Traveling Can Be A Nightmare!
So far I’ve traveled to 33 countries in Central and South America, Europe, the U.K., Africa, and Asia, on a United States passport I bought back in June, 2017
If you decide to become a world traveler, here are some.insights that might prevent you from experiencing some of the frustrations I have been thru on my journey.
1. Make Sure You Understand The Visa Requirements For Each Country You Travel To And How Long You Are Allowed To Stay
Many countries have a free visa on arrival policy. They just stamp your passport and you’re good to go.
There Is No Visa Charge In Schengan Area Countries and Many Non-Schengan Countries.
With my United States passport I was allowed into all of the Schengan European countries for free. These countries include Italy, Spain, Portugal, Holland, France, Germany, Austria, Hungary. Poland, and Slovenia
United States citizens can travel between these countries freely without needing a visa or even needing to show their passport.
The drawback is that you can only stay in all of these countries collectively for up to 90 days in a 180 day period.
In most of the countries outside of the Schengan area, you can stay in each country for up to 90 days.
The non- Schengan countries that I traveled to were Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Romania. and Bulgaria in 2022.
Some Countries Charge A Visa Fee
The Visa fee is usually between $50 to $200 depending on the country..
I was able to enter South Africa at no charge but it cost $100 to enter into Tanzania then $51 to enter into Kenya.
These visas can be purchased upon arrival but it’s best to have the country’s currency ready if possible, especially if you’re traveling by bus
I Struggled With An ATM In Kenya
I had a problem getting money from an ATM at the Tanzanian/ Kenyan border. After several attempts the ATM ate my card and I had to go into the bank to straighten it out while holding up the bus.
When I finally got the card back and the money, I returned as the bus was pulling out. The driver yelled at me to get in and that he had my passport.
When we stopped at a restaurant a short ride later, I reinbursed the driver for the visa fee.
He scolded me about holding up the bus and said I should have bought my visa online.
I told him that I tried to but the application wouldn’t process and it was much cheaper to pay cash for it at the border anyway.
Another Rude Awakening When Entering Turkey
Before traveling to Turkey, every country I traveled to was a simple free to enter stamp of the passport so I assumed the same about Turkey, but as the saying goes, ASSUME makes an ass out of you and me!
While waiting in line to have my passport stamped, the bus attendant asked if I had a visa.
*What visa?!” I asked in bewilderment. .”No! I didn’t know I needed one!”
The bus attendant asked how much cash I had and I told him very little.
He said the visa costs 170 euros. He would buy the visa and I could reimburse him when we arrived in Istanbul.
He directed me follow him to a one man operated tiny office where the man scanned my passport then the bus attendant paid him for a tiny slip of paper.
The bus attendant then motioned for me to follow him as he ran out of the office, showed the slip of paper to the passport stamper, got my passport stamped, then we hurried to the bus that was waiting for us.
When we arrived in Istanbul, he immediately escorted me to an ATM which wouldn’t spit out any money. The second one wouldn’t work either. I was starting to panic. Finally the one near a bank worked so I could pay him and get my luggage released. The change he gave me equaled about $3 in Turkish currency.
Now I needed to get to my hotel.
I was going to call my hotel for a ride but unfortunately, there wasn’t any internet at the bus station. The bus station attendants spoke very little English and weren’t very helpful.
I was relieved when a taxi driver said he accepted credit cards.
After arriving my hotel on the European side of Istanbul, the driver said my credit card wouldn’t work in his machine.
Oh great!
He pulled over and directed me to a nearby ATM.
All I needed was 21 dollars.
My heart sank as the message across the screen read “Insufficient funds!*
I returned to the driver with my tail between my legs.
“I’m sorry but I can’t get any cash right now” All I have is $3 in Turkish money, $10 in Bulgarian bills, and this bag of Bulgarian change. which equals much more then the remaining $8 I owe you.”
Here, you can have it all! You’ll have it for the next time you go to Bulgaria! I just have to get to my hotel!”
At first he seemed angry and argued in his broken English that he could not exchange the Bulgarian coin money, but his stern demeanor changed into a sheepish grin as he grabbed a big handful of coins and let them slide between his fingers, as he started chuckling to himself!
So he found some humor with me in my predicament and maybe took some pity. Either way it was a much needed break in the tension
I tried my credit card at a restaurant later and it worked with no problems.
At my hotel I had internet again so I Facebook chatted my sister Denise and she wired me a few hundred dollar loan since the money I had budgeted for food went to pay for the visa.
In spite of the initial chaos, I still spent a great post Christmas and New Years, 2023 in Istanbul.
A Set Back Traveling To India Due To My Dumb-Fuckery
India has the strictest visa policy of any country I’ve traveled too so far.
I booked a ticket from Narobi, Kenya to New Delphi, India on August 9, 2023. I was there 2 hours early and eager to get my boarding pass.
