The "Amazing Race" season premiere may have just aired, but we have us our own little "Amazing Race." Let's step back for a second. I'm taking two mileage runs/mini-vacations to Spain this month with a friend from Oklahoma (yes, that fact is thrown in there so he gets some sympathy right off the bat) who's…
Continue reading: Enroute to Spain… the only thing missing is a passport
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
He flew Tulsa to Tampa? My favorite band was going the other way, probably by way of ATL 🙂
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=243P_RO1lqU
So you're running a side consulting biz on how to fly internationally?
Where do people sign up?
Ben--just reading this post while TRYING to consume my morning pastry and latte---so hard to swallow heehe....tooooooo depressing
@mike choi: you wouldnt happen to be Marks brother would you?
He needs to have his passport stapled to his shirt like a kid in kindergarten with a note from home.
His experiences sound like the nightmares I had when I was travelling overseas regularly for work-- waking up in a cold sweat because I either missed a flight or had no documents!
what about those mitten clips we used to have as kids? the ones that clipped the mitten to your jacket?
@Mike Choi
I don't think Lucky provides consulting on how to fly internationally. I think he only does Award Tickets booking. Here is the service I used. Helped me get my points strategy in order.
http://www.frequentflyeruniversity.com/concierge-services
Wow, didn't know you were running a business of taking care of unaccompanied minors 🙂
People like that I don't fly with or do much of anything else with. Being on time and organized is a priority with me.
Rushing around at the last minute is too stressful for me.
The only priorities in traveling are ID, money/CCs and be on time. Everything else you can work around or buy.
Good Luck.
Out of all the things I triple check, days before international travel, is where in the hell is my passport! Especailly morning of, I am like someone with OCD, always checking to make sure I can lay my hands on my passport. Still, Lucky's story is funny.
If his courier made it... hope the passport didn't get bent in transit. 🙂
I know it's not your responsibility, but why wouldn't you call him 3x times to ensure he has his passport? It seems that there is no safe assumptions with this friend!
If you continue to travel together, I think your friend needs to let YOU keep his passport...especially if he only uses it for international travel with you!
Next birthday gift from Lucky to Mr. Oklahoma:
Could he if just seen a consulate to get an expedited Passport replacement?
Before you pick on him too much, my family is originally from Oklahoma, and I promise most Okies aren't dumb!
I have a couple of friends like that - drives me crazy doing things with them.
Train him or find a new travel companion. This fellow is a SLOW learner. Enjoy your vacation!
Been in this boat sort of.
I once got a call from a friend a little before 6 am (very early on a Friday morning when you are in college). He somehow managed to drop his passport while getting into a cab outside our building, someone found it, brought it inside and call security called him right as he was checking in and about to realize he no longer had his passport. I had to drive it to the airport because there was no way he would make it back and forth in a cab with traffic getting worse and worse and make his flight/check-in cutoff. I did at least get a couple free drinks the next time we went out 😉
Hope it worked out.
I once actually flew to London and back without my passport in a comedy of errors. I had my passport checked at the airport when I checked in, but then came home briefly to pick something up and somehow left the valid passport on my coffee table. I managed to get in to the UK using IRIS and didn't know at that time that I didn't have the passport with me. On the way back, I checked myself in so nobody actually looked for my physical passport. At boarding, I presented a cancelled passport that I had with me and nobody checked its validity but just the name. When I got to Immigration in Ghana, the officer was a bit flustered by a long line and just stamped me in on the cancelled passport (which did contain a valid Ghana residence permit it should be noted, even though the passport itself was now cancelled). I didn't even realise that the valid passport was missing until I got home and saw it sitting on the coffee table! Very lucky series of events and I now ensure I have the right passport with me everytime I leave the house. 🙂
And as a follow up, I'm happy to report that everything worked out (minus serious inconvenience to his friend and a $600 ticket to Dallas). We made it to Dallas just in time, met his friend in the terminal, and made our connection. It was certainly a close call, though!
Sounds like a Seinfeld episode. Ever notice that in every Seinfeld episode, someone loses a large sum of money (or something worth a lot of money) due to foolishness.... think about that next time you watch.