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Life After Brown
Around the world with Traveler
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<blockquote data-quote="traveler" data-source="post: 262142" data-attributes="member: 1954"><p><strong>Re: Around the world with Traveller</strong></p><p></p><p>It was a 27 day cruise, 28 if you count the day you lose crossing the dateline, from Vancouver to Auckland and yes, we enjoyed every minute. As to our passports, full of stamps is an understatement. We <strong><u>have</u></strong> in fact run out of pages... twice! When you near that point there are two, actually three options. The first time I spent a few dollars to have a visa service have additional pages added since we needed a visa for India anyway. You can fill out the paperwork to have the nearest passport issuing office add (sew in) more pages. There is no charge for that except the round trip postage. When we needed more pages a second time, I used a technique that I had only heard of and not verified. When we were in Bratislava this summer we had a bit of extra time after our tour. In Slovakia, you need to carry your passport with you, not just a copy of the first page. We passed the American Embassy on the tour and decided to go in and ask if they would add pages for us. From the gate, we were directed to the secretary when entering the building. She inquired as to our business and after telling her what we wanted, directed us through a second heavy bullet proof door and told us not to wait in line but go directly to window 5. Hundreds of locals were waiting for visas to the USA and gave us a look when we went right into the next room. There a friendly woman presented us with the form to add pages. We completed them and she said we could wait an hour there or go out and return then. We opted to leave even though my wife was worried about re-entry sans passports. On the way out she felt a need to tell the Slovakian guard that we would be back to get our passports in an hour. He smiled and nodded. Later, when we returned, the guard pushed us to the head of the line at the metal detector like he had known us for years. We quickly retrieved our thick passports, thanked the secretary and left.</p><p> </p><p>It is interesting that the US Embassy is the only one with extra security outside. A heavy fence, guards, metal detectors, etc. But on the other hand, it is also the only embassy with lines of people hoping for visas or work permits to go to the USA.</p><p> </p><p>Quantas was a nice airline to fly, but, they left late enough for us and about half the passengers to miss connecting flights. Re booking was a nightmare but we did finally get home. I like to watch the movie and the best thing one can buy is a set of the Bose noise canceling headsets. Not cheap at $300 each but you get to see and hear the movie just like you were in a theater only without the crying kid in the background. They also knock out the engine noises so I pull the plug, leave the noise canceling on and I prop pillows around them wearing them when I sleep on the plane. The airline music also comes in like a concert hall.</p><p> </p><p>The only thing more annoying than the $25 NZ departure tax is the surprise on entering Chile by plane and paying a $100 US entry fee. No other nationals pay any fee there at all. I call that discrimination at its worst... it affects me!</p><p> </p><p>A ten hour layover is a drag. Check around as many hotels have "day rates" for situations just like yours. There are no shortage of hotels near the airport either so I'm sure you can work something out there.</p><p> </p><p>Now to my question, we have crossed the international dateline five times now... when do I get those 5 days back??? <img src="/community/styles/default/xenforo/smilies/group1/crying.gif" class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":crying:" title="Crying :crying:" data-shortname=":crying:" /> <img src="/community/styles/default/xenforo/smilies/group1/lol.gif" class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":lol:" title="Lol :lol:" data-shortname=":lol:" /></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="traveler, post: 262142, member: 1954"] [b]Re: Around the world with Traveller[/b] It was a 27 day cruise, 28 if you count the day you lose crossing the dateline, from Vancouver to Auckland and yes, we enjoyed every minute. As to our passports, full of stamps is an understatement. We [B][U]have[/U][/B] in fact run out of pages... twice! When you near that point there are two, actually three options. The first time I spent a few dollars to have a visa service have additional pages added since we needed a visa for India anyway. You can fill out the paperwork to have the nearest passport issuing office add (sew in) more pages. There is no charge for that except the round trip postage. When we needed more pages a second time, I used a technique that I had only heard of and not verified. When we were in Bratislava this summer we had a bit of extra time after our tour. In Slovakia, you need to carry your passport with you, not just a copy of the first page. We passed the American Embassy on the tour and decided to go in and ask if they would add pages for us. From the gate, we were directed to the secretary when entering the building. She inquired as to our business and after telling her what we wanted, directed us through a second heavy bullet proof door and told us not to wait in line but go directly to window 5. Hundreds of locals were waiting for visas to the USA and gave us a look when we went right into the next room. There a friendly woman presented us with the form to add pages. We completed them and she said we could wait an hour there or go out and return then. We opted to leave even though my wife was worried about re-entry sans passports. On the way out she felt a need to tell the Slovakian guard that we would be back to get our passports in an hour. He smiled and nodded. Later, when we returned, the guard pushed us to the head of the line at the metal detector like he had known us for years. We quickly retrieved our thick passports, thanked the secretary and left. It is interesting that the US Embassy is the only one with extra security outside. A heavy fence, guards, metal detectors, etc. But on the other hand, it is also the only embassy with lines of people hoping for visas or work permits to go to the USA. Quantas was a nice airline to fly, but, they left late enough for us and about half the passengers to miss connecting flights. Re booking was a nightmare but we did finally get home. I like to watch the movie and the best thing one can buy is a set of the Bose noise canceling headsets. Not cheap at $300 each but you get to see and hear the movie just like you were in a theater only without the crying kid in the background. They also knock out the engine noises so I pull the plug, leave the noise canceling on and I prop pillows around them wearing them when I sleep on the plane. The airline music also comes in like a concert hall. The only thing more annoying than the $25 NZ departure tax is the surprise on entering Chile by plane and paying a $100 US entry fee. No other nationals pay any fee there at all. I call that discrimination at its worst... it affects me! A ten hour layover is a drag. Check around as many hotels have "day rates" for situations just like yours. There are no shortage of hotels near the airport either so I'm sure you can work something out there. Now to my question, we have crossed the international dateline five times now... when do I get those 5 days back??? :crying: :lol: [/QUOTE]
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