I cant go home!!!!

[Amanzi]

BLAH! My hubby and I had been saving like mad to try go visit the family back in South Africa for christmas. My parents have never seen my daughter, and its been 3 years since they saw my son. Well I contacted my lawyer to find out about getting our visas revalidated. Turns out a new law was passed at the begining of the month, which makes revalidation a huge rigmaroll and has to be done in the issuing country. That would be no problem as we wanted to go back for a visit, but they want oodles of paperwork and there is no gaurentee we would be issued our visas. Hence the lawyer said it was not a good idea. Surely he could have told me LAST year to get the revalidation straight away!!!!!! This makes me so mad, I have just spent close on $5000.00 getting our visas renewed with the INS (BCIS) only to be told, NO the actuall piece of paper that goes into your passport is issued by the department of state, and is almost like going through the whole process again! This whole thing is just a money making scheme!!!!!! More fees more paperwork more stress! Sorry about the venting, but I have had it up to the eyeballs with this whole situation!

Anyway, one good thing is we have decided to do a road trip in December instead. I cant wait. We are going to fly out to Denver and hire and RV (I wanna see REAL snow) We are going to drive down through Arazona, and back up into the Rocky's...
Anyone know any places that are a must see, besides the obvious?

[bfez1]

Sorry you aren't going home, Bron but your trip to Denver sure sounds like fun!!!

[Stephanie]

Oh Bron! I'm so sorry!

As far as your RV trip, Interstate 25 runs from Denver through New Mexico and right along the Front Range of the Rockies. Interstate 70 runs through Denver and through the heart of the Rocky Mountains. In December, however, you may have problems travelling I-70, depending upon the snow. The grades are really steep in some areas. You maybe safer driving down I-25, stopping at Colorado Springs to see the Garden of the Gods - a beautiful red rock formation and Pike's Peak, which rises above the town. From that point on, the further south you go on I-25, the further away from the mountains you are. You can go through Pueblo and then trek to the west towards Colorado City, Rye in the Wet Mountains and then further south to the Spanish Peaks which are a part of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range. From there, head south into New Mexico and you'll hit Taos and Santa Fe. The Sangre de Cristo range runs south into Taos.

I've never been there in the winter time, I only know it's beauty from my trips in the spring and summer. The winter will be AWESOME!!

[Amanzi]

Steph,

Thanks for the tips!! That is my only concern though, is that a lot of the roads may be impassable.

[GalvestonDuck]

Okay, wait...this is a stretch and kind of off-the-wall, but it's a thought.

Are you totally unable to leave the country right now or just unable to go overseas?

Here's what I'm thinking -- IF (and it's a big IF) you are able to cross the border here in North America and still come back AND since it's such a hassle and a half to get legal permission for you parents to come into the US, what about meeting in Mexico??

Mexico is not AS strict as we are about people from other countries getting in. So, would it be easier for them to go there and for you to meet up with them there so everyone can visit and they can see the baby?

Of course, I'm speaking from an American point of view. I've gone over there a few times and I only needed to get a visa when I went deep into Mexico near Guanajuato (going just across the border is not as big of a deal and generally Americans just drive back and forth all the time). And I only needed my drivers license to get back into the States. People who I know from Mexico who have come here to visit have had to have their visas, but not passports.

So, if I'm clear -- you DID get your visa renewed but not your papers that go in your passport? So, with your visa, you can go to Mexico and still travel back here?

I'm sorry if I'm confused, Bron. It's just such a bizarre, difficult concept to grasp for me as an American, I guess, since we don't have all the hassles and can go where we want to go and still can come back home. Part of me is thankful that it is so hard for foreigners to get into our country. And yet part of me is stressed because peaceful, happy people who wish us no harm have a hard time getting here to visit and smile and laugh with us. Yet people who want to kill us or abuse our healthcare and government aid programs just keep strolling across the borders day in and day out.

[HurricaneGirl]

Sorry to hear about your troubles Amanzi.. but Duck has a good idea there about meeting in Mexico! Maybe things will work out but in a different way.

[azsnowman]

Sorry to hear that Bron BUT....on a BRIGHTER NOTE....you can come and see "ME!" "LOL!" I'm NOT that far from Denver, about a 12 hour drive! Come on DOWN!

Dennis

[Amanzi]

LOL... Duck

I wish it were that simple. But. At any border crossing you have to have a visa to return into the USA. (I have INS approvel and a valid departure card, but no Paper visa in my passport) So the fact of the matter is, I cant get back into the USA without that piece of paper.. very frustrating indeed.

