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Mount Everest Journey, Nepal

5/20/2018

Visas: Visa extensions of 30 to 60 days are fairly painless at the Central Immigration Office. You need to make your application online and upload a photo up to 15 days before arriving at the office, though there is currently a computer in the hall in case you forget. The process generally takes less than one hour. Extensions cost US$30 for a minimum 15 days, plus US$2 per additional day.

Weather:

March through May - Seto Machhendranath Festival in March with hot days in May.
June through September - Indra Jatra Festival with hot days and frequent monsoon showers.
October through December - High crowd season with mountain views and warm days.

Guest Blogger: Maressa Surrett

A Mt. Everest Journey to Ease the Soul
7 Lessons and Reminders from Nepal

"The Everest memorial site in Lobuche neared, and I freeze. And not literally because of the fact we have been living in temperatures of 8–34 degrees Fahrenheit with little heat. The stories of the climbers I have read over the years suddenly swarm around in my head and I feel overwhelmed. They succumbed to something that is more powerful than all of us, that is in many ways unforgiving, these treacherous mountains we must respect, yet I admire their dedication and persistence to take those risks."
- Maressa Surrett, A Mt. Everest Journey to Ease the Soul

#love #nepal #himalayas #singtamlee

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San Francisco, California

3/6/2018

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Weather: August, September, and October are best for warm weather, street fairs, and harvest cuisine.

Cost: Currency US Dollar $

Downtown hotel: $180
Ferry Building meal: $45
Food-truck fare: $13
Mission and Coit Tower murals: free
Symphony rush tickets: $20
Muni Passport: $21

Tipping:

Bartenders - $1-2 per drink or 15% of the bill
Bellhops & airport skycaps - $2 per bag
Parking valets - $2
Restaurant servers - 15% to 20% of the pretax bill
Taxi - 10% to 15% of the metered fare

Health: The city's tap water is not drinkable, so be prepared to purchase bottled water or pack a water bottle for refill.

Getting Around:

BART: The fastest link between downtown and the Mission District also offers transit to SF airport (SFO; $8.95), Oakland ($3.45) and Berkeley ($4). Four of the system's five lines pass through SF before terminating at Daly City or SFO. Within SF, one-way fares start at $1.95.
Bike sharing is new in SF, but the rental does not include helmets.
Boat: With the revival of the Embarcadero and the reinvention of the Ferry Building as a gourmet dining destination, commuters and tourists alike are taking the scenic ferry across the bay.
The Muni Monthly Pass (adult/child $73/36) offers unlimited Muni travel for the calendar month, including cable cars. Fast Passes are available at the Muni kiosk at the Powell St cable-car turnaround, and from many businesses around town; for exact locations, see www.sfmta.com.
Cable car: There are seats for about 30 passengers, who are often outnumbered by passengers clinging to creaking leather straps. In this age of seat belts and airbags, a rickety cable-car ride is an anachronistic thrill.
Car rental: Typically, a small rental car might cost $55 to $75 a day or $175 to $300 a week, plus 8.75% sales tax, plus various licensing fees and tourism taxes that add another $10 to $30 beyond the tax. Unless your credit card or personal car insurance covers car-rental insurance, you'll need to add $10 to $20 per day for a loss/damage waiver.

#love #sanfrancisco #california #singtamlee

San Francisco Attractions do be continued...

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Taipei, Taiwan

4/2/2017

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Visas: If you wish to enter Taiwan as a tourist or short-term visitor (less than 90 days,) you will not need a visa. No extensions or changes of status are permitted. Your U.S. passport must be valid throughout your intended length of stay and you must have a confirmed return or onward air ticket.

Weather: Spring (late April to early June) and autumn (September to November) offer the best weather - neither roasting hot or miserably cold. You can see fireflies April to May and enjoy tropical fruits from June to August.

Cost: Taiwan’s currency is the New Taiwanese Dollar NT$; you won’t be able to use other currencies in Taipei. Below are the average of the common expenses…

Double room in a hotel: NT$3,000
Lunch & dinner: NT$200-500
Public Transport & two short taxi trips: NT$300

Tipping: Tipping is not customary in restaurants or taxis (but is still appreciated.)

It is usual to tip the porter at better hotels (NT$100 is considered courteous.)
With tour guides, a 10% addition to the fee if you are happy with the service.
While visiting restaurants and bars, note that the 10% to 15% service charge added to bills at many establishments is not a tip that is shared with the staff.

Health: It is recommended that you buy bottled water or bring your own water bottle. There are drinking water dispensers in major tourist sites, temples, some MRT stations and hospitals.

Required vaccinations
- Yellow fever vaccination is required for all travelers arriving from a yellow-fever-infected area in Africa or the Americas
- Hepatitis A and B vaccinations are recommended.

Getting Around:

Bus: CIty buses are generally clean and comfortable and run frequently. Most city buses have LED displays at the front in Chinese and English and a screen above the driver in the same format announcing stops. Fares are NT$15 on most short routes within the city centre.
Taxi: The taxis run 24 hours a day. From 11pm to 6am there is a surcharge of NT$20 on top of the fare.
Train: Clean and safe, MRT trains run from 6am to midnight. Announcements are in Chinese and English, as are fares and routes at ticket machines. Fares depend on length of journey and vary from NT$20 to NT$65. Coins and bills are accepted and change is provided, though it is best of buy day passes or an EasyCard.

#love #taipei #taiwan #singtamlee

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Mount Everest Journey, Nepal

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Mount Everest Journey, Nepal

San Francisco, California

﻿Taipei, Taiwan

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Taipei, Taiwan