In order to secure my LOI, I made a deal with tour company Lupine Travel , agreeing to give them regular shoutouts across my Algeria vlogs in return for them writing one on my behalf. There are other ways to get one, though. Such as through a local contact or friend.
A standard tourist visa currently lasts 30 days - so even if you book a week long tour, for example, that could potentially mean three remaining weeks spent exploring Algeria solo.
For my visa application process I took two trips to the new Algerian consulate in London. Plus two completed application forms for the visa itself. After meeting with my cheerful host, Nadir, I was thrown straight into the bustling life of Algiers. Despite my tiredness, on my first day I ended up doing a lot.
I tasted camel meat for the first time, using my bare hands to pull it from the bone. Its lifeless, dangling body, filled with water. Nadir poured a cup and handed it to me. I distinctly remember the feeling of the warm liquid sliding down my throat. This was new. From afar, downtown Algiers appears pretty, even elegant. The buildings gleam in a prominent white. Impressive classical 19th century French architecture looms large, a constant reminder to everyone who ruled here for years previously.
Towels hang from the balconies of the grand boulevards. Mothers throw leftover crumbs from half-eaten white baguettes to the energetic streets below.