[Aslkahuna]

If You come to AZ, on your way back as you go along I-10 after visiting the Grand Canyon, Meteor Crater, the Painted Desert, etc. up north and take I-17 down to Phoenix to hit the 10 to go back to FL, be sure to turn off at Exit 302 and take in the Kartchner Caverns 6 miles south of the 10. You will need to make reservations to enter what is the largest living cave open to visitors in the World. After the Caverns, head south towards Sierra Vista but turn left at the first stoplight and go to the end of that highway and turn right and you're in Tombstone AZ the home of the OK Corral. Can't visit AZ without hitting Tombstone. AZSnow? 12 hours from Denver to Pinetop? Well, maybe in my Mustang but not my van and certainly not if they don't finish the construction in ABQ this Summer.

Steve

[Amanzi]

Hey Dennis, I may just do that.

Steve, we are flying into Denver and then hiring the RV. I would love to drive there from here, but it would cut into the vacation time too much. The cave sounds wonderful! Where would I find out about road closures?

[GalvestonDuck]

Well, darn.

[furluvcats]

We cross the Border quite often in and out of Mexico. Does your license say you are not a US citizen, Manzi? They do check, but seem pretty lienient if you are not of hispanic descent.

[GalvestonDuck]

That's true, Furry. Heck, if you're white, most of the time, they just say "Are you a U.S. citizen?" You say, "yes" and they motion you on through. I have my ID ready just in case, but they really never looked very close at mine. And if you get in front of a big tour bus, they're likely to send you through without even much of a glance because they're edgy about those 60-70 tourists that they'll have to deal with in one vehicle.

Then again, if you have a "suth effrican" accent, they might notice.

[isobar]

Sorry you won't be seeing your family for Christmas, Bronnie.

My vote for must see: Rocky Mtn Nat'l Forest in CO, Grand Canyon, and Sedona, AZ.

[azskyman]

Well, if you drive down as far as Phoenix (and this goes for any of you who come this way from I-40 and I-17) you go RIGHT BY ME at work. Never an excuse of being less than a mile away and not making the stop! Time it right, and we can do breakfast, lunch, or dinner at Cracker Barrel or ??

Winter in Colorado is tough...especially with an RV. I-17 requires chains or snow tires sometimes near Flagstaff...some roads are closed for the winter in Colorado.

Here's the rule of thumb. If you NEED to be somewhere on a certain date, then a winter trip will guarantee being snowbound. If, however, you do not need to be anywhere on a certain day, then it will not snow the whole trip!!!

[azsnowman]

If You come to AZ, on your way back as you go along I-10 after visiting the Grand Canyon, Meteor Crater, the Painted Desert, etc. up north and take I-17 down to Phoenix to hit the 10 to go back to FL, be sure to turn off at Exit 302 and take in the Kartchner Caverns 6 miles south of the 10. You will need to make reservations to enter what is the largest living cave open to visitors in the World. After the Caverns, head south towards Sierra Vista but turn left at the first stoplight and go to the end of that highway and turn right and you're in Tombstone AZ the home of the OK Corral. Can't visit AZ without hitting Tombstone. AZSnow? 12 hours from Denver to Pinetop? Well, maybe in my Mustang but not my van and certainly not if they don't finish the construction in ABQ this Summer.

Steve

LOL Steve WELL...we have the WMAT POLICE Emblem on the Explorer AND with the 5.2L Fuel Ing. V8 ALBQ is 4.25 hours on I-40, then a SHORT 7.75 hours on to Denver on I-25....OH, BTW....most of the construction THRU ABQ on I-40 AND I-25 IS DONE that was as of May. Sedona IS a MUST on the MUST SEE list and like I said, of course, "ME!"

Dennis

[azskyman]

That goes for you too Dennis and Michelle. Any trips down I-17 and you had better not tell me you drove on by!

Yes...Sedona in the winter is spectacular. I would meet anyone up there along Oak Creek and be your photographer!

[Amanzi]

Steve, we have decided to do a very loose itinarary, just have some ideas of places we want to see and if we dont make it there, well so be it! If I am near you, I will make sure I let ya know.

Is December very snowy? My concern is a lot of the parks may be closed, or have the water shut off. So I will have to do some more research into the general climate of the areas we intend heading to. So far hubby wants to go to yellowstone, and the Grand tetons as well. Do any of you know when the mountain passes close, and where I can find the best climate pages. I am have no clue about the seasons on that side of the world!!

[Kiko]

I wouldn't drive an rv in those mountains in the wintertime, Amanzi. Just sounds dangerous to me.

Those are strickly summertime fun, but take down sleeping bags or blankets if you do. I'd say it gets cold cold cold.

If you do, be very very careful on the interstates with the eighteen wheelers. I've seen wicked pile-ups and those things crumple like tin cans.

[Amanzi]

I wouldn't drive an rv in those mountains in the wintertime, Amanzi. Just sounds dangerous to me.

Those are strickly summertime fun, but take down sleeping bags or blankets if you do. I'd say it gets cold cold cold.

If you do, be very very careful on the interstates with the eighteen wheelers. I've seen wicked pile-ups and those things crumple like tin cans.

ok thanks... now I feel really good