Ilv4play wrote:
I have helped a few people that were not going to be able to leave without paying the tax. One poor guy was in his late 20's or early 30's and had 6 dollars on him and no credit cards. I listened to him on the phone to his mom and they would not accept her credit card over the phone. He would have needed to go to a western union and get money but miss his flight. I walked over to him and just gave him 40.00 so he could get something to eat as well, then walked away without saying anything. He could not belive a total stranger in a foreign country would just walk up to him with 40.00 in their hand and just give it to him and walk away. I saw him later in the terminal and he came up to me gave me a hug and said Thank You. All I told him was help someone else in the future when you can. I could tell he had been backpacking his way around and probably staying in Hostels. It is nice that people will not have to go through that sort of embarassment or expense of changing an airline ticket because you do not have $29.00.
It says a lot <very positive> about you - and a lot <really stupid> about the guy in question.
But what do I know.....I post all the time -
change money at the airport bank - then buy your exit visa - frankly, regarding the exit visa, my point is, its done, you have one less thing to worry about, and while you can buy them at certain hotels downtown, its a few dollars more and sometimes they are out of forms, or the computer link is down. Great example of a potential hassle easily avoided - plus, its done.
It never really was a benefit - to me - that if you spend all your money, and as a result, cannot leave the country. But its a benefit, I guess. Saving those too stupid from themselves.
I don't want to in any way take away from a very generous act on your part.
And a very stupid one on the part of your new "friend" - how foolish - b/c along with not being able to smoke anywhere, Costa Rica is nutzie about collecting the exit tax - you are not gonna leave the country without paying it - at least by air.
Including it in the price of the ticket is smart.
I agree that only having $6 to your name is a foreign country is stupid, but I don't agree the guy was stupid for not being aware of the exit tax.
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