A Whale of a Time: Going on a Visa Run in Thailand

Ryan Farley | November 20, 2015

Embassy Efficiency Leaving Something to be Desired

With hundreds of applications daily, the Thai embassy has decided that the most logical way to deal with the crowds is to let them self-govern in a first come, first serve line. The entire process takes place outdoors and is usually about five degrees hotter than the surface of the sun itself.

As with every step of this journey, this stop has yet another angry white guy (this time Russian) standing in the middle of the line, screaming about how he has been cheated out of a visa. With the heat and the three hour wait, most of us are too engrossed in our 400^thCandy Crush life to even look up. I still couldn’t tell you if he got what he came for or not.

After all this pain and penance, just to continue your current living situation, you get to the front of the line and are blessed with the opportunity to turn in your paperwork. If you’ve completed it all to the liking of the embassy officer (which is a herculean if), you finally get a number—which is for tomorrow’s line, to pick up your visa.

Ryan Farley / Own Work

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

SHARE ON

Cultured Palate: Dishes from Iran

Iranian cuisine uses a myriad of spices, dried and fresh fruits, herbs, and nuts to flavor dishes. These ingredients turn even the simplest meal of rice and stewed meat into a sensory explosion.

Around the World in Holiday Baking

Every December, millions of pounds of butter, sugar, and flour contribute to the creation of spectacular treats for holiday celebrations. Even if you’re not ordinarily a baker, many people venture into the kitchen before the holidays to make sure that they’ve got plenty of treats to offer to family and friends.

The Most Unusual McDonald’s Menu Items from Around the World

If you’re a fast-food connoisseur, chances are you’re already familiar with the McDonald’s menu that’s typical in North America. They bring in new choices fairly frequently. However, most people stick with their usual order of Big Macs, Quarter Pounders, fries, McFlurries, and Apple Pies. It’s familiar food, and the bulk of the menu is essentially…