š Travel: My Organized Mess Moving from One Country to Another
Dodging the Schengen Clock and Moving an 85lb Dog through the Mediterranean
Brazil December 2022
If youāre traveling with an 85lb dog, a kid (I can hear him saying, āIām a man, Ma!!ā šš), clothing for three different seasons, and enough gear to run a business from the road, you arenāt just "backpacking"āyouāre orchestrating a military logistics campaign.
Thatās how I roll šļø
Sometimes the best travel plan is the one you cancel. The most recent changes- Here is exactly why I ditched our original stops in Rhodes and Kastellorizo- to arrive in Kas- for an arrival in Fethiye and the "cheat codes" we used to move our digital nomad life across the Aegean Sea without losing our minds.
āļø The "Visa Math"
When you are a digital nomad in Europe, your life is dictated by a countdown clock: the 90-day Schengen visa limit. Ferryāing through more islands to land exactly in Kas was going to burn through my remaining Schengen days right when we needed maximum flexibility.
By pivoting from Kas landing to Fethiye landingā in just one overnight ferry I immediately stop the Schengen clock. Turkey has its own visa rules, allowing us to hit "pause" on our European days while still living on the Mediterranean coast. It was a strategic play that saved me from overstaying and facing massive fines or bans. I had plans to do this exact thing in August 2024 but the Universe decided to send me a little gift in the form of a grandson so I paused my travels to be there when he was born.
āļø The Flight Hack: "Self-Connecting" to the Hub
While we are navigating the coast, Iām also managing the logistics for my other son, who is flying in from the US to meet us in a surprise location (shhh... he only got the itinerary two days ago! I live for a good surprise). This is where the "Hub Hack" comes into play.
If you book a single ticket from the US all the way to a regional Turkish airport like Kayseri or NevÅehir, the airlines charge a massive premium for that final domestic leg. They know they have you "captured" on a single itinerary. This applies to ALL countries.
I learned this the hard way during my flight from Busan, South Korea, to Crete, Greece. Etihad and Sky Express absolutely robbed me because I didn't separate the bookings:
The Online Block: Etihad wouldn't allow me to prepay for suitcases online at a discount. They force you to wait until you're at the counter so they can charge "day-of" premium rates.
The Price Swing: At the counter in Busan, the agent tried to charge me $750 for two large suitcases that were already included in the initial booking!
The Pivot: I stepped away, ready to cancel the whole thing. I did the math of not receiving a refund and changing routes or rebooking. Had to do it fast because counter was closing within the hour. Iām very used to this kind of pressure as you can see. I called the airline they wouldnāt help, went back to the counter, and suddenly a different person said it would be $250. Thank YOU Universe!!!
Their excuse for the "glitch" was that the last leg was a different airline (Sky Express) taking me from the Athens hub to the island. Itās a sneaky tactic to ensure you pay the highest price possible at the counter. NEVER AGAIN. I forgot to file the claim when I arrived to get the marked up portion of my money back. Argh!!
The Rule: If your last leg is a small domestic carrier (like Sky Express or AJet), book it separately. It forces the big airlines to honor your international baggage allowance without 'handing you off' to a partner that will shake you down for more cash.
My Strategy:
This time around, for my son, I booked the international flight from the US to a major hub like Istanbul (IST) as a standalone trip. Then, I bought the domestic leg separately after price comparing between different cities, and using Google Flights to watch the price for a few days. The international flight from US actually went down $100 after I booked it. It was too close so I didnāt want to chance it. You win some, you lose some!
Why this works:
Price: Buying the domestic leg separately is almost always cheaper, even if you have to pay to upgrade that seat for extra baggage. It saves you money in that scam the airports have running of charging you extra or else you canāt board. Bastards!! (I always say this word in an awful British accent- must be from a movie or something).
Control: It allows for a "buffer day" at the hub. If the US flight is delayed, the domestic ticket is cheap enough to eat or change without risking the entire $500 to $1,000+ international itinerary. Usually, because Iām traveling with large bags I have to buy a premium ticket and that automatically comes with free cancellation or free changes. Paying more saves you more. This applies to almost everything in life (clothing, food, etc.) and I can prove it. More about that another time.
The Hub Advantage: Istanbul is one of the best-connected hubs in the world. By landing there first, you can choose from multiple domestic carriers (Turkish Airlines, Pegasus, AJet) rather than being stuck with whatever partner the US airline dictates. In this case, my son is flying KLM in the international flight and weāre going with Turkish Airlines for the second domestic leg.
Side note: Btw, my youngest just flew KLM to Athens last month. Short story: It was not a good experience with Midnight as a service dog as theyāre from Netherlands. I filed a claim. We got a $300 voucher. We used it on my older son for this Turkey flight. End of story. I can talk more about the experience in another post.
