Why red tape remains a stumbling block for the adventurous tourist

Simon Calder’s Travel Week [SUBSCRIBE]( [SUBSCRIBE: £1 FOR 3 MONTHS]( February 03, 2023 [View in browser](   [The Independent]( [The Independent]( Every journey begins with a single step – unless you are heading for Algeria, for which you need the London Underground Central Line to North Acton. This bleak Tube station in the outer orbit of fare zone 2 is the closest to the Algerian Consulate. Distant dream: Tipaza, Algeria Over the years I have met dozens of Algerian travellers and learnt about the wonders of their home country. The Bradt Guide to Algeria has fuelled my desire to visit a land with one of Africa’s most ravishing capital cities, known as Alger la Blanche; an astonishing repertoire of classical sites; and superb scenery from coast to desert. So 13 days ago I trudged to the consulate to be there when it opened at what the internet promised was 9am but which turned out to be half-an-hour later. Another prospective traveller, forming an orderly queue of one when I arrived, was far more dedicated: she had finished work on Friday night in Glasgow and taken an overnight bus to London to submit her application. The friendly, helpful staff let us in to the warehouse-like structure early to keep warm. Organising the paperwork in advance had been an adventure in its own right: completing an application form possibly designed by Franz Kafka’s Algerian cousin, in duplicate; a Letter of Invitation from Fancyellow, a diligent and helpful travel firm in Algiers; two photocopies of each page of my passport, presumably to assess my travelling record; and £85 in cash (though, quaintly, postal orders are also acceptable). My homework was checked and approved, and I was given a receipt to pick up the passport before 1pm on Tuesday this week. Never having been to North Acton before, I found myself in the scruffy suburb twice in 10 days. But the visa was not ready. To be fair, I later discovered a voice message that had been left by the consular staff on Saturday afternoon; at the time, I was trying to [make sense of the failure of Flybe]( and not as attentive as I should have been to missed calls. As of this morning, 13 days before my intended departure for Algiers, I have no idea whether or not I will be able to travel. Meanwhile the fare for a one-way British Airways flight from Heathrow to Algiers has risen by £250 since I checked on application day. The return trip, a complicated arrangement involving a flight from Constantine to Marseille and onward to London, has more than doubled in cost too. Algeria is about to lose a tourist – and, dare I say so, some positive publicity. The excellent local travel agency has done a lot of work to arrange the trip. The company would take not a dinar in advance (presumably because of the visa uncertainty). Unless the precious visa is issued in a day or two, the firm will lose out on £500. Every country can impose whatever red tape it wishes. But conversely the traveller can simply abandon trip and find a destination with less onerous rules than the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria. One such is the US, which [finally this week ditched its Trump-era backdated punishment of anyone who visited Cuba]( in the decade from 2011. Transatlantic fares are finally falling (see Deal of the Week, below). The closest I may get to the tantalising North African nation involves a short ferry ride across the Mississippi from New Orleans to Algiers, Louisiana. But oh, how much I would prefer the real thing. [On the trail of Albert Camus in Algiers](   [Get inspired...]( Domestic bliss]( The best UK holiday destinations for families [I'm an image]( [Born to be wild]( Experience the natural beauty of the Isles of Scilly on this expert-led tour [I'm an image]( We heart Harlem]( How to spend a day in New York City’s soulful, historic neighbourhood   Enjoying this newsletter? Unlock unlimited, ad-free reading on the website and in The Independent app when you subscribe – plus, benefit from our [welcome offer when you join today](.   Tip of the week: Inverness airport rail station finally opens Scotland’s fourth-busiest airport (after Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen) has beaten its bigger rivals to acquire a rail connection. The first scheduled train to Inverness Airport station is today at 7.01am from Inverness, arriving just 10 minutes later for a fare of £5.20. Note that the airport terminal is 900m from the station, with a bus connection costing £1.80. The much-delayed £42m station is astride the line between Inverness and Aberdeen. The journey time to Nairn is 10 minutes, to Elgin 35 minutes and to Aberdeen 2h25m. [Loch Ness: How to see the world’s most famous body of water]( PICK OF THE WEEK: NORTHERN TERRITORY [For a trip like no other, head to Australia’s Northern Territory, where you can immerse yourself in otherworldly landscapes, incredible wildlife, and rich Aboriginal culture.]( Deal of the week: US for less Airfares to the US for the next eight weeks are down almost to pre-Covid levels. On a wide range of dates that I have checked in February and March, [JetBlue]( is selling flights from London Gatwick to either Boston or New York JFK for £335 return; note that some of the inbounds from Boston serve London Heathrow. If you are prepared to book through an online travel agent, the same flights are selling at as little as £250 return. [The ultimate travel guide to the US](   Question of the week: Best airport transfer in Venice? Q What is the best way to get from Marco Polo airport to the centre of Venice? A Part of the joy of arriving at Marco Polo airport is the onward journey to the city. The airport is five miles north across the lagoon from Venice itself – and at least once in your life you should treat yourself to arriving by water. The Alilaguna ferry departs from the airport’s own dock, a seven-minute walk from the terminal along a covered walkway. The fare is €15 single or €27 return. There are two main lines, Linea Arancio and Linea Blu, both running every half-hour or so between 8am and 11pm. For St Mark’s Square (San Marco), take Arancio to the final stop – which should also provide you with a cruise along the Grand Canal along the way. The journey takes 79 minutes. Water taxis also run on demand, but will cost at least €120. [Venice hotels: Where to find five-star luxury, budget stays and canal views]( STAT OF THE WEEK £3.6m Earnings of [John Holland-Kaye, outgoing chief executive of Heathrow](, in the airport's most successful year: 2019. What you might have missed... - Last call: [Final delivery of the Boeing 747 Jumbo jet]( - Social security: [BA insists it has not changed its social media policy for crew]( - Cruise control: [Hundreds sent home early from Caribbean voyage]( SIMON'S DIARY       Every day from Monday to Friday I tackle a top travel story, or explore a topic in more detail than usual in ‘Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast’ – available free on [Spotify](, [Apple Podcasts](, [Pocket Casts]( or [Acast](.         Every day from Monday to Friday I tackle a top travel story, or explore a topic in more detail than usual in ‘Simon Calder's Independent Travel Podcast’ – available free on [Spotify](, [Apple Podcasts](, [Pocket Casts]( or [Acast](.         I find the easiest way to rush out stories is to tweet them. It’s also an easy way to contact me. My direct messages are open and I read all DMs, though regrettably I can’t respond to every one. Let me know your thoughts [@SimonCalder](         I find the easiest way to rush out stories is to tweet them. It’s also an easy way to contact me. My direct messages are open and I read all DMs, though regrettably I can’t respond to every one. Let me know your thoughts [@SimonCalder](         Each Saturday and Sunday I take questions live at 5.30pm British time on Instagram Live – from wherever I happen to be in the world – so please do come and say hello. Follow me on [@Simon_Calder](         Each Saturday and Sunday I take questions live at 5.30pm British time on Instagram Live – from wherever I happen to be in the world – so please do come and say hello. Follow me on [@Simon_Calder](         Or you can find me on TikTok. Come and have a look at what I have been up to as I bring you top travel topics and report on the latest changes in a minute or less via [@caldertravel](         Or you can find me on TikTok. 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