Seeking Snow

[MILT]

Norway. Awesome people, Great coffee! Extremely cold and endless darkness oh yea! lot's of snow.

[LawrenceN]

India is another option. Flights to Delhi for around 10k and take your pick where to head next. Himachal, Uttarakhand and Kashmir all have plenty of snow and there's skiing if you fancy having a go. You'll both need visas but process is straightforward.

I skied Gulmarg in Kashmir last year. The slopes don't really open until Dec 25, so don't plan to go before that. Then again, you didn't say you want to ski. There's likely to be snow before Dec 25.

[HUAHIN62]

Mount Everest have snow all year round or Google snow and get 59 mil hits. To be of more help I would go for Japan, you can do the snow thing in the north for a few days, have a few days in the central part with milder winters and go south for great weather, all in one trip. Thai's are also fascinated by Japan, the food is good and the Baht or $ exchange rate with the ¥ is good at present. If you do Japan don't miss the smaller towns they are the real Japan, even have a town called Obama.

[12DrinkMore]

Here is the easiest, and in Bangkok too!!!!!

Dream World, Rangsit, Bangkok.

Snow Town.

http://www.dreamworld.co.th/2011/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=102〈=en

"Revel in our enormous field of snow and discover the excitement of a world live no other in Thailand. Ride a sleigh, make a snowman, visit Santa's house, and see what an igloo is. Learn how penguins, polar bears and other arctic animals live in a world of snow and ice."

Can I claim to be the winner?

Edited August 27, 2013 by 12DrinkMore

[turgid]

Get a passport for your "friend", go on a few international trips in the region to establish a relationship and proven travel history and then take them to any country you choose with a proper tourist visa, not a problem as you have established a valid history of travel.

She has a passport and has done a few trips with me to Singapore but on the last one we took different flights and she was held for a couple of hours in a room full of girls who were being sent back and swore she'd never go there again.

I had an experience travelling with our Asian Financial controller into New York where they held me for an 90 mins in a locked room and interviewed her for an hour with several counselors where from the questions she was asked it was clear they thought I was involved in some kind of human trafficking. Made the dreary quarterly meeting interesting though .

Anyway the real point of the post was predictable Visa approval. I dont want to plan anything without some reasonable assumption on whether a Visa will get approved and how hard it will be. Frankly i'll take hassle for business, if its a vacation they should be begging for my dollars so if they make it difficult why bother.

Regardless anywhere where a personal interview is required is likely to be difficult because she clams up and gets the hump under pressure (which is why it took so long in Singapore) .

Europe and the US seem to be out for that reason even though they would be my preferred destinations.

Edited August 27, 2013 by turgid

[NBD]

China is probably the closest. South Korea might be less hassle with visas. Nepal appeals to me, but no idea of the visa situation there. However looking into the total cost of flights and everything I'd probably just make it an excuse to take a trip to Europe. Shengen visa isn't that bad.

Not sure but is a Shengen visa good for all the European common market countries. Seems to me that would be harder to get than Nepal or India.

Mind you I would love to see Switzerland with snow and with out snow.

I just took my wife to France and the Schengen visa was valid for all Schengen countries. Bit of a pain as a Brit because the UK isn't part of Schengen, but since I was visiting family and friends who live on the continent we didn't go to the UK at all anyway.

As far as I can tell the rule is that you apply to the country you will spend the most time in, or if not clear the country that you will land in. In reality the internal checks between say Italy, France and Switzerland are minimal and if it's a two or 3 week holiday then it just wouldn't be a problem.

[robertson468]

South Korea - no visa needed.

You must be doing something wrong if people think you're a pimp. I've traveled all over with my Thai gf, and never had any problems, even in supposedly difficult countries like USA - apply for visa, visa issued, travel, no problem at immigration - easy. What problems have you been having? Let us know and perhaps someone can help with your issues.

The only reason you can say supposedly difficult countries like USA is because your wife has property or investments that pretty much need her attention so she can not defect to them The States are not that easy and Canada is worse. I have heard England is easier but still a hassle. It is easy when you have lots of money and the wife has large Thai assets.

I had heard a rumor that if a Thai lady had 200,000 baht in the bank that she could not get out with out going into the bank the States might accept that. Just a rumor. I suspect if it is true she would need it in there for a period of time. I had heard six months mentioned.

A friend of mine took his wife to Canada she has property in a village she works for her husbands company yet she still had to get a letter from a Thai company swearing to how valuable she was to them. It of course was from a friend of her husband who deals with Thai companies and had one write it up for him. Then she had to go to Bangkok for an interview.

Rumours, rumours, rumours - stick to the facts people. I have taken my Wife to the UK with UK Visa, no problem. To Spain, Portugal and Morocco also no problem on Schenken Visa. The proviso is make sure you get the paperwork right. For Snow, try Myanmar who has mountains high enough, go check their geographical website, North India which has part of the Himalayas in that area. Why not do a Google Search of "Snow regions in Asia"? Good luck and if you are going to go ski-ing, you will need to get some exercise in before you go, or you could be walking funny for a week or so!!

[hellodolly]

South Korea - no visa needed.

You must be doing something wrong if people think you're a pimp. I've traveled all over with my Thai gf, and never had any problems, even in supposedly difficult countries like USA - apply for visa, visa issued, travel, no problem at immigration - easy. What problems have you been having? Let us know and perhaps someone can help with your issues.

The only reason you can say supposedly difficult countries like USA is because your wife has property or investments that pretty much need her attention so she can not defect to them The States are not that easy and Canada is worse. I have heard England is easier but still a hassle. It is easy when you have lots of money and the wife has large Thai assets.

