{"id":364,"date":"2024-01-01T01:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-01-01T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/travel.frankdux.de\/?p=364"},"modified":"2024-11-21T11:20:31","modified_gmt":"2024-11-21T10:20:31","slug":"i-do-whatever-im-told-to","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/travel.frankdux.de\/?p=364","title":{"rendered":"Elvis is still alive!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
(not trip-related)<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
In most countries you have to fill out several forms and a guestbook when you check in at a hotel, especially at cheap, low-budget hotels. The hotel-owners have to give this information to the local police to fulfil the government’s need of total control. Sometimes you even have to leave your passport with the hotel owner, who promises to keep it “in a secure place”. This often turns out to be an unlocked drawer in an unguarded room\u2026
A traveller should never be separated from his passport, but sometimes it’s unavoidable (Tip: take a second identity card along for such reasons!). One time in Syria the owner of the dingy hole I stayed in followed me for several hours when I didn’t give him my passport straight away with the explanation that I had to change money. I gave in when he almost burst into tears, obviously being more afraid of the police than me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is not much freedom in filling out the forms and the guestbook you have to sign when you check in – after all, it’s all written in your passport, and you don’t want to write something down that doesn’t go along with what your passport says. There is only one small item which is totally up to you to decide: your occupation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Most passports don’t say anything about it, so you can come up with whatever you want to. And travellers use their chance – one of the funniest ways to spend your time is to browse through the guestbook of a cheap hotel. Some occupations I have seen:<\/p>\n\n\n\n