Preparation for Paraguay

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I expect this post won't be too interesting, although it may be of use to anyone planning to travel to Paraguay from the UK.

I have one week left before my big move to Paraguay, all that is left to do it pack. So here are a few of the steps I've had to take.

1. Getting to Paraguay...

Paraguay is not the easiest place to get to from the UK! First you have to fly to Buenos Aires, which can be done via Paris or via Sao Paulo. I am taking the Paris route. From Buenos Aires, after exploring for a couple of days, I am taking the bus to Asunción which takes 17 hours (!) and costs £45.
Here is a bus timetable:
This is the company I am using, you can book with them online:

It is also possible to fly to Asunción for between £110 - £150, however I am told that the buses are quite comfortable and provide hot meals and I have gone for a 'cama' seat, which reclines 160 degrees. Also, I thought it would be a great way to see some of the countryside.

2. Guide Book...

I looked for so long for a Paraguay travel guide book and could not find one, until this one was published:
It has loads of details although I have still to see whether it is accurate or not!

3. Visa preparation...

As I am going for a year and I am working I will need to get a visa. I am working as a TEFL teacher for the British Council and they advised me to enter the country on the 90 day tourist visa (free for UK citizens) and then apply once in the country.
To do this, I have had to obtain a police check (google this for more details) and my birth certificate to send to the FCO (google this) for legalisation, and then to the Paraguayan Embassy (www.paraguayembassy.co.uk) for legalisation there too. All together this costs about £120! Keep in mind that this can take a long time too, the police check can take 40 days to come through, I have still not received mine so my parents will have to do the rest for me and send them over the Asunción when it is done!

I have spoken to others already in Paraguay who say that nobody really cares whether or not they have a visa and that if you go in on a 90 day tourist visa and go over that amount of time, you are fined about £50 (cheaper than getting all the forms sorted out for the visa). It is also possible to cross into Argentina and back before the 90 days is over and get a new tourist visa.

4. Vaccinations...

Oh the joy! I have had to have so many injections for this trip!
Yellow fever, typhoid, hep A, hep B (x4), rabies (x3), swine flu... They are the ones I can remember anyway. You have to pay for yellow fever and rabies in the UK and because the rabied and hep B are given in three doses you need plenty of time to get them done. (I had 4 hep B because the last one was a booster). Swine flu can be quite nasty too so don't get it done just before you travel (or have an exam - like I did!) Enjoy! 😞

Ooo and also, there is a part of Paraguay where you need malaria tablets, so check where you are going.



Anyhow, this is all I can think of right now... I hope it is of help to someone out there.

Nats 😊

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Comments

[Sandy]

Wow!
Hi, Me again! I wish someone had told me all of that before I arrived :) I never got a real visa (don't tell anyone). Instead I travelled for a weekend every time it expired. Our journey was much longer than yours - we decided to fly to Lima, then got buses from there. Tiring and not recommended, but good for stories now :) It's great that Crucero del Norte now allow you to book online - they hadn't started doing that when I was there (back in the day!). Thanks again, Sandy