So, here I am in Vientiane, the supposed land of chill vibes and cheap beer, all thanks to that delightful dance we expats in Vietnam call a "visa run." After two glorious years in Hanoi, my temporary residence card decided to take an early retirement, and apparently, the only way to woo it back is a brief, costly separation involving a tourist visa. Fun times.
Now, back in the good ol' days (read: before everything went online), a quick jaunt to the embassy would have you sorted with a shiny new visa faster than you can say "bureaucracy." But noooo, Vietnam's gone full e-everything, which in theory is great, unless you happen to possess a Vietnamese bank account and a foreign phone number. You see, the online visa application is a breeze, until it's time to pay. Apparently, my perfectly functional Vietnamese debit card from a major bank needs to confirm via a text message… to my Vietnamese phone number that is currently switched off and gathering dust in Hanoi. Genius. The banking app offered no way to update the number, leaving me in a payment purgatory of knowing the fee but being utterly unable to fork over the cash.
Enter Plan B: the dreaded travel agent. Now, for a brief, possibly scarring, moment in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, I myself was a purveyor of packaged holidays and questionable advice. The only reason I escaped that particular circle of hell was the post-9/11 travel apocalypse. Even back then, in the dark ages of internet bookings, it was clear that the travel agent's primary skill was upselling, not actual knowledge. Fast forward two decades, and my faith in humanity (specifically the travel agent variety) remains subterranean.
Armed with all the visa intel, I walked into a nearby agency with a sliver of hope and a healthy dose of cynicism. Said hope evaporated the moment they quoted me $90 for a visa that costs $25 online. This exorbitant fee, I was told, was for the privilege of "rushing" the application. Oh, the irony. Not only did they fail to extract all the necessary passport information (cue a frantic late-night email for photos of the very document they held), but the visa they secured wasn't the standard 90-day one offered online. Nope, I got a measly 30 days. Thirty! Days! There's no distinction online, just fill in your desired duration under 90 days. And the rushed service? Apparently, the 90-day visa (which I didn't even get) couldn't be rushed anyway. The excuses were as plentiful as they were contradictory.
So, here's the kicker: this "quick and cheap" visa run has now morphed into a repeat performance in 30 days, thanks to the "expert" handling of these travel agents. They didn't seem particularly bothered by this monumental inconvenience and added expense, which frankly, tracks with my past experience in the industry. Why bother knowing your stuff when you can just upsell and blame the system?
Lesson learned? Apparently, at my advanced age, the universe still has new ways to remind me that sometimes, the old adages ring true. Like "never trust a travel agent" or maybe "if it ain't broke, don't make it exclusively online with a payment system designed to fail for expats." This little detour to Vientiane has certainly provided some prime material for this blog, even if my wallet and patience are feeling a little lighter. Stay tuned for Part Two: The 30-Day Dash (Because Apparently, That's All the Freedom I Get).
Addendum: The Plot Thickens (and Google Maps Saves the Day?)
Well, the digital age moves fast! Mere hours after posting my scathing review of the travel agent on Google Maps, I received a response. To their (very slight) credit, they acknowledged a mistake and offered a whopping $30 refund. Now, while I appreciate the gesture (sort of), it barely scratches the surface of the extra expense and hassle they've landed me with. This whole debacle is going to cost me significantly more than $30 in a repeat visa run next month. So, thanks for the symbolic drop in the ocean, guys.
And speaking of Google Maps, let's take a moment to appreciate its sheer power in the modern travel landscape. It's not just for finding your way anymore; it's become the go-to resource for travel recommendations. Remember the days of TripAdvisor reigning supreme? It feels like a distant memory. While it had its time, the platform has become somewhat diluted. Every other business in Southeast Asia seems to proudly proclaim their "Number One on TripAdvisor" status, to the point where the claim has lost all meaning. Plus, its lack of seamless geographical integration always felt clunky when you were actually on the ground.
Google Maps, on the other hand, offers a far more intuitive and location-aware experience. When you're wandering a new city, being able to see reviews and ratings directly linked to a place on the map is invaluable. This makes the reviews on Google Maps incredibly important for businesses catering to travelers. A few positive reviews can significantly boost their visibility and attract customers, while negative ones, like my recent experience, can (hopefully) serve as a wake-up call, or at least a cautionary tale for fellow travelers. It's a powerful tool that has truly democratized travel recommendations, putting the experiences of real people front and center, right where you need them – on the map.
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