I took a taxi. The 120 kilometers went quickly until 3 kilometers outside Guerrera when we were stopped at a roadblock, and I was summarily hauled into the headquarters of the Guardia Nationale for visa violations. It is true that my Algerian visa states that it expires on January 14.

I will plead, however, my admittedly suspect case. On January 12, I went to the Commissariat du Police in Ghardaia to arrange a visa extension. The police chief stated that the terms of the visa were such that entry into the country was required before the expiration date, but that the 30 day visa went into effect on the date of entry and could run past the date of expiration. I did not need an extension. He was wearing a uniform and sitting in an office responsible for visa extensions, so I believed him…sort of. I presented this point of view to the Guardia Nationale, however, and they kind of shrugged me off as an absolute idiot. I couldn’t really blame them.

I have been “detained” in Morocco, the United States and now Algeria, and though each case ended just fine, I can now say with authority that I much prefer Algeria. In Morocco I was held on a police boat in Casablanca harbor for 8 hours for illegally sneaking into Casablanca harbor late one night and asking fisherman if they would take me out fishing with them. The three policemen who questioned me all night finally laughed and called it a day at the end of their shift, and one of them ended up arranging that fishing trip for me and later taking me out on a date…don’t ask.

In the United States I was once stopped for speeding, and driving with an expired license, registration and inspection. I had obviously been rather inattentive, in large part due to an impending divorce, yet the $450 fine seemed excessive and the inflexibility of the officers involved made me feel inhuman. Luckily I could plead extenuating circumstances in court, and got off for $50 and the towing charge of $75.

In the case of the visa violation in Algeria, nine Men With Guns and Uniforms put me in a chair in the chief’s office and suggested I tell them my story. I did, and suggested they verify it by calling the Ghardaia police, which they did without getting an answer. I filled in all of my personal information on innumerable forms, provided consistent answers to all of their (somewhat sneaky) repeated questions, and behaved myself for the hour or so that I was held. After more phone calls, and arguments in Arabic, and a little bit of finger pointing at me, my new best friends suddenly all smiled and shrugged and told me without any explanation that I was free to go. We walked to the door, we shook hands all around, I was reminded that this had all been for my own protection, I told them sincerely that it had been no trouble at all and a pleasure to meet them at that, and then I asked for my passport back and hopped back in the taxi, and we took off with a last, fond farewell through the window. In the end, I suspect, it may have been the mention of who I was visiting that eliminated all obstacles: the well-known Kherfi freres.

written by  roel krabbendam on January 17, 2007 from Guerara, Algeria
from the travel blog: Harmattan
Send a Compliment

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cops and car accidents are your speciality...why is that, I wonder? I am glad that you did not get frustrated and start yelling and ranting, as you are apt to do when faced with officials. smart move. I am sure the you blew them away with your charm, as you also have done endlessly....

written by  polly on January 24, 2007

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Hi

My name is Mohammed from northern Algeria, living in London, I am glad that you have had some good experiences in Algeria, bear in mind that you and other people like you are always wecome in Algeria, thank you very much for your efforts in writing this very nice blog, I have a lots of pleasure reading it, I think you are a passionate traveller.

written by  Mohammed Igounane on April 27, 2007

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