What a difference a border makes …

October 16, 2016 Derek

originally written on Faceboook to Friends and Family ...

ohh.. what a difference a border makes...but maybe because the bus driver and boss were from Kyrgyzstan... so just one data point which is probably not fair.. 1) standing in line at passport control Chinese side.. chatting with Chinese gentleman holding an Australian passport - on his own to Tajikistan and Afghanistan. (It took him) 6 weeks to get the visas. Guard comes up to us and tells him in Chinese that we need to stand in line and stop talking. 2) cross border... 1st soldier we meet comes aboard... shakes hands with driver.. smiles.. takes some grapes. Kyrgy passport control officer has a chat with each of us and proudly recognizes my passport and asks me what is the difference between "Holland" and "the Netherlands" (I am sure he knows and asks this to each Dutch traveler ... who cares .. it is nice and friendly, and it is a good question). Another officer winks at me (while we are standing in line) after checking young lad next to me with Korean passport. Early days.. bugger-all here.. but friendly.
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