The Wild

Travel Journal: South America

TLDR: For those purchasing one way tickets. Understand the policy of your host nation when it comes to onward travel. Be certain to purchase a flight/bus/train/ or boat ticket before hand to provide proof of onward travel.

As tradition dictates, my plan for open ended travel includes purchasing a one way ticket. The reason for this is simple practicality. When traveling for an undetermined amount of time it is simply not practical to purchase a return ticket. Not only is your return time uncertain, but also the location from which you will depart. By purchasing a one way flight you are left with the freedom to go where and when you want.

The problem with this approach is that most nations put a time limit on how long you can visit. To enforce this the require that you have proof of onward travel before you will be allowed through customs. This can be any type of ticket that shows you will be leaving the country before your time is up.

In the past I have used a common workaround which involves pre-booking a bus ticked from my host nation into a neighboring country. Land crossings normally do not require proof of onward travel, and from there one is free to travel where and when they like.

What I have recently learned is that my point of initial contact does not allow the purchase of cross border bus tickets. This has put me into a bit of a quandary as I search for other options.

One possible route would be to book a ferry ride down the amazon and into Peru. It sound like an interesting experience, but not exactly what I am looking for. There are some other workarounds, but I am not a big fan of intentionally deceiving border agents.

With only 5 days to departure I will certainly have to make a call soon. The potential to be turned away at the airport is not something I am willing to risk.

Stay Wild!