When I got to the ticket counter and showed my confirmation. the agent looked at it shaking her head.
*Where’s your ticket?” she asked.
I was confused.
“”My ticket is right here! What do you mean?*
“Your visa.” she replied. “it has to be filled out before you can get on the plane,”
“Could I fill it out now?* I asked.
*No, It has to be completed and approved at least 5 days in advance.” she said.
Wonderful! There’s no way to make that happen now.
It was to late to cancel so I lost the $260 I paid for the flight which is a lot when you’re traveling on a shoestring.
I went back to my hotel in Narobi and looked up the visa application for India.
There were a lot of questions like what hotel you’ll be staying at, what airport you’re arriving to, what airport you’re departing from, your parents names, dates of birth, and nationalities, and what religion you practice.
There was no option for spiritual non- religious so I just put Christian.
They also ask for a photo of your passport and a mug shot passport photo at the end of the application.
Determined to finish the application I ran out in the Kenyan drizzling rain and got a passport picture of me made looking like a drown rat.
I rescheduled a flight for August 17th and managed to get on the plane that time in spite of not having booked a return flight.
I told the agent I wanted to take the ferry from Ponticherry, India to Sri Lanka after 30 days
The agent let it go and said I would have to book a return flight if it was made mandatory once I reached India.
Luckily it was overlooked once I arrived.
The airport document checkers also asked if I had received a yellow fever vaccination since I had been I Kenya for over two months. I hadn’t heard anything about this.
I said I hadn’t so I had to run to the airport clinic dragging along my monstrosity suitcase and pay $50 for a yellow fever vaccination certificate even though they didn’t give me the shot!
Sri Lanka also has a visa application that must be approved pre-flight but it isn’t nearly as strict as India’s.
Egypt Was A Piece Of Cake
In Egypt a one month visa can be purchased at any Eqyptian airport for 25 USD. Make sure you get the U.S. currency before arriving.
There is no paperwork to fill out, you just pay and they stamp your passport.
A Nice Surprise At The Visa Renewal Office in Cairo
When my one month visa was about to expire, I made the trip from Marsa
Matrouh to Cairo to make the renewal. It was also an excuse to go check out the piramids.
When I showed my passport to the desk clerk he said I didn’t need to renew.
He explained that if you are either over 60 or under 16, you don’t have to renew your visa. Egypt is welcoming retirees and children
“But I haven’t seen anything about this on the internet. Does this mean I can stay as long as I want?” I asked.
“Yes! you’re good to go!” He replied.
I went back to my hostel and searched for any information about this but still couldn’t find anything.
Apparently he was right because when I checked out of Egypt, they just stamped my passport and didn’t say a word.
Malaysia Is An Even Sweeter Piece Of Cake
I don’t know what the requirements are for other countries but American citizens can travel to Malaysia visa free and stay up to 90 days. No paperwork needed.
From my understanding you can re-enter after leaving for only a week.
2. Make Sure You Know What Items Are Allowed In Carry On Bags For Each Country You Travel To.
It seems like the initial flight goes fine but it’s going thru security again for the connecting flight that I’ve had problems with carry on items.
My Flight From Antalya, Turkey To Cairo, Egypt
On the initial flight to Bombay, my carry on passed with no problem.
At the security station in Bombay a security officer tore my carry on apart looking for a suspicious item- a canvas satchel full of harmonicas.
He opened the satchel, took out a harmonica, and examined it carefully like he had never seen one before.
“it’s a harmonica! Here, let me show you!” I grabbed the harmonica and played a verse melody of “Oh Susanna” which amused him and the other officers as they broke out into laughter.
He then tore apart an added compartment I made to put my banjolele. It was only held together with safety pins.
There he also found my harmonica holder which I use when I play the harmonica and guitar/ukulele at the same time.
He wouldn’t give me my harmonica holder back, and started explaining why he was keeping it in Arabic.
“it’s a harmonica holder,!” I cried, It’s not a weapon!”
Whatever! he wasn’t having it and I was late now for getting on the plane.
I started frantically stuffing my items that were scattered across the table back into my bag and made a mad dash for the plane.
I kept dropping and picking up items on the run especially a jar of face cream. I dropped it for the fifth time as I boarded the transport bus.
I picked it up and threw it as hard as I could down the aisle of the bus, breaking the lid and spattering face cream on the floor and the sides if the seats
The bus driver stared at me looking mortified.
“Sorry! I needed to blow off some steam!” I apologized.
My anger turned into embarrassment as I started cleaning up the mess with a T-shirt I grabbed out of my bag.
The plane was near ready to leave as I boarded. I was the last one to get on and be seated.
I swore I would never fly Egyptair again.
My Flight From Chennai, India to Sri Lanka,
Again my carry on went thru on the initial flight but on the connecting flight they took a set of Bungie chords saying I couldn’t take rope.
I hope reading about my mishaps helps on your travels.
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