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[travelgoddess]

I arrived yesterday and I was VERY impressed with how fast and safe the airport process was. Quick overview below. (not terribly diff than most countries arriving procedures)

1. Immigration
they ask why you are here (saying "vacation" gets you a tourist visa). 60 days is apparently the max, I tried asking for 90 but it was a no go. (after 20 hours of travel, I couldnt remember which was standard, so I smiled and asked. haha) They also ask how long you will stay, where you will go in the country, etc.

Although there is a line until you get in the immigration room (from the hallway) its kinda a fluid process, ie, others will step in front of you. I am a stubborn and grumpy traveler, so I just used my bags and smiles to keep my place during the process. When I got to the front of the line and a woman came to the front of the line and was asking me (in Spanish, my Spanish is terrible currently) if she could basically be next, the immigration officials jumped on her and made her go to the back of the line. Even after the man behind me said he was ok with her being in front of him. Whoa, wasnt expecting that. They seemed really annoyed that she wasnt cueing properly. haha.

Also, although the immigration process was all in Spanish, the questions were basic and my man was totally cool with short, grammatically bad answers in choppy Spanish. The questions and answers should be in most phrase books, so have this handy if you dont know any Spanish I imagine. Not sure, but they might have English translators/immigration officers handy, but doubt it would be a necessity. Its overall a quick and painless process.

2. Baggage
a short hallway and then youre in baggage claim. the bags came in fast and before you leave the baggage area staff will check your bag ticket (that you got at airport check in) with the actualy bag tickets. cant tell you how many airports I have been to in various countries that DONT do this. Was very glad that they did.

3. bag screening
after leaving baggage and before hitting the exit area, you put your bags on a conveyor belt and they are scanned. Very quick and easy (although I did initially put my bags on the wrong conveyor belt. A few facial expressions exchanged with the staff and I quickly got on the right belt, so no biggie).

4. exit area
after the conveyor belt area you are in what I would call the exit area. this is not the outside area with people and taxis yet. it is an area inside that has currency exchange, transfer areas. I did NOT see a bathroom or atms here. (the cue for the bathroom before immigration was horrendous, thus why this point is clear in my mind. )

5. outside
there are very clear signs for the official taxi area. show (or tell) the address to the staff at the staff window FIRST and they will give you a printout of what the charge should be.

NOTE; all the stuff I read said that you shouldnt show this doc to the driver. But he asked for it when I got in the taxi and I jokingly said it was for me at first, but he genuinely looked insulted so I showed him. He only looked at it briefly and then returned it to me. It must have had more info on where the place I was going or something that the address info I initially gave him did NOT have.

6. more outside; ATM

I was told that there were many atm machines INSIDE the airport. I did not see any in the area I was in, so I used the atm outside. there was security everywhere and it was daylight, so it felt fine to me. Easy to use and the atm had an English language option.

7. the taxi ride was uneventful enough. I was skillful enough to insult the taxi driver yet again when I looked around puzzled for the taxi meter. I should have just said, "Hi, I am a paranoid North American, nice to meet you." Ugh. But I have generally been messed with with taxi drivers IN MOST COUNTRIES I have been in, so it was so not a personal or Colombian thing. I didnt know the Spanish word for METER and he didnt understand the English one, so I just said I was tired and a bit crazy and that was that.

When the ride was over, he pointed to the airport taxi paper I was holding for the price (18,000 something) and I gave him 20,000. I knew in advance I wasnt going to ask for change, you are NOT required or expected to tip, but for me if the first taxi ride is a good experience, I splurge a little. I did wait to see if he was going to give me change, and he did start to get it, but I said no and thank you and all that.

So, overall, my advice is DONT be the overly suspicious taxi rider from the airport that I was. That poor driver probably thinks I have such a bad idea of Colombia, but it isnt about this country, its about taxi drivers in general. Yikes.

Anyway, there was not even 1 second of feeling unsafe during any of this process. Bogota so far feels very comfy and nice. I cant wait to see more of it today and this week.

If you have any questions or comments about this post, please feel free to reply. Please remember that the info is from my memory of the experience after traveling for about 20 hours, so there are surely things that are maybe not so correct.


Steph

[lozwich]

Steph,

You must have got the "red light" which is why they put your bags on the conveyor belt. It is similar in Mexico, but basically the customs dude presses a button and if you get a green light you are free to go, and if you get a red one you put your bags on the conveyor. But yes, it is a bit of a mystery as to why some conveyor belts are better than others!

As for the ATM, I thought there was one to the left as you walk out of customs, but then I usually arrive completely exhausted with bleeding eyeballs (but happy to be home) so maybe I'm hallucinating.

Good luck in Boggy, and enjoy the weather, its particularly nice this time of year!

Lozwich.

[MyTrunkshow]

The departures area has ATMs and other services that the arrivals doesn't. It is very close to the exit doors of arrivals.

Regards,
Gary