PHOTO SPOTLIGHT: Hilltop view of Vung Tao, Vietnam @therealTKeiley #travelpics #vungtau #vietnam #photooftheday
Lessons from the Girl Scout Law for Today’s Travelers
When I was 10 I was a girl scout. I was in Totem Council 857 and wore a cool, green vest decorated with merit badges earned for things like caroling, selling cookies and camping (in a troop member’s backyard.) While I wasn’t the most motivated scout – I’m pretty sure my grandpa bought most of those cookies – some things did stick with me and are often applied to my life as an expat and traveler. And no, before you get ahead of yourself it’s not the well-known motto Be Prepared (although you have to admit, that is a pretty good motto,) it’s the Girl Scout Law:
Cambodia Flash
A full passport is every traveler’s dream – until it becomes an immigration nightmare. Angkor Wat Temple at night My husband, Matt, and I had been traveling for 13 months and had just met up with his family to visit Cambodia’s famed Angkor Wat. Not being allowed a visa would certainly put a damper on the trip. “You must pay fine over there,” the official instructed. Matt and I headed to the designated counter while his family stood by and waited; he ducked under the line first and I followed suit. Right leg under, dip and – RIP! – Oh God! What panties was I wearing?! I reached my right hand around to assess the damage.
“Should I just cover this?” the official taunted, pointing to a haphazardly stamped-up page.
“Okay,” I shrugged.
“No! That is illegal!” he said. So should full-page, gilded, visa-on-arrival stickers, I wanted to shout.
“Look, I don’t know what you want me to do,” I answered calmly.
