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What troubles have you faced while traveling?


by @acdc 9yr  | 8 comments

Almost got caught out very badly the other week and looking for advice.

Visa
30 day visa free entry. Went to check-in at the airport, staff wanted to see a departure ticket. Thankfully I had already booked a flight out (this is often not the case, Philippines are basically flight-only options though) however due to leaving Australia I had no SIM card in my phone. Thus no 3g, or access to the itinerary. It was with the same airline however they couldn’t look it up (given the complete lack of competence this probably is true). Thankfully the airport had wifi and I managed to eventually load up an email after some stressful minutes. A number of airports only have wifi near the gates not out in departures too. If I couldn’t load up the ticket she literally wasn’t going to let us on the flight. Wtf. Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam… all places I have been, had no exit flight/transit booked because was going over land, and train/bus tickets in a lot of countries aren’t readily available online. None of them have ever cared.

Is this usual or was this chick just nuts? Of course when we arrived customs didn’t care at all, “when are you leaving, where to?” and that was it. How many Australians exactly are smuggling themselves to live illegally in the Philippines, especially with only 7kg of luggage? Come on…

Money
We finally arrive Manila at 1am. Literally no ATM works. 3 different cards with 3 different banks, half a dozen ATMs… nothing, all “error communicating”/some generic message. By this stage we were attracting a fair bit of attention having wandered the airport trying every ATM, our only saving grace was $30 I still had in cash that I exchanged at a booth, which was enough to get a taxi to accommodation 5km away. Next morning found an ATM nearby, stomach full of nerves… worked perfectly. We used 2x cards, both worked first go. Same bank as one of the airport ones. God knows why they didn’t work at the airport (well, insert a nothing ever works or is done properly in the Philippines joke here), however I haven’t read much about people carrying much cash. It seems like we should always have $100 - or more if an expensive country - in case this ever happens again? Even though I can’t think of why this even happened in the first place. All the money in the world won’t help if you can’t get your hands on it :frowning:

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@grum 9yr

To avoid duplication of topics, the return-ticket visa issue already is being discussed at the below topic:

https://nomadlist.com/forum/t/do-you-always-have-an-onward-air-ticket-when-entering-a-new-country/
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@grum 9yr

First time in Asia? These are very common issues.

Departure ticket checks are normal. If you enter a country without the necessary documentation, the country forces the airline to fly you home. Carriers (esp LCC) don’t like giving freebies and will happily force someone to jump through hoops. Hypothetically if you couldn’t get the proof, most carriers have alternative measures - whether or not they want to be bothered doing those is a different story.

Failed ATMs are a common thing too. Most well-traveled nomads keep 5xUS$20 on them just in case stuff like this happens. Australian cards operate under the Mestro/Cirrus/Visa/Mastercard network and many countries operate on different networks.

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@acdc 9yr

I spent a few months here last year. As mentioned I’ve never had an airline refuse unless I showed actual proof of departure. Land travel is very common and cannot be “just booked online”. Heck, most of it you can’t even pay by card! It’s simply impossible to always provide proof, for example many people do Thailand/Cambodia/Laos/Vietnam via land.

I have Mastercard & Visa. The ATMs all had the logos on it, and it worked fine at a different atm (same bank) the next day so not sure. Thinking $100USD might be worth keeping on hand just in case it happens again.

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@grum 9yr

Common sense often doesn’t doesn’t apply when crossing international borders. Actually, common sense doesn’t apply to travel in general. Rules either change, are made up on the spot or misinterpreted. In the end though, it’s never impossible to provide proof - as a traveler you are expected to obtain this before you try to enter certain countries. In some instances, these artificial rules are in place to force you to bribe.

Also, land travel is available to be booked online Thailand/Cambodia/Laos/Vietnam. That excuse doesn’t fly anymore. We aren’t in the 80s.

We’re lucky that they’re accepting emails stored on phones these days - rewind a couple of years and printouts were the only forms accepted. Heck, when I tried leaving Australia a year ago, I had issues with an official who wouldn’t let me turn on my phone to provide proof as it was against the rules to operate ‘photographic equipment in a secure area’.

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@acdc 9yr

When I said “proof” I meant “something that can be actually validated”. If we’re talking a word doc you could fake in 2 mins, sure can always make that up. In Vietnam we couldn’t book any tickets except from the physical location, i.e., if you want HCMC->Nha Trang->Hanoi it was impossible. You can only reserve NhaTrang->Hanoi leg from the office in NhaTrang. You bought the whole ticket but no date, no time. Has no more worth than “yeah man take our word that we’re going to depart your country by bus!”.