I had heard a rumor that if a Thai lady had 200,000 baht in the bank that she could not get out with out going into the bank the States might accept that. Just a rumor. I suspect if it is true she would need it in there for a period of time. I had heard six months mentioned.

A friend of mine took his wife to Canada she has property in a village she works for her husbands company yet she still had to get a letter from a Thai company swearing to how valuable she was to them. It of course was from a friend of her husband who deals with Thai companies and had one write it up for him. Then she had to go to Bangkok for an interview.

Rumours, rumours, rumours - stick to the facts people. I have taken my Wife to the UK with UK Visa, no problem. To Spain, Portugal and Morocco also no problem on Schenken Visa. The proviso is make sure you get the paperwork right. For Snow, try Myanmar who has mountains high enough, go check their geographical website, North India which has part of the Himalayas in that area. Why not do a Google Search of "Snow regions in Asia"? Good luck and if you are going to go ski-ing, you will need to get some exercise in before you go, or you could be walking funny for a week or so!!

The only rumor I mentioned wqas that England was easier than Canada and the States you counter with different countries that I did not know about and on an earlier post had admitted it.

Why don't you stick to the facts?

Read all the posts and you will see that there is many countries no problem. I have a friend who has taken his wife to England 4 times he saud it was a real pain the first time after that it was not that hard.

Love these people with money coming out there ears and connections that just come on here and say every thing is no problem. In some countries it is no problem particularly here in South East Asia. Other countries have different standards that not every one can meet.

I can afford to take my wife for a month or two to the states and Canada but she can not get a visa on my money. In both countries she would have to go in for an interview here in Thailand by herself. Plus have her own assets.

[Pacificperson]

I would try Japan in early spring. You can do Hokkaido with the snow and hot springs for a few days. If she likes it, then stay. If she doesn't like it then move south for the cherry blossoms and some milder weather. Japan is beautiful in the spring. I definitely would try Japan in early spring.

Edited August 27, 2013 by Pacificperson

[dunks]

DO NOT LISTEN TO ANY OTHER POSTERS THAT DO NOT RECOMMEND JAPAN !!

For around 60% of a flight to Europe you can get a flight to Saporro or Tokyo.

The skiing in Japan is the BEST in the world.

The Yen is at an all time low.

The culture in Japan is lovely to enjoy and the people polite unlike Europe.

My wife and I ski in Japan every year.

Try his.co.au his travel .com in australia. I booked 7 nights in Niseko hilton (5* hotel in the finest resort in Japan, some would say the world) for US$595 each with 6 day all mountain passes and return transfers. Ski lift is direct to the hotel.

This is the best suggestion you will get.

Hope you guys make the right decision!

The best skiing from here is Japan.

ENJOY!!

[bobbyd1]

Chiang Mai Zoo Snow Dome, can make snow men and have snow ball fights inside dome.

[ableguy]

India is another option. Flights to Delhi for around 10k and take your pick where to head next. Himachal, Uttarakhand and Kashmir all have plenty of snow and there's skiing if you fancy having a go. You'll both need visas but process is straightforward.

kashmir ???? bullet proof vest reccomended.

[ableguy]

DO NOT LISTEN TO ANY OTHER POSTERS THAT DO NOT RECOMMEND JAPAN !!

For around 60% of a flight to Europe you can get a flight to Saporro or Tokyo.

The skiing in Japan is the BEST in the world.

The Yen is at an all time low.

The culture in Japan is lovely to enjoy and the people polite unlike Europe.

My wife and I ski in Japan every year.

Try his.co.au his travel .com in australia. I booked 7 nights in Niseko hilton (5* hotel in the finest resort in Japan, some would say the world) for US$595 each with 6 day all mountain passes and return transfers. Ski lift is direct to the hotel.

This is the best suggestion you will get.

Hope you guys make the right decision!

The best skiing from here is Japan.

ENJOY!!

Wow, sadly my skiing days are over, skied all over the world but sure as hell missed this jap one, ironically been to japan a few times as I had a gf there for quite a while. Maybe in my next life

[tw25rw]

Try her out at Snow Town in Dreamworld. If that doesn't satisfy the curiosity, Korea or Japan.

I took mine to Switzerland last year and she loved going out in it. I just wanted to go back inside.

[turgid]

I can afford to take my wife for a month or two to the states and Canada but she can not get a visa on my money. In both countries she would have to go in for an interview here in Thailand by herself. Plus have her own assets.

Thats pretty much what I read for the UK guidance. We dont care who you are and it has no bearing on her application. Who is she , what does she have, you will not be allowed to attend the interview , we cant tell you how long the process will be or give you any guidance if it will be successful. Despite what the Brits here may think its getting harder to get into the UK presumably because the Conservatives dont want to lose votes to the UKIP. Add to that apparently I look like a pimp

Based on the responses here (thanks) Korea and Japan are looking favourites although I am going to check out the Schengen Visa approach for Northern Europe Christmas since that would give us options for a lot of interesting places when she gets bored of pictures in the snow.

[cracker1]

The snow is great on the mountains in New Zealand between June and October but Visa for a Thai person is a big problem. I am a Kiwi and have done it but not easy or inexpensive. We have the highest mountain in the southern hemisphere. (Mount Cook more than 12,000 feet)

[Mahseer]

India is another option. Flights to Delhi for around 10k and take your pick where to head next. Himachal, Uttarakhand and Kashmir all have plenty of snow and there's skiing if you fancy having a go. You'll both need visas but process is straightforward.

kashmir ???? bullet proof vest reccomended.

Don't think so. Kashmir has seen record number of tourists each of the past 3 years and although there are isolated incidents that do occurr they are not aimed at tourists. I go fishing there each year and use Pahalgam as a base which is 95% muslim and the locals couldn't be more welcoming.