TA - seven months

August 2, 2005

Dumb & Dumber (2005)

On the flight to Mumbai, I asked the man to my left if he knew of hotels by the airport. He listed a couple, and the guy next to him mentioned a couple more. I was relieved; I would have a place to sleep. I had the loperamide (stops diarrhea), ciprofloxacin (stops bacteria), and doxycycline (prevents malaria) pills in my pocket and coffee in my system. It's a no-brainer -- I was armed and fabulous.

After a plain dinner, I deplaned the plane and walked eagerly to Passport Control. The goal was to pass past Passport Control, but as I learned in London, they have no sense of humor.

"Where is your visa?" the agent asked me. "You don't have a visa? You have to go back." I smiled and said okay; either he was joking or I could call the US Embassy or STA Travel or...

Or my objections wouldn't matter, my questions would be irrelevant, and I would be on the next plane to Amsterdam, leaving an hour after I arrived.

What's worse is that I had to pay for the flight. What's worse is that it was expensive. What's worse is that they played Miss Congeniality 2 on both flights and I couldn't help but feel dumb and dumber for being subjected to something so cruel and unusual. Come on -- Regina King didn't have to wait to the end of the movie to to finally wipe off her sour face. She was in Vegas; her role was never the one back in Amsterdam.

10 > post a comment

so what are you going to do now? that blows.

lindsey
August 02, 2005 12:32 PM

lindsey,

blows is right! I'm going to ask STA travel what they do do as a travel agency besides doodoo.

I'm likely skipping india for thailand; I don't feel like applying or waiting for an indian visa. right now I'm just going to chill out in amsterdam; it's not the worst place to be stuck.

tevan

tevan
August 02, 2005 12:42 PM

Oh, Tevan, my boy, say it isn't so. Back where you started? Tell me you weren't in seat 39B! That would be just too ironic.

Kathleen - seat 39A Det to Ams

Anonymous
August 02, 2005 4:43 PM

oh no, man :( that's terrible. fuck sta, get lonely planets from now on; they tell you absolutely everything you need to know before travelling.

take care
angela

Anonymous
August 03, 2005 6:28 PM

kathleen,

it's so, and I'm so so-so because of it. I was assigned to 14H, but I got to switch with 14I for window seat.

tevan - seat 39B DET to AMS

tevan
August 04, 2005 11:18 AM

angela,

I've been using lonely planets but I ASSumed STA would inform me about the need for an indian visa; they went ahead and got the australian one for me. they lose points but I'll take half the blame for not doing my homework.

tevan

tevan
August 04, 2005 11:21 AM

nooooo! that is so terrible! i am sorry tevan. viva amsterdam!

mysha
August 05, 2005 3:22 PM

mysh,

no need for sorry; passport control let me in bangkok today.

tevan

tevan
August 06, 2005 2:15 AM

tevan,

update and new pictures please!

bean

zillah
August 11, 2005 12:12 PM

bean,

as soon as you update your journal...

tevan

tevan
August 13, 2005 9:52 AM