India Train Bookings from Abroad without Local Mobile Number

solo traveling new delhi - jaipur - agra (india) in 1.5 days

may 18-19, 2012 friday to saturday

Incredible India solo backpacking in 1.5 days

As of April 2012, India local mobile number is required for processing all train bookings abroad or for any tourist coming outside India. The following updated procedure tells how to book online without actually having it;

1. create an account in IRCTC:

- makemytrip.com and cleartrip.com has a tied agreement to India Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) to avoid illegal selling of train tickets. After filling up everything required (with asterisk) just put any 6-digit number for ZIP CODE and any 10 digit india formatted number for mobile number (example: 834949****, this was my random number used, you may used it replacing the last 4 asterisk. Incorrect format will put your email account to junk status. Thus, you have to create new one with another email). Then click SUBMIT. An email from IRCTC will be received from your email within 10mins stating your one-time passwords (OTP) for log-in and email. The third one is Mobile OTP which will be received via SMS on mandatory indian mobile number (with country code starting with 91). Don't worry there is a reliable alternative for this method if you really don't have any local sim card or Indian friend to help you.

registering in IRCTC website

Incredible Solo to New Delhi - Jaipur - Agra in 1.5 days

2nd trip outside my 2nd second home country... jai-ho!

May 18-19, 2012 friday to saturday

"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever."

 -  Mahatma Gandhi

My 13th country to visit, 17th solo backpacking trip, 2nd visa-on-arrival (VOA) encounter outside Southeast Asia and of course, usual budget do-it-yourself itinerary from arrival to departure. An incredible land with incredible culture and tradition for an incredible itinerary and adventure... that is Incredible India, Jai-ho !

Golden triangle tour of India is one of the most popular and well-received tourist circuits of the country. The tour basically covers three of the most famous cities of New Delhi- the country capital, Agra- home to the spectacular Taj Mahal, and Jaipur- the Rajasthani Capital.

The aim of this trip why I could not wait to extend it to other month are;

1. to see and explore Taj Mahal - the jewel of Muslim Art in India

2. to experience the Indian style haggle madness in train escapade
3. to conquer the golden triangle tour in limited amount of time

4. to just get-out of my country of work for stress relieving purposes

golden triangle tour of india (new delhi - jaipur - agra)

Old Amiri Hospital Photoshoot

my 1st session with PINDOT photographers

april 27, 2012 friday

Old amiri hospital is an abandoned hospital located exactly in front of the famous twisted/corkscrew building, Al-Tijaria tower and Sharq Garden (formerly Martyr Park). There is no public bus that directly cross the road but I still did it via bus # 21 from farwaniya then drop-off to Liberation tower. I walked around 3km to the old hospital from bus stop. This 2-storey building was formerly a psychiatric hospital built in 1949 and destroyed by fire.

inside the old amiri hospital

inside the old amiri hospital

Barbecue Sessions at the Kuwait Aljeleaa Beach

my 2nd couchsurfing out-of-town activity

april 07, 2012 saturday

mix of lamb, chicken, shrimp, and fish cook on grill along the sands of aljealeaa beach with 12 friendly and cheerful CS attendees.

lamb barbecue

chicken barbecue

Jumeirah Public Beach with Burj Al Arab

dubai - abu dhabi 2 days weekend solo backpacking
april 13-14, 2012 friday to saturday

day 1: abu dhabi city solo day tour
day 2: dubai city solo day tour
atlantis dubai nasimi beach clubbing
burj khalifa sightseeing at the top by day

how to go to jumeirah public beach (burj al arab) from mall of emirates;

from mall of emirates metro station, there is approximately 5 km walk up to the beach while the gate to burj al arab (which is not allowed for an ordinary tourist) is located 4km along the way.

jumeirah public beach with burj al arab

burj al arab

Burj Khalifa Sightseeing at the Top by Day

dubai - abu dhabi 2 days weekend solo backpacking
april 13-14, 2012 friday to saturday

day 1: abu dhabi city solo day tour
day 2: dubai city solo day tour
atlantis dubai nasimi beach clubbing

how to go to burj khalifa from dubai airport;

just ride dubai metro alight to dubai mall / burj khalifa station. there is approximately 1 kilometer walk from station to the main lobby (inside dubai mall) of At The Top burj khalifa observation terrace. 

Before entering this building, it is a MUST to purchase entrance ticket in advance because walk-in visit will took the visit schedule minimum of 2 days after booking. Thus, the visit is always fully booked. i purchased my ticket online in more than a week before my chosen date.  No time limit when I reached the viewing deck at 124th floor, the highest in the world.

burj khalifa sightseeing at the top by day

Atlantis Dubai Nasimi Beach Clubbing

dubai - abu dhabi 2 days weekend solo backpacking
april 13-14, 2012 friday to saturday

day 1: abu dhabi city solo day tour
day 2: dubai city solo day tour

how to go to nasimi beach from mall of emirates;
the only way is to have a taxi cab as public transportation which has an average fare of 30 AED. Every taxi driver knows where the atlantis nasimi beach is.

