Light a Joss Stick and Ask the Travel Gods for a Chinese Visa

Sometimes the travel gods have ways of letting you know they are in control. Today China put restrictions on visas for US citizens traveling to China. No rush or specials visas will be done it was announced today, May 5th 2009. It is a six business day wait before visas are issued; Swine Flu is given as the cause. My application just arrived at Visa Express this morning, not under the wire. So for me that means I should get my passport and visa on the day of my departure, if the travel gods are in my favor. Perhaps I shouldn’t have taken the announcement from Jiang Yu a Chinese government spokesman's statement that reports of visa changes were “groundless”. That statement was issued last week.

My last trip recently was to Brazil where a visa for US travelers is also needed, it isn’t a fun process. I also however have to remember that getting a visa for entry into the US isn’t an easy task for many in countries abroad. A news account for AP did bring up that the visa changes are just for the US not countries such as Spain and Canada where the flu has been reported. For the next six days I will be twisting in the wind. I will try not to look at the fantastic itinerary put together or open the several guidebooks bought to get ready. I perhaps will light a few Joss Sticks and mutter a few prayers to the travel gods, it can’t hurt.