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Vijay Chadda Chief Operating Officer, BTI-Sita, India

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1. I wish to go to the United States to visit my son. However, I have a heart ailment. Is such a physical disability a factor when my visa application is processed?

Mala Verma, Mumbai

Visa grant or rejection is at the discretion of the Visa Counsellor. Since you have a heart ailment it is advisable that you attach your entire medical history papers along with your visa application.

2. Does the Indian Railways have holiday packages? Is there a round-the-country railway ticket by which you can tour different places of India without having to buy separate tickets everytime. If yes, how does the system work?

Pratap Rangarajan, Bangalore

The Indian Railways does not have any holiday packages. However there exists a concept of Circular Journey tickets by means of which one can cover sightseeing trips of many destinations within India. These tickets offer you unique travel flexibility, as they are issued for all journeys (other than regular routes), which begin and complete at the same station. Circular journey tickets can be purchased for all classes of travel. A maximum of eight break journeys will be admissible on these tickets. For more details, please refer to the website www.indiarail.gov.in

3. Which are the different places of tourist interest in the Andaman and Nicobar islands? After the tsunami are these islands safe for tourism and do they have the infrastructure for a good holiday?

BN Singh, Pune

There are many places of tourist interest in the Andaman Islands - Cellular Jail, the Andaman Water Sports Complex, Ross Island, Corbyn's Cove, Chidiya Tapu, Viper Island to name a few.

After the tsunami, preliminary studies have shown that maximum damage has been done to the Nicobar group of islands and not the Andaman group. Tourists are not allowed to visit the Nicobar group of islands. However, in the Andamans, everything is coming back to normal - flights have resumed and the hotels and resorts are fully functional. The inter-island ferry services are also functional as before. The coral reef and marine life is very much normal and tourists can go for scuba diving, snorkelling, game fishing etc.

4. What is a rainforest? Which are the different places in the world where you can go if you want to experience a rainforest? Do tour operators have packages for such places?

Arvind Murthy, Hyderabad

A rainforest is a large, dense forest in a hot, humid region (tropical or subtropical), that receives more than 2.5 meters (8 feet) of rain each year. These forests cover only about 7 per cent of the earth's surface but hold more than half of all plant and animal species on earth. The various places where you can enjoy the experience of a rainforest are at Taman Negara National Park (Malaysia), Skyrail Rainforest (Australia), Amazon (Brazil), Peru, Tropical Reef & Rain Forest in Fiji. There are tour operators in each country who can provide the details upon request.

5. Does one require a visa to go to Bhutan? What is the normal route to go to Bhutan from Mumbai? Can one go to the country by road or rail? How expensive would an average one week package cost?

Ajit Sen, Mumbai

Indian nationals do not require a visa for Bhutan. The normal way to travel to Bhutan is by Druk Air. You need to arrive in a group of minimum three people that will cost you approximately US$ 200 per day and will include accommodation on full board basis and transportation within Bhutan. For more details on Bhutan please refer to the website www.tourism.gov.bt

6. I have heard a lot about the Queen Elizabeth cruise. Which are the tour options available on the luxury liner. Are there short and long cruises? Is there a port of embarkation in India? What does the approximate cost of a four-day cruise come to?

Pinky Punjabi, Delhi

The Queen Elizabeth 2, or QE2 as she is commonly known was the flagship of the Cunard Line for over 30 years. There are short and long cruise itineraries ranging from minimum of four days sailing to maximum of 109 days sailing. This cruise is a European cruise liner ( New York to London) and there is no embarkation port in india. A three nights / four days cruise is Southampton to Southampton starting from minimum US$ 699 per person plus port taxes.

7. Is there a tour that takes one through the Sahara desert? If yes, what are the kind of facilities that is offered while on the desert? What would be the standard of accommodation and approximate cost?

Milind Joshi, Kolkata

Whilst the Sahara is the largest desert in the world, we have no information on any tour which takes you through the desert.