Well, on the 30th, I leave for Bangkok and 3 months of the warm breezes; out of the cold. I have never been to SE Asia, in spite of the fact that I lived in Sarawak as a PCV in the 60's. I loved living in Malaysia then; I am not so sure about now. It seems that "democracy" is a play word here in Asia; it is not a "way of life". Anyway, today the Malaysian Indians demonstrated for their civil rights, which I, of course, support. As people in Malaysia should be treated with equality and there should not be these Asian vestiges of stigmatizing people into groups so that some people can "rule" while everybody else follows. When Malaysia grants all of its people, including what they call the "ethnic" groups, equality, they will be on the road to Democracy. Until then, it is a come on for the press.
Anyway, when I am in Bangkok, I am going to enjoy the beach as well as look around at the Buddhist History and also the American Peace Corps Program. I also want to try and go to Cambodia and Laos, maybe. I am not too keen on going to a Communist Country for ethical reasons. I know it is not too easy to travel in Cambodia because the roads are in bad shape; so I will have to see. I could end up on the beach the whole while. I am not compulsive in my travels at all.
Finally, I still do not have any kind of an answer why I am "cut off " from visiting with my Tibetan friends who are living in McLeodGanj. I am hoping the answer will come somehow. I have been visiting with them for a long time now and they come to expect I will be able to help them out. They seem unwilling to come to Nepal; so I guess I will have to try and see if I can see them in McLeodGanj.
The weather here in Kathmandu has turned pretty nice during the day so I can see the Langtang, Ganesh and Dorjee Himalayas from my flat. They are pretty impressive, but I would not want to live nearer to them because of the freezing nightcold.
These are my thoughts for today.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Sunday, Nov. 10th, 2007: Kathmandu
Today is Tihar, a Hindu festival of light. I sure don't see no light coming from Tihar.
In a sense, I was told to re-register with the FRRO and the Ministry of Home Affairs in Delhi, because there was no "stamp" of registration for my 1 Year T Visa in my Passport. The Delhi Office refused to check with the Pondicherry Office to enquire if I had been there, as instructed, to register my 1 Year T Visa. I do not know why they refused to enquire to the Pondicherry Office. Instead the Delhi Office decided to make an independant decision. The FRRO and Ministry of Home Affairs Offices did believe my story but still stamped "overstay" in my Passport. How can you believe my story and still stamp overstay? This is still a way of insinuating that I am not "really" telling the truth.
Anyway, I have talked with quite a few people about my situation with the Indian Visa Section where I am a victim of lies and misleadings, which I consider totally inappropriate. If I had been doing something wrong or if I had intentionally snubbed the Indian Visa Dept. that would be different and I would take my consequences. However, it was another Indian Visa Officer who led me astray so as to make me out a lyer. All of my friends think I should submit all of this to our Embassy for them to read so they can see what has happened to this "tourist" in India. I know that the world is rife with women, especially, getting slammed and being lead in the wrong way; for some strange reason, I did not think it would happen to me. Well, it did and I cannot come up with any reason why.
This is my update for the moment.
In a sense, I was told to re-register with the FRRO and the Ministry of Home Affairs in Delhi, because there was no "stamp" of registration for my 1 Year T Visa in my Passport. The Delhi Office refused to check with the Pondicherry Office to enquire if I had been there, as instructed, to register my 1 Year T Visa. I do not know why they refused to enquire to the Pondicherry Office. Instead the Delhi Office decided to make an independant decision. The FRRO and Ministry of Home Affairs Offices did believe my story but still stamped "overstay" in my Passport. How can you believe my story and still stamp overstay? This is still a way of insinuating that I am not "really" telling the truth.
Anyway, I have talked with quite a few people about my situation with the Indian Visa Section where I am a victim of lies and misleadings, which I consider totally inappropriate. If I had been doing something wrong or if I had intentionally snubbed the Indian Visa Dept. that would be different and I would take my consequences. However, it was another Indian Visa Officer who led me astray so as to make me out a lyer. All of my friends think I should submit all of this to our Embassy for them to read so they can see what has happened to this "tourist" in India. I know that the world is rife with women, especially, getting slammed and being lead in the wrong way; for some strange reason, I did not think it would happen to me. Well, it did and I cannot come up with any reason why.
This is my update for the moment.
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