With the holidays finished I can get started processing my visas. Dragoman has initiated the requests for my Letters of Invitation for Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and China. When those are completed by each country, they are sent to their embassy in the US. My job now is to complete each visa application, get photos, and other accompanying documents ready. Once the letters have been received at the embassies, then all I need to do is mail in the rest of the documentation and my passport.
Because two embassies require a personal appearance (or at least a personal representative) I have chosen to use an agency. I did quite a bit of research online and have decided on www.travisa.com out of Loa Angeles. They have a good reputation and are also the agency who exclusively handles Azerbaijan. It's going to cost me an extra $250 USD in addition to the visa and consular fees but I think it's worth it for the peace of mind alone.
From the Mediterranean Sea to the Pacific Ocean, this is my first "round-the-world" tour and the first time I am traveling alone. It's also the first time I am NOT the leader of the group. This will be a huge adventure for me, one that tests my patience (smile), stamina and my ability to adapt. I can't wait!
