Passport

[quote author="stepping_up" date=1247442251][quote author="awgee" date=1247433173]My father and I had diplomatic passports and we lived in the Netherlands when I was a kid. My passport has lots of stamps. My dad's passport was full.



Now, my family has passports, but very few stamps. I do not think they stamp as you travel from one country in Europe to another.</blockquote>


They do stamp Americans in each country if you are entering and/or exiting via plane, but not necessarily if you enter/exit by car or train.</blockquote>


I probably wouldn't have half as many stamps as I do if I didn't demand/request stamps at various locations. Call me a stamp whore, but there was no way I was going to live in Europe and come home stampless!
 
[quote author="caycifish" date=1247444879][quote author="tmare" date=1247412807]

Yes, we do suck, but get your ass out there and travel. There is no time like the present, especially when you are young, in love and childless. I really can't say anymore, just do it, damn it! Stop thinking, get on the computer, book a flight and one night somewhere. Stay for two weeks and figure it out once you get there. Just a click away.</blockquote>


For the record: Since we have been dating Graph and I have spent at least 2 days in each of the following locations: San Diego, NYC, San Francisco/Mendocino, Paso Robles, Napa/Sonoma and Portland/Seattle. We are currently looking into a Las Vegas trip while the rates are so cheap. One day trips have included several to LA and one to Ojai.



It occurred to me that people from around the world come HERE on vacation, and there are (relatively) local places I have never been. I wanted to cross them off the list while I could and while opportunities arose.



Away we go!</blockquote>


Yosemite and Sequoia
 
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I agree that money has been an issue with the non-existent stamps on my passport. But, it is also time, and for many time is money. I had all these great plans to travel abroad after I got my passport, but then I thought... okay... I am out for 2 weeks, that means I need X dollars saved, and when I get back I need to make Y dollars. Then you realize that while you saved X dollars, the ability to make Y dollars is going to be even harder than the X dollars. It becomes a vicious cycle, and many years pass before you realize where the hell the time and Z dollars went. Hopefully though, if all goes well with X,Y, and Z dollars, then in 2011 Cayci and I would like to go to Italy. Now that I understand this conundrum, I might be more prepared.

</blockquote>


Yes, we do suck, but get your ass out there and travel. There is no time like the present, especially when you are young, in love and childless. I really can't say anymore, just do it, damn it! Stop thinking, get on the computer, book a flight and one night somewhere. Stay for two weeks and figure it out once you get there. Just a click away.</blockquote>


don't let time and money get in the way of travel. if there's one thing many never regret spending money on, it's travel. even ghetto travel stories are better than not having those experiences at all. don't you want experiences like you see in all those great travel-related movies? lawrence of arabia, roman holiday, under the tuscan sun, a room with a view, endless summer, lost in translation... indiana jones and bond flicks, crocodile dundee, borat, back to the future, hostel, taken...



but seriously, and as you get older, the costs only go up due to some combination of the dollar getting weaker, the rest of the world catching up to us, your tastes getting more expensive, or dragging along 2 lil graphifish.



this is the one period in our lifetimes that vacationing has actually gotten cheaper and you should take advantage of it while you can. i can't remember the last time i saw non-stop flights from lax to europe for $250, but they were avail just months ago.
 
[quote author="Sunshine" date=1247468530] I probably wouldn't have half as many stamps as I do if I didn't demand/request stamps at various locations. Call me a stamp whore, but there was no way I was going to live in Europe and come home stampless!</blockquote>


Years ago I asked a West German immigration official at Rhein Main airport to stamp my passport. He said it is not necessary to stamp US passports. I told him I would like one as a souvenier. He said "sure, 10 marks." I considered this for a moment and contered with "5 marks." He said fine and took out a tray of stamps from his drawer and said "which one do you want." I got to pick my own passport stamp, a cool maltese falcon, and it cost me about $2 US at the time.



Note that was the only time I had to pay a fee/bribe to get a passport stamp in Germany, all the other times the Krauts were happy to give me one upon request.
 
When my mom's church group went to Israel, they got their visa and/or immigration stamps on a separate document. Reason was some countries/groups have a problem when they see Israeli stamps in a passport.
 
My personal "Passport" Favorites.



Costa Rica. Been 3 times now. Just one of the best places to go. Period.

Australia. Like traveling back in a time machine. They love Americans.

Holland. Just one of the best parts of Europe.



Vacations are always worth the money. Make the time and do it !!!
 
[quote author="graphrix" date=1247411704]

Not sure if the actual numbers would skew it, but the % amount might when you find out how many in the EU travel to Asia and Africa. Flights London to Thailand are wicked cheap on Ryanair, and the exchange rate makes a really nice hotel room cost $40 a night and a decent one $20 a night. I know that several wankers go to Thailand, the Philippines, and various parts of South East Asia to spend a week or two there just because it is so cheap. Well... for some that is, some might spend a bit more on the "extra" services you can find there. For a Brit, a week long trip to Thailand's various locations would cost $1500, for an American to do the same it would cost over $4000 because of the flight cost plus less favorable exchange rate. They b*tch that we don't travel to places like Phuket, but what they do not realize is that it costs us more than twice as much. And traveling to the Americans is not cheap for us like it is for them to travel to Asia. We suck when it comes to the cost to travel.</blockquote>


A lot of Americans are scared off on foreign travel because of how expensive they think it'll be, but if you look at the prices, it's not that bad. Plane ticket to Phuket during the fall is around $1000 and nice hotel rooms can be had for under $50/night. Even though Phuket is one of the most expensive areas of Thailand because of all the tourists, food and living expenses are still really low for American tourists. If you factor in all the costs, a week in Phuket is not all that much more expensive than a week in NYC or many other large US cities where you'll be lucky to find a decent hotel room for $150 a night.
 
The last time I went out of the country was during 9/11. Haven't been away since.



I like to think that my presence in the US has kept us safe all these years.



SuperIHO keeps the terrorists away!
 
[quote author="High Gravity" date=1247530747]When my mom's church group went to Israel, they got their visa and/or immigration stamps on a separate document. Reason was some countries/groups have a problem when they see Israeli stamps in a passport.</blockquote>


That's really interesting.... hadn't heard that before.
 
As an unintended benefit, my stamps came in handy when I had to pick an option for that credit card/foreign purchase class action lawsuit a few years ago.
 
[quote author="Sunshine" date=1247559731]As an unintended benefit, my stamps came in handy when I had to pick an option for that credit card/foreign purchase class action lawsuit a few years ago.</blockquote>


I was so mad that I didn't submit my paperwork for that. I think I could have gotten a RT ticket to Europe if what they were saying was true about how much we the plaintffs were getting back. Did you get what you thought you would?
 
[quote author="stepping_up" date=1247560598][quote author="Sunshine" date=1247559731]As an unintended benefit, my stamps came in handy when I had to pick an option for that credit card/foreign purchase class action lawsuit a few years ago.</blockquote>


I was so mad that I didn't submit my paperwork for that. I think I could have gotten a RT ticket to Europe if what they were saying was true about how much we the plaintffs were getting back. Did you get what you thought you would?</blockquote>


The refund checks still have not been dispersed. Your note prompted me to check the website for the <a href="http://www.ccfsettlement.com/">current status.</a>
 
I've been to about a dozen countries, and spend 1-2 months every year abroad.



My favorite beach is Boracay (Philippines) and Cancun (Mexico).



One thing to keep in mind that, even in smallish places, you'd rarely have time to see everything. I've spent a lot of time in Taiwan and have yet to visit many places. Singapore is even smaller and I haven't seen everything there. It takes time and luck to find that hidden beef noodle stall in Tangu (Tianjin, China) vegetable market, or that Ramly burger in Singapore night market, made with illegally imported Malaysian processed meat products.



<img src="http://www.bimandruth.com/ruth/images/sm_P1012214.jpg" alt="" />
 
[quote author="bltserv" date=1247530766]My personal "Passport" Favorites.



Costa Rica. Been 3 times now. Just one of the best places to go. Period.

Australia. Like traveling back in a time machine. They love Americans.

Holland. Just one of the best parts of Europe.



Vacations are always worth the money. Make the time and do it !!!</blockquote>
Where do you recommend staying in Costa Rica?

It's been on my radar to plan my next trip there.
 
[quote author="High Gravity" date=1247530747]When my mom's church group went to Israel, they got their visa and/or immigration stamps on a separate document. Reason was some countries/groups have a problem when they see Israeli stamps in a passport.</blockquote>


This trip report link mentions this. It would be interesting to see if the countries mentioned in the article actually have this on their web sites.



http://journeysandadventures.today....restrictions-of-an-israel-passport-stampvisa/
 
[quote author="roundcorners" date=1247611809]momo,, only you can make food sound taboo!</blockquote>


Let's hope exotic food is the only taboo activities momo explores in Philippines, Singapore, etc.
 
Rouncorners, I am kind of upset with you for posting this poll. For the last two years I have convinced myself that I don't really need or want to travel abroad again because there is so much I haven't even seen in California, let alone the rest of the USA. Now I am feeling nostalgic for all my past trips and I think I may have caught the travel bug again. It might be time for me to dig out that passport again.
 
[quote author="High Gravity" date=1247620437][quote author="roundcorners" date=1247611809]momo,, only you can make food sound taboo!</blockquote>


Let's hope exotic food is the only taboo activities momo explores in Philippines, Singapore, etc.</blockquote>


For those who want to see the seedier side of things, just google geylang.



WARNING: May be harmful to your health.
 
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