Go read my post How to Find the Best Airfare Deals about how I shop for airfare.
ā“ļø The Sea Crossing: Moving a Large Dog
Flying with a large dog like Midnight is a nightmare of cargo holds and crate restrictions outside of the US. Because his āservice dogā status is not recognized internationally. So, for our move from Greece, we relied on the sea. Give me a ferry or a train any day over an airplane.
The Reality of Ferry Travel
The Operator: Weāve used Blue Star Ferries so far in 2024 to visit Mykonos and Santorini and now to stop at Rhodes and continue to Fathiye.
The Booking: My favorite ferry booking site is FerryHopper. The others are FerryScanner and DirectFerries. Once I find it in FerryHopper and find out the ferry line, I always go to their direct website to see if the ticket is cheaper. This time again it wasnāt. I used FerryHopper.
The Border Control: Even with an e-ticket, you must arrive at the Fethiye or Rhodes port at least 1 hour early. You still have to visit the physical kiosk to get your boarding card and clear passport control before you can wheel your life onto the boatāthis is where they check the dog's paperwork (weāre actually ākind of" missing one requirement and Iām leaving it to the other realm to handle it.) Iāll do what I can in this realm.
Pro Tip for my American readers: You no longer need to scramble for an e-visa! As of 2024, Turkey allows U.S. citizens to enter visa-free for up to 90 days. Just show up with your passport
The Ramp: Be prepared for the boarding ramp chaos. Itās loud, crowded, and fast. Keep your dog on a short lead and move with the flow of the cars and foot passengers. This is why I want to only carry one large suitcase & carry on per person. The boarding was actually pretty crazy when we did ti in Summer 2024. It was fun!
š The Transfer
Once you land in Fethiye, how do you get a giant dog and a mountain of suitcases down the coast to KaÅ? Standard yellow taxis will often refuse a dog Midnight's size, are cramped, and expensive for long hauls.
The Secret:
The price of a private VIP van is often the same (or cheaper) than a standard taxi if you know how to book it.
The Strategy:
Book a private transfer. Iām currently (late February, 5 days before arrival) looking into services like A Class Transfer to book via WhatsApp. They say in Turkey, the "WhatsApp Price" is universally 10-15% lower than the website price. We will get an air-conditioned (hate AC) van for the same price as a cramped taxi.
Iāve almost always used Booking.com I have āGenius" level status so theyāre constantly giving me deals.
Or you can find the transfer companies on Google Maps, then look for the WhatsApp icon or mobile number in their profile to start the negotiation. I actually found a new website for transfers for my son when he came to Athens almost two months ago. The taxis here were on strike (this happened to me while I was in Italy too) and I left it for the day before he was arriving so I couldnāt find ANYONE to pick him up and THE DOG! Not even Booking had any taxis available. I asked my host for help. I was given these sites. I ended up going with Kiwi Taxi but they ended up overcharging taking advantage of the strike so I wonāt use them ever again.
Drive Your Dreams (local in Athens) - I contacted them but they responded much later after I booked with Kiwi Taxi.
Do I do a private transfer every time? No. If thereās Uber in that city with large cars, or if I can trust the local taxis to not scam me (stick to the apps) and theyāre dog friendlyā and weāre landing at a decent timeā then I use the local taxis. But with Midnight outside of large cities in Europe I have to book a private transfer ahead of time even if there's plenty of taxi action. Iāll share my " findingsā later on what ends up working out best in the Turkey coast.
Make sure your taxi/transfer knows you are going to the International Ferry Terminal, not the local excursion docks! (where applicable)
š Our Stay: The Airbnb vs. The World
Finding a spot in KaÅ for an 85lb dog is the final boss battle. Automated sites usually filter out the best properties the second you check 'Pets,' and while I usually negotiate, I didnāt feel like haggling this time. Thankfully, our Airbnb reviews are goldāMidnight and my son and I are officially the 'cleanest guests' on record.
Nomad Philosophy
People love to hate Airbnb, but to me, itās a modern marvel right up there with ride-share. These platforms democratized luxury amenities once reserved for the elite, giving hard-working people a seat at the table. Iām conscious of the housing shortages, sure, but thatās a government failure. While weāre out here innovating, theyāre fumbling around like toddlers trying to 'figure out the laws' and stifling our creativity in the process.
Iāve scouted other apartment platforms that have emerged, but theyāre overpriced and rigid, or the places feel too corporate and cold.
The Booking Pivot: Expedia Seems like Expedia is popular to book things in Turkey (2 cities so far). Lots of options. I had forgotten about that site for a while. Itās always the most expensive. I made sure to book a refundable place because I wasnāt 100% sold on it. Good thing because I sat down another day, another couple of hours (itās a sport at this point) and found a better place in AirBnB.
Quick tip: Booking.com is banned for use