Atlantis the Palm  is a 5 star resort at Palm Jumeirah and voted The Most Hygienic Hotel of the World Award 2012 - Amongst the shortlist of over 300 Prime Hotel finalists world-wide The Atlantis won this accolade.

Nasimi Beach is one of Dubai’s favorite night time party destinations for the jetsetters and fashionistas alike. Atlantis' Nasimi Beach has all the right stuff for a sizzling hotspot: creative cocktails, sandancing (dancing in the sand), seaside bean bags, and international DJs. With a breathtaking view of Dubai’s sparkling skyline, Nasimi Beach is one of Dubai’s most vibrant hot spots. With a shoreline terrace and beachside cabanas on the sand, it is the perfect place to chill during the day and party at night.

atlantis, the palm dubai at night

Dubai City Solo Day Tour

dubai - abu dhabi 2 days weekend solo backpacking

april 13-14, 2012 friday to saturday

dubai - abu dhabi 2 days weekend solo backpacking

day 1: abu dhabi city solo day tour

The second round on United Arab Emirates pinoy backpacking invasion. My 3rd country to visit in the middle east, 1st one is the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia then followed by the State of Kuwait. Though the 1st two is intended for work, UAE is the 1st one for only leisure travel abroad.

dubai metro mall of emirates station

dubai metro dubai mall/burj khalifa station

Ferrari World last part: the Fast Rides

dubai - abu dhabi 2 days weekend solo backpacking
april 13-14, 2012 friday to saturday

day 1: abu dhabi city solo day tour
dubai airport arrival at night and bus trip to abu dhabi
abu dhabi's grand mosque and the leaning tower
ferrari world 1st part: super cars showcase

Ferrari world abu dhabi, the world's first Ferrari branded theme park and largest attraction of its kind, is a must visit for fans, thrill-seekers and families. Its your turn to step into a world where the Ferrari passion, excellence, performance and technical innovation comes to life.

The park hosts more than 20 unique rides and attractions for visitors of all ages and interest, in addition to a wide variety of italian delicacies and unique shopping experiences.

ferrari world abu dhabi (world's largest indoor themepark)

Ferrari World 1st part: Super Cars Showcase

dubai - abu dhabi 2 days weekend solo backpacking
april 13-14, 2012 friday to saturday

day 1: abu dhabi city solo day tour
dubai airport arrival at night and bus trip to abu dhabi
abu dhabi's grand mosque and the leaning tower

how to go to FERRARI WORLD from abu dhabi bus terminal:

for only 2 AED, just ride bus # 190 that leaves every hour and drops-off exactly infront. there are also bus # 170, 180, 185 which goes to yas island and will pass-through the Ferrari World but has approximately 500 meters walk to the main gate. The travel will took around 30 minutes.

Ferrari World situated under a 200,000 square meter (2,152,782 sq ft) roof is the the world's largest indoor theme park and Ferrari's 1st theme park. With entrance fee of 225 AED (php2,588) for adults or 1.5 meter and above, and 165 AED (php1,898) for 1.5 meters below. Ferrari World officially opened on 4 November 2010.

ferrari world abu dhabi super cars

Abu Dhabi's Grand Mosque and the Leaning Tower

dubai - abu dhabi 2 days weekend solo backpacking
april 13-14, 2012 friday to saturday

day 1: abu dhabi city solo day tour
dubai airport arrival at night and bus trip to abu dhabi

how to go to grand mosque from abu dhabi bus terminal:

just ride any bus 3's from 400 series (400, 401, 403, 406) with a fare of only @ 2 AED only. tourist visit is allowed only from saturday to thursday, free entrance fee.

To reflect the true spirit of Islam, a religion of peace, education and tolerance, the Zayed mosque is open to all nationalities for structured visits. the mosques is open to visitors between 0900H and 1130H saturday to thursday. The guided tour commences at 0900H for approximately 60 minutes.

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

Dubai Airport Arrival at Night and Bus Trip to Abu Dhabi

dubai - abu dhabi 2 days weekend solo backpacking
april 13-14, 2012 friday to saturday

abu dhabi city solo day tour

DUBAI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ARRIVAL AT NIGHT:

Airplane trip from kuwait international airport (UTC +300H) to dubai international airport (UTC +400H) took approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes travel time.

I arrived via kuwait airways flight number KU675 for an ID90 benefit. flight delayed by over 2 hours due to engine parameter problem. The management decided to transfer all passengers to another aircraft since troubleshooting cannot be done on time. And its my 1st time to experience this kind of scenario. Around 0230H we arrived in dubai international airport that has over kilometer walk to passport control. I went upstairs (infront of passport control) to pay my visa on arrival fee of 185 AED then proceed downstairs for iris scan. Then, I went back again upstairs for the final step which is the passport control by the Immigration Officer. Please do not underestimate this IO's beacuse they are strict more than I expected. during the interrogation, i replied confidently and disguise to know-it-all though most of my answers are not real, hehehe !! I did not book my accommodation, and 2nd, i just researched a hotel then used its name just to comply for the query that I expected to ask. There it goes, I had my visa stamp for my 11th country to visit.

kuwait airways check-in counter

Abu Dhabi City Solo Day Tour

dubai - abu dhabi 2 days weekend solo backpacking
april 13-14, 2012 friday to saturday

dubai - abu dhabi 2 days weekend solo backpacking 

this trip is comparable to my 2-days on a rush and very successful budget journey in singapore - malaysia last january 2011. the only difference is that in UAE, abu dhabi and dubai are the two key cities (known worldwide) and has a travel time average of 2 hours. while singapore and malaysia are the 2 key countries in south asia known also worldwide and has a travel time on an average of 5.5 hours.

ferrari world's fastest rollercoaster

How to Apply for U.A.E. (Dubai) Tourist Visa as Philippine Passport Holder

an adventure of Pinoy backpacker in processing travel documents

general info:

* Tourist visa is valid for 6 months upon issuance.
* maximum duration of stay in is 30 days only.

APPLYING FOR DUBAI TOURIST VISA AS ORDINARY CITIZEN IN THE PHILIPPINES  

http://uae-embassy.ae/Embassies/ph/Content/2987

visa fee:

- $52 for 96-hour (4 days)
- $70 for 30-days

requirements:

- apply visa in UAE embassy with details as posted below. Application form here.
- Hotels & Tourist Companies can apply, on your behalf, for a Tourist Visa (valid for 30 days); or a Service Visa (valid for 14 days); or a Visit Visa (valid for 30 days and can be extended for other 30 days). The fee is AED 100. There is also a fee of AED 10 for visa delivery service by DNATA. Hotels, hotel apartments, tour operators, travel agents and airlines may not levy supplementary charges or processing fees in excess of AED 50/- for arranging visas for visitors.

- Airlines & Airlines Handlers apply on behalf of their crew members for a 96-hour Transit Visa.

- Other Organizations based in the UAE may only apply for Visit Visas and Service Visas.

- Individuals (Relatives or Friends) already resident in the UAE may, subject to guidelines, also apply on your behalf for a Visit Visa.

- apply in emirates airline (Visas are delivered via email within four international working days. You can continually track the status of their applications via website)
- apply online at http://dubaivisaonline.ae/

UAE (dubai) visa on arrival stamps

Dubai - Abu Dhabi 2 Days Week-End Solo Backpacking

my 1st middle east adventure tour (united arab emirates) 
april 13-14, 2012 friday to saturday 

"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go."

- T.S. Eliot 

My 12th country to visit, 16th solo backpacking adventure, 1st visa-on-arrival (VOA) encounter and of course, usual budget do-it-yourself itinerary from arrival to departure.

Excitement has never been like this. after almost sweeping the countries in nearby countries around south east asia, it's time to put the escapade and hop on the outer level. This time around the neighboring countries around my new home in the western part of asian continent or what commonly known to us as Middle East. The term Middle East is a word developed by the westerners (europeans) because they describe a region in relation to Europe or The West. Despite this, the term is now accepted and even people in the Middle East call it that (Al-Sharq Al-Awasat means Middle East in Arabic).

United Arab Emirates covers the following astonishing world record on modern tourism attraction:

• highest building in the world at 830 meters (burj khalifa)
• largest indoor theme park in the world at 200,000 square meters (ferrari world)
• fastest rollercoaster in the world at 240 km/hr (formula rossa) 

the 1,975 AED budget, printed maps, itinerary and plane ticket to UAE

Kuwait Desert Picnic

my 1st couchsurfing out-of-town activity
march 24, 2012 saturday

attended by 20 CS'ers from different parts of kuwait and of course different nationalities hosted by a kuwaiti and an american. I was the only Filipino attended and my 1st out-of-town attended event. on top of that, a very successful gathering that is why it felt like I'm beginning to merge myself to the new ambiance of foreign travelers outside my home country. the idea of having a foreign travelmate is in the planning process.

camels in the kuwait desert near the IRAQ borders

camels in the kuwait desert near the IRAQ borders