Travel in Vekllei

Part of the bulletin series of articles.

Summary

• Travel is good for people and the government in Vekllei has made some attempts to facilitate it.
• Domestic travel is straightforward and does not require coordination or permission.
• Overseas travel is more complicated. The average person in Vekllei does not use money in everyday life, and so cannot finance themselves or be expected to know how cash economies work.
• To allow it, the government operates a network of hotels and contracts services around the world specifically for Vekllei people.
• Independent travelers can access a stipend for self-directed travel, but have to coordinate through the local embassy or diplomatic mission to register travel plans.
• These systems allow Vekllei people to travel like – or even better than – people overseas.

Vekllei is a society in the epoch of rest, and their lives of leisure facilitate a strong curiosity about the world and the people in it. They are educated and have a lot of free time, and so the ability to travel becomes a natural interest. Some of them could figure it out with no help at all, working overseas to finance their own travels. But surely all people deserve to travel – not just the young and the hungry. So the government in Vekllei has organised systems to encourage it.

There are three kinds of travel in Vekllei. Read on to discover how to plan your own holiday.

Domestic Travel #

Domestic travel in Vekllei is common and easy. It is the most popular form of tourism in Vekllei. And why shouldn’t it be? Vekllei is the most diverse country in the world, spanning both poles and the entire width of the Atlantic. Across its republics you have basically every kind of landscape available to you. Hot deserts, tropical beaches, permafrost, temperate forests, grasslands and the quiet beauty of shrubby tundra. This diversity carries on through every concievable object of desire. Food; drink; culture; architecture; the tastes of men and women. It is no wonder so many choose to travel around the country.

Most Vekllei people completing Compulsory Service are rewarded with a National Tour, which visits every republic and helps satiate natural curiosity about the makeup of their country.

Domestic travel in Vekllei does not need permission or coordination. If you can find somewhere to stay, you can travel. Even if you can’t find somewhere to stay, camping in many public forests is perfectly legal.

1. Sort out your accomodation
   • Many Vekllei people are generous and their society is deeply reciprocal. The most common way to see a new area is to stay with a friend or relative who can show you around. Be prepared to return the favour someday.
   • For new lands, “inns” are the most common form of accomodation in Vekllei. These range from shared rooms in cottages in the Falklands to larger, more sophisticated operations in Karu or Caicos. They are generally run by a family or single owner, and you may be asked to help prepare breakfast or dinner in Vekllei communalistic tradition.
   • For business or particular circumstances, you may secure a room at a hotel. These operate like they do overseas, but are typically reserved for work, not leisure.
2. Book your transport
   • Vekllei is a big country, and most people fly. Anyone can book a flight for any reason.
   • Fast ships like hydrofoils are also common and much easier to book for regional destinations.
   • If you don’t mind waiting a few years, booking a cabin on an airship is among the most romantic ways of touring one of Vekllei’s archipelagos.
3. Visit a Tourism Bureau
   • It’s always worth a visit to a local tourism bureau. Vekllei society is not commercial and rarely advertises its best features, and in this sense knowledge becomes a kind of commodity. Tourist agents are generally helpful and will help you with an intinerary of your taste.

International Travel #

Most people in Vekllei travel internationally with help from the Bureau of Travel, because it is a straightforward and pleasant way to holiday. By coordinating with the Bureau of Travel, agents can prepare an interary that suits your tastes and interests. This is facilitated by a network of hotels, resorts, contracts and tours organised on the behalf of a Vekllei traveller before and during the trip.

The benefit of this arrangement is convenience and an expectation of quality. Hotels procured by the Bureau of Travel are usually owned by the Atlantic Hotel company and are pleasant, centrally located and well-equipped. They are also designed for Vekllei people and their common concerns when travelling abroad, and so are well-suited to support them.

Vekllei people are also entitled to a modest stipend of $45 U.S. dollars per day to spend on food, drink, private transport and souveniers. Tickets to shows and events are widely available and booked through the hotel concierge.

To travel under this arrangement, Vekllei people must have completed their Compulsory Service.

1. Book your trip with the Bureau of Travel
   • Speak to your agent about where you’d like to visit, shortlisted to about 90 countries best served by Vekllei’s hospitality industries and consular services.
   • Determine a good time to travel. Hotels book out quickly during holiday seasons and may not be able to provide rooms during this time. Your agent will work with you to find a place and time that works best for you.
   • Establish an itinerary. Your agent may suggest an outline popular in the area, depending on whether this is your first time visiting or a return trip. Tickets for major events and shows should be booked in advance.
   • Find a hotel. Almost always, this is a property owned and operated by Atlantic Hotel, which accomodates Vekllei people. Major destinations like London and Paris have several hotels operated by Atlantic – peripheral destinations, like Kuala Lumpur, often only have one.
   • Your agent will arrange you flights for you, almost always with Commonwealth Airways.
2. Arrange your passport and, if necessary, your visa
   • In Vekllei, this can be done at any passport office or remotely via a post office.
3. Use local resources
   • Vekllei has a diplomatic presence in most countries around the world. Regardless of whether it has a dedicated tourism bureau, the people there will help you.
   • Your concierge at an Atlantic Hotel is at your service to support your visit. They will give you directions, arrange transit, book tickets and tours, suggest sights and facilitate connections for onward journeys.
   • As a Vekllei person you are entitled to a stipend of $45 a day at an Atlantic Hotel to assist with your trip. Remaining money must be returned to your concierge at the end of each day.
   • If you are ever lost, confused or victimised, contact your hotel or consulate to assist.

Independent Travel #

Naturally, people want to travel independently for a variety of reasons. They may be visiting family, or chasing adventure. They might simply be visiting a region with no government hotels available, or with a reduced consular presence. While the Ministry of Foreign Affairs establishes travel advice and warnings, there is no specific mechanism to prevent a Vekllei person from going where they like.

Independent travelers are entitled to a superior stipend of $100 a day depending on their destination and length of stay. This applies for up to four weeks at a time, and can be extended only with permission. Extensions are usually only granted for occasions like long-service leave or bereavement.

Independent travelers must register with their local consulate and receive advice about travel. Flights can be arranged by the Bureau of Travel or independently by the traveller.

1. Plan your independent travel
   1. You don’t need a complete itinerary, but you should have a destination in mind. This destination will determine appropriate consular support and will affect your stipend.
   2. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is here to support you. Speak to them or the Bureau of Travel for advice about your trip that can ensure your comfort and safety overseas.
2. Prepare sensibly
   1. Independent travel can be the adventure of a lifetime, but the rest of the world can be very different to Vekllei. You should take advantage of the time before your trip to prepare your documents, visas and research the lay of the land at your destination.
   2. Take any opportunity to educate yourself. Many governments in Vekllei have services to help you understand money and how to use it sensibly. You are in charge of your stipend and the consulate may have limited recourse if it is wasted or stolen. Learning useful phrases in the local language can be the difference between a great visit or a bad one.
   3. Learn your rights and responsibilities as a traveler. When you travel independently overseas, you travel as a private citizen and the Vekllei government cannot interfere with local law.
3. Stay in touch
   1. When travelling independently, you must register your plans with your local consulate so they know you are in the country and for how long you expect to stay. If your length of stay substantially exceeds your indicated duration you may be contacted or declared missing.
   2. If you plan to travel intercontinentally, make sure you coordinate with local consulates when you have the chance. If the country does not have a consulate, speak to an employee of the Vekllei government or an expatriated citizen.
   3. If you find yourself in trouble, contact your local consulate or a trusted intermediary. The Vekllei government cannot save you from peril you have created, but will do its best to advocate on your behalf.