

42.
French Guiana and Suriname
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

43.
Air Where the Awards Don’t Go
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

44.
Air – Research
Wikipedia’s airport and airline pages
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

45.
Air – Booking
Find flights on ITA Matrix
Locate booking options on Hipmunk
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

46.
Air – Budget Airlines
skyscanner.com and
whichbudget.com
Price all the extras
Know the airport –
where in ‘London’?
Know the terminal –
Malaysian remote LCCTs
Air Asia is awesome
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

47.
Air – Obscure Airlines
OneTravel for hard to ticket airlines
Get reservation record AND ticket number
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

48.
Air – Passes
If you think awards are confusing and frustrating…
Passes come and go, often
Complicated booking
Gotchas abound
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

49.
Hidden Countries
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

50.
Americas
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

51.
Moonscapes in Bolivia
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
La Paz

52.
How to Get to Bolivia?
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
Avianca or LAN to La Paz
Santa Cruz has AA and more but no Uyuni flights
Overland from Peru at Lake Titicaca
Lake Titicaca

53.
Bolivia Practicalities
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
Visa on arrival at all points of entry ($135)
Land transport is very rough – fly to Uyuni
Uyuni tour is high altitude and physically difficult
La Paz – Uyuni
bus breakdown

54.
Otherworldly Salar de Uyuni
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

55.
Jesuits and Germans in Paraguay
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
Deserted UNESCO
Jesuit missions
German yerba
mate farmers
Itaipú Dam
+ +

56.
How to Get to Paraguay?
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
AA nonstop from Miami, or Latin American airlines
Overland from Argentina (Iguazú Falls or Posadas)
American Airlines Miami – Asunción inaugural flight

57.
Paraguay Practicalities
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
Visa required – on arrival for air only ($160)
Major cities have safety issues – stay in German towns
Need land transport – only domestic flight is Asunción
to Ciudad del Este (Brazil border)
Asunción Airport

58.
Europe
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

59.
Divided Cyprus
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
4th-century BC Tombs of the Kings, Pafos

60.
How to Get to Cyprus
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
Larnaca and Paphos served by many airlines
Turkish-controlled Ercan served mainly from Turkey
Onurair
Istanbul-Ercan

61.
Cyprus Practicalities
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
No issue going in/out Turkish-controlled territory
Bringing rental cars across is difficult – rent on both sides
Divided Nicosia

62.
Soviet Land in Transnistria
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
Batman Lenin

63.
How to Get to Transnistria?
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
Fly to Chisinau, Moldova on Austrian, Tarom, Turkish
Bus to Terespol (avoid Russia through-trains)
Transnistria
border

64.
Transnistria Practicalities
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
Moldova permits tourists to visit with no hassle
Visa on arrival process subject to whim
Extremely little English spoken
Wedding Party

65.
Africa
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

66.
Zimbabwe – Zambia – Botswana Triangle
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
Victoria Falls

67.
How to Get to Victoria Falls?
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
BA Avios to Victoria Falls or Livingstone from Johannesburg
Star Alliance: South African or Ethiopian
Day tour to Botswana’s Chobe National Park
Everything but
the lions

68.
Victoria Falls Practicalities
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
Zimbabwe’s tourist industry is fine, despite the economy
Visa on arrival for Zambia & Zimbabwe, free for Botswana
Colonial Victoria Falls Hotel & Royal Livingstone
Victoria Falls Hotel

69.
Bargain French & Lemurs in Madagascar
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
Luxury for $100/night

70.
How to Get to Madagascar?
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
SkyTeam: great availability on Air France & Kenya Airways
Lemurs in
Andasibe

71.
Madagascar Practicalities
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
Visa on arrival (free)
Road network is dreadful
Great value hotels and French cuisine
Countryside around TanaThe capital Tana

72.
Middle East
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

73.
Iran Loves Americans
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
At least the people do!

74.
How to Get to Iran?
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
Europe and Middle East carriers fly to Tehran and more
Land entry from Turkey (US/UK may have issues)
Lake near Shiraz

75.
Iran Practicalities
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
US/UK citizens must book agency tour with guide
Expect 2-3 month visa process, apply at Pakistan Embassy
Iranians are cosmopolitan and very friendly to Americans
Watch Rick Steves Iran Lecture: http://bit.ly/1lgelmT
Home decoration expo

76.
Iran Mosaic
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

77.
Iran Mosaic
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

78.
Rising Iraq in Kurdistan
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
Gali Ali Beg Canyon, north of Erbil

79.
How to Get to Iraqi Kurdistan?
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
Fly to Erbil or Sulaimaniyah on Austrian, Lufthansa, Turkish
and the Middle Eastern carriers – great award availability
No viable land borders
Boom town Erbil

80.
Iraqi Kurdistan Practicalities
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
Visa on arrival, not valid for travel to rest of Iraq (free)
Very safe, but still Iraq, so be alert
Cash economy, don’t rely on ATMs or credit cards
Entrance to many buildings

81.
Is the Saudi Arabia Transit Visa Dead?
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
Transit visa (see UPGRD Matthew http://bit.ly/11uCx9K)
Matthew reports the transit visa may be dead – stay tuned

82.
Where I Really Want to Go: Socotra, Yemen
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
Remote, safe island off the coast of Yemen
Photo by Konrad Chudzik,flickrPhoto by Martin Sojka,flickr

83.
Asia Pacific
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

84.
Serene Bhutan
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
Tiger’s Nest

85.
How to Get to Bhutan?
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
Get to New Dehli, Kathmandu, Bangkok, Singapore
Connect on national carrier Druk Air
Druk Air

86.
Bhutan Practicalities
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
Must book with tour agent who arranges visa on arrival
Government all-inclusive rates based on group size
Peak months single person tour US$290/day
Last (departure) day free
Guides in required
traditional dress

87.
Himalayan Idyll
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

88.
Turkmenistan the Wacky ‘Stan
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
The Gates of Hell

89.
How to Get to Turkmenistan?
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
Star Alliance Lufthansa and Turkish; OneWorld S7
SkyTeam China Southern from Ürümqi for Silk Road trips
Azerbaijan by ferry, Uzbekistan by land
Neighborhood
MiG in Mary

90.
Turkmenistan Practicalities
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
Tourist visa requires guided tour and long process
Transit visa is guide-fee but lots of restrictions
Average summer temperatures 100⁰F+
My guide in 130⁰F+ heat in non-AC Soviet jeep to Gonur

91.
Edifice Complex
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

92.
WWII Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
Mount Austen / Gifu

93.
How to Get to Solomon Islands?
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
Virgin Australia from Brisbane, Australia
Combine with Great Barrier Reef Trip
Award via Delta, Virgin America/Atlantic or Singapore
VA retired DJ flight codes in Jan ‘13 so all flights now
bookable for Delta
Edson’s Bloody Ridge

94.
Solomon Islands Practicalities
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
No visa required
Transport to outer islands unreliable
Need clan permission for some sites – guide is useful
Honiara Hotel
children’s pool

95.
Thin Red Line in Solomon Islands
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

96.
North Korea
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
Victory Day Parade, 60th anniversary of Korean War Armistice

97.
Can You Go?
Yes, it is legal
Now open year-round
Agency handles visa and does not need your passport
What if something happens? Call Swedish Embassy,
Jimmy Carter or Dennis Rodman
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
Mansudae Grand
Monument detail

98.
How to Get to North Korea?
Typically must get yourself to Beijing:
2-entry visa if train or visit other Chinese cities
72-hour stopover if international flights only
Train entry/exit for US citizens still an issue
Koryo Air is cheaper and the full experience
Air China is Star Alliance,
I’ve never seen awards to FNJ…
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved
Air Koryo

99.
Agencies
Must book with an approved agency:
Koryo Tours: the pioneer with lots of options
big bus tours or $$$ small group
Uri Tours: new player, more boutique
smaller groups
Consider private tour for more local interaction
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

100.
What You See - Monuments
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

101.
What You See - DMZ
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

102.
What You See - Glimpses of Daily Life
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

103.
What You See – Mass Games (next in 2015)
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

104.
What You See – If It’s a Holiday
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

105.
What You See – Party Time!
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved

106.
Thank You
stefan@rapidtravelchai.com
@rapidtravelchai
rapidtravelchai.com
©Stefan Krasowski, All Rights Reserved