Long return trip to Songerie

Sao Paolo city center


Sao Paolo
On the 31st of January we started the long journey back to Songerie. We thought we would be in transit for about 52 hours, but what a surprise awaited us at Caracas airport.
According to Keigla, the agent we used to book us in November last year, all our papers were in order and we could fly out of Venezuela and return.
On our arrival at Caracas the 2 of us was told by the immigration officer to wait in front of an office, which had a clear sign only officials may enter. We waited about 2 hours with no one telling us what is going on… no one actually talking to us at all. There was no public phone, no chair, no toilettes, nothing. The next minute a person from Gol airlines arrive, the official gave him our passports and told him to escort us back to international departures. We were not allowed to enter Venezuela! We were deported back to Sao Paolo and if not able to get a visa for Venezuela there, all the way back to SA.
The problem: we needed a visa for Venezuela and the immigration officer that processed our passports when we entered in November only put an entry stamp in.
We, not knowing better thought all is fine.
We struggled for the better part of 5 days to convince the people at Venezuela embassy in Sao Paulo to give us a visa. They were only authorised to issue visas to residents of Brazil. Sanity prevailed and on 5 February in the evening we got back into Venezuela with a multiple entry visa valid for one year. On Monday morning we were re-united with Muddy and Corinna and made our way back to Medregal marine where our boat was waiting on the hard.

Popular Posts