We need 6 months to hike the PCT – this means getting Tourist Visas to stay in the US. For us, this meant flying to Sydney to attend an interview at the US Consulate. We were a bit nervous about what we might be asked so went with lots of evidence about employment, bank funds, etc. Fortunately, the interviewer knew what the PCT was, so we didn’t have to explain why we couldn’t provide an accommodation address for our stay while in the US (“tent, in the middle of nowhere”?). Apart from lots of queuing and security screening, our interview went smoothly – not so the poor guy in front of us from Iran who was looking at possible delays of months before finding out if he and his wife would be allowed to stay in the US.

Anyway, now we are the proud owners of Tourist Visas valid for 5 years! But the weird thing is, we won’t know how long we can actually stay until we land in Los Angeles. Hopefully we will be granted a stay of at least 6 months, which we will need to complete the PCT.

Also we have now got our PCT Permits, and Entry into Canada via the PCT approvals, and Californian Fire Permits (needed even for using a gas stove).