Last border crossing
On this road trip, I drive from Greece to The Netherlands, while only visiting two non-EU countries, North Macedonia and Serbia, although I spent most of the traveling days in those two countries. And leaving Serbia and entering Hungary meant going back into the Schengen Zone, and it was going to be the last border crossing of the entire trip. Crossing a border is usually a major nuisance, but the sense of finality made it seem sweeter.
I did the usual things as I was preparing for the crossing: getting the documents ready, cleaning the car inside and outside, and making myself more presentable (or less “doubtable”). During the last hour on the road, I spent the remaining Serbian dinar for buying gasoline, except for some for possible last toll gates. But since the toll collector actually preferred to take euro coins, I ended up with some Serbian dinars. This has been one of many ways I’ve ended up with money from over 20+ countries so far, mostly in small amounts.
Leaving Serbia was quick. The border officer didn’t say anything as he returned my passport, so I had to ask if that was all, to which he replied “Da” (meaning yes) while not bothering to give a look. I wished briefly that he had been nicer, but then I thought that the work must be very repetitive for anyone.
The wait for entering the Hungarian side was a long one. It felt like over an hour to move from the end of the queue to the front. It was close to 10 pm and my energy level was already low, especially because I had caught a tricky cold days ago. And it was exhausting to constantly pay attention to the front car and to close the gap every so often.
When talking to a border officer, I am normally prepared to give my stories in an efficient way, because I know that they want to understand what I am doing here, why the car has a strange license plate (it’s from the US), and what I might be discreetly carrying in the back of the van. But this time, none of them was asked – apparently, the ID from the Dutch ministry was sufficient assurance for them.
I drove on for the next half hour, and I got to the hotel in the city of Szeged in Hungary. Since I was feeling quite tired and also weak, I wanted to get an extension beyond the normal check-out time of the hotel, 10 am. But the request was not granted, so I finally decided to camp in the car. Shower and wifi would have been nice, but I much preferred uninterrupted sleeping-in as much as my body feels like it. The city was quiet at night, and it began raining in the morning, and I enjoyed hearing the sound and feeling the small vibrations inside.
@ Szeged, Hungary, September 21, 2021
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I must say this article is extremely well written, insightful, and packed with valuable knowledge that shows the author’s deep expertise on the subject, and I truly appreciate the time and effort that has gone into creating such high-quality content because it is not only helpful but also inspiring for readers like me who are always looking for trustworthy resources online. Keep up the good work and write more. i am a follower.
I must say this article is extremely well written, insightful, and packed with valuable knowledge that shows the author’s deep expertise on the subject, and I truly appreciate the time and effort that has gone into creating such high-quality content because it is not only helpful but also inspiring for readers like me who are always looking for trustworthy resources online. Keep up the good work and write more. i am a follower.
I must say this article is extremely well written, insightful, and packed with valuable knowledge that shows the author’s deep expertise on the subject, and I truly appreciate the time and effort that has gone into creating such high-quality content because it is not only helpful but also inspiring for readers like me who are always looking for trustworthy resources online. Keep up the good work and write more. i am a follower.