Whenever travelling, I normally research the country and/or the city, so I know the best locations to stay, the various modes of transportation, how tipping works, basic safety concerns, top places to visit, etc. For this, my top site is wikitravel.org, followed by some google searches.
With Argentina however, I purposely omitted this research, in an effort simply to change the way I do things, to introduce a new perspective and to gain a sense of spontaneity. Well, I intend to do that mistake only once…
No sooner than arriving at the airport did I learn that although an official visa is not required to enter Argentina, a Reciprocity fee of $92 USD is required. This fee applies to Canadian and American residents, and must be paid in full and in advance.
Luckily I arrived well in advance of the flight, and the woman at the check-in counter recommended to go into the adjacent Marriott hotel to complete the form online and print the receipt. The kind gentleman at Marriott guided me through the entire process, commenting, “Ya, this happens about twice a week.”
Once completed, I then learned that traveling without a fixed itinerary doesn’t bode well for some countries, and Argentina could have refused entry without a return flight or known means of exit. Luckily there wasn’t an issue at customs; they only asked where I was staying.
Emotionally, I’ve experienced a wide range of feelings recently, including
- anxiety: starting two days before the trip
- extreme sadness: saying farewell to my parents and brother at the airport
- fear: realizing that I am truly free for the next year, without any responsibility or schedule. Yes, it sounds great, but the initial realization how dramatically your life is about to change doesn’t strike until you actually do it!
Note to self: when afraid of turbulence, don’t watch an episode of “The Walking Dead” on the plane. It doesn’t help the nerves, really.
