It's More Fun In The Philippines - or how Philippine Immigration invoked the RAMTA PYURAS clause

---

Well for starters, Charlie - I hope I spelled it correctly this time. (still prefer RAMITU PYURBUM).
Secondly - some of you are already up to speed with this story - so you can simply skip this post.

After several packing and repacking of suitcases, I'm ready to go home. Miss my doggies and i'm having serious Vegemite withdrawals. After the now obligatory visit to MoA to indulge squish's shopping addiction, we're off to the airport. Keeping 550pesos for Airport Tax and a couple of hundred for last minute SML's in case i got thirsty, I handed all the rest of my local currency to squish as she was staying another day.

The checkin queue was pretty long (not FAR - although it would soon seem that way) already, but i got to check in without any drama. The lovely lady behind the counter noticed my DoB and said that she would put priority stickers on my luggage as an early birthday present. Got my seat allcoation (32A as pre arranged with the travel agent) and headed off to pay departure tax.

Next step was Immigration and that's when the Gówno hit the Wiatrak and the Filipino process of RAMTA PYURAS began. Although I had clearly stated on my immigration form on arrival that my departure date was to be the 19th, the kind and thoughtful OFFICIAL stamped my visa valid until the 16th and said nothing (every other time I had an open visa for 1 year simply because I was travelling with Squish. BTW Squish is and Australian citizen with an Australia Passport). The upshot was - I've overstayed my welcome and had to pay FINES for doing so - some 4000+ pesos. Tried to explain I simply didn't have that sort of money on me and explain that my cards were not geared for O/S use to no avail. When i asked why no-one had the courtesy to alert me to the fact that there was going to be a problem with my proposed daprture date and the visa expiry date I was told the onus is with the traveller to check. When i said this had never been an issue in the past - he looked at my passport and said - OH YES - I signed the last one - you must have been travelling with your wife.

AND THEY SAY AUSTRALIANS ARE RACIST. . . . . . .

Upshot is - I've been offloaded from my plane and reunited with my suitcases.

Tomorrow I have to re-ticket and fix up my Visa (It's going to be a SUNDAY)

---