Thanks for that thread. It seems my experience was unusual, untrained staff perhaps. Can’t see anyone else who had the “if you don’t show a ticket you’re literally not getting on the plane” ultimatum. Most have waivers saying you’ll pay your own way back etc which makes sense.

Ah yes Australian customs, nazi was on the case once however other times everyone is on their phone!

Edit: And yes, the irony of it all. I’m a perfectionist who overplans to the max, when I try and ‘go with the flow’ it nearly always blows up even though seemingly it’s fine for most others to rock up with no plans. Certainly need to get used to being frustrated!

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@grum 9yr

Proof is determined by the officials and isn’t a specific thing. As mentioned in that other thread, people have used fake itineraries, TripIt apps, booked flights they never intend to board etc. The likelihood of them being able to validate the proof with the carrier on the spot is likely to be zero unless they have a pre-existing relationship with the carrier.

In some cases, the mere fact that the traveler had a Lonely Planet for the next country in their bag was enough proof. They are just following rules to the best of their ability, in the hopes that travelers slip up or act suspicious enough to warrant a refusal/official interview.

Also, I can get you a bus or train ticket from NhaTrang->Hanoi right now for US$80 odd - and get you an actual confirmation with a date and a time. Vietnam isn’t that far in the dark ages :wink: Although it is a 20 to 26 hour trip. Yuck.

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@acdc 9yr

We paid $40 USD for HCMC->Hanoi sleeper buses with stopovers in the middle wherever you wanted.
Double the price for half the distance, they’re probably a bit closer to 2015 then some others :wink:
Not that I’ll be voluntarily going on a “sleeper” bus again any time soon. Pretty much always made the next day a total write off, so tired.

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@mrwhite 9yr

Every flight I had out of Australia I have been checked on my onward ticket. It seems to be a thing there.

Some usd is also cheap to exchange if you don’t want to take out cash on credit card.

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Read and participate in 14,117 discussions on Nomad List

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What features would you like to see on Nomad List?


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What are the best places right now in the Caribbean/LatAM? (Also cheapest flights/accommodation?) Asking from the US.

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List of Visa/Residency Information in Table/Spreadsheet format?


by @innovatelife 3yr 3 years ago  | 2 comments

As part of signing up for this website I was hoping I would come across a list of Visa and/or Residency requirements by country ideally in a table format to assist with decision making. Does anybody recommend any other websites that might present the information in this format (or Google Spreadsheet)?

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Most Walkable Neighborhood / City In The World ?


by @dannybooboo 3yr 3 years ago  | 1 comment

I love living in walkable areas of town. I can always find them. But now I'm wondering where in the world are the most walkable places? I'm imagining walk streets (no cars), zoning allowing both business and residential, parks or beaches ,etc.

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Any nomads in Arizona, US?


in Netherlands by @info132 3yr 3 years ago  | 4 comments

Hi guys,

After the Netherlands, the Bay Area, Colorado and being on the van life for 8 months, I am now in Sedona, AZ with a few other digital nomads. We are sharing a home here and are wondering if there are more like minded people in the area.

We do a bunch of hikes and campouts in the northern of Arizona. If you would like to connect with us, please do so :)

Val

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International number & internet?


by @leobassam 3yr 3 years ago  | 1 comment

Has anyone figured out a way to get setup with a virtual number and internet connection anywhere you go?

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Are there any tax issues I have to be aware of?


in Germany by @clara 3yr 3 years ago  | 0 comments

Hi everybody. I live and work in Germany and want to go to Canary Islands for 6 months to work from there. I'm going to keep my current job, just change the "home" in the home office part of things. Are there any tax issues I have to be aware of? I was reading about becoming a residence after 183 days, thus having to pay taxes there plus my employer having to register there. Does anybody know how it works exactly? Thanks a lot!

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Chiang Mai accommodation


in Chiang Mai , Thailand by @bertieb 3yr 3 years ago  | 0 comments

Can anyone recommend a good accommodation website for Chiang Mai?

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Is anyone travelling right now?


by @viktor 3yr 3 years ago  | 3 comments

Winter is coming and I’m feeling the ache of travelling after being stuck in the same place since the Pandemic started. Wondering if anyone is travelling right now? If so, where are you currently located and how is the situation where you are?

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How to get SMS verifications for banks while traveling?

 

by @jackgopack 4yr 4 years ago  | 38 comments

Any suggestions for seamlessly receiving SMS Verifications from US financial institutions and other sites while traveling internationally continuously? Won’t keep my US Verizon account due to cost and currently plan to use local sims at each destination (T-Mobile and Project Fi are NOT an option as they terminate for continuous roaming). In summation, I won’t have a US mobile account.

Unless I’m missing something, which is very possible, this appears to be the single most complex issue I’ve encountered in my preparations, and one that no one addresses. I would greatly appreciate any possible solution that works 100% of the time. Can’t afford surprises in this regard. Many Thanks! Jack.

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What is your ergonomic set-up while traveling?


by @caseyr 5yr 5 years ago  | 18 comments

What is your ergonomic set-up while traveling?

I personally have an external keyboard, and am currently exploring getting a laptop stand, some lumbar support, and a trackball-mouse.

What do you use? How are you balancing health / portability?

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What do you do about cooking whilst traveling?

 

by @kathrynoh 7yr 7 years ago  | 26 comments

This is something I’ve not really seen addressed anywhere much but, when you are staying somewhere medium term, say 1-6 months, what you do about cooking? I figure anything shorter than that and you can make do, while over 6 months you aren’t going to mind stocking a kitchen so much. But, for that medium term period, it feels like a waste to spend too much on pantry supplies and equipment but too long to get by on basics.

Anyway, I’d love to know what other people in regards to cooking. Do you eat out for all your meals, have a few ‘go to’ dishes that you can cook anywhere with minimal equipment (mine would be omelettes) or do you adjust to the local cuisine?

Admin edit: Fixed title for spelling & compliance with guidelines.

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Have you ever been called to U.S. jury duty while traveling?


by @krompson 8yr 8 years ago  | 7 comments

My husband and I have residency in the state of Tennessee in the USA and my in-laws collect our mail for us there. We only pass through Tennessee about once a year.

Does anyone know what happens if we’re called to jury duty? Is traveling a legit excuse to get out of it?

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How are you earning a living while traveling?

 

by @mattlock 8yr 8 years ago  | 22 comments

I’ve been traveling for over a year, and I’ve been working on 3 month contracts in locations abroad to sustain travel. I wanted to see what the community was like as far as digital nomads go. Are you trading your skills for $$$? and if so, how are you doing it?

(I’ve also wanted to try this, but haven’t been to successful.)

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How can I have one telephone number while traveling?


by @swechris 8yr 8 years ago  | 11 comments

Hi!
I found this perfect solution https://www.didlogic.com/ that will forward phone calls to whatever SIM card you currently are using and really cheap too. But… Really horrible reviews http://www.oregonherald.com/bnews/story.htm?id=1113.

What do you guys say?

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What's the best time to take birth control pills while traveling?


by @robetus 8yr 8 years ago  | 7 comments

I’m traveling with my girlfriend and she takes birth control pills, one pill every day. Can any of the digital nomadic women on here give her any tips on what time to take it to best suite global travel inside many timezones?

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Can you insure a laptop if you're already traveling?


by @danielmcclure 8yr 8 years ago  | 1 comment

Can anyone recommend an insurance company that will specifically insure a laptop for a few months or more for a UK citizen whilst already abroad for over a year and without a return date?

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How do you deal with fear of terrorism when traveling?


by @antonioevans 8yr 8 years ago  | 11 comments

I do not want to be an “alarmist” but today we had a recent major bombing at an airport & subway in Brussels. A few months back there was Paris. I am currently on my European part of this years trip and it is on my mind.

There are many places that are off the map for Digital Nomads and for good reason. Safety due to war or major crime. I am talking places like Syria, parts of Iraq, few islands in Philippines, a few province in Mexico, El Salvador, etc. But places that aren´t historically unsafe do causes concern to people, specifically your back home family&friends.

As a traveler how do you deal with terrorism or major crime when it is around where you are visit? Also secondly how do you deal with at home messages from family members.

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Did you acquire gadgets before leaving or while traveling?

 

by @nihilista 9yr 9 years ago  | 20 comments

I’m debating whether to buy some things prior to leaving - a nice suitcase and/or backpack, noise cancelling headphones, a Kindle (I’m an avid reader and would love to take several books with me - but love books and have never found the need to have a Kindle since I have lots of space at home for adding to my library), etc. My feeling is that these things would likely enhance my travels but are not strictly necessary, and if the nomad life turns out to not be to my liking then I might’ve wasted some money. Are these items easily acquirable on the road? I’ll be in southeast Asia to begin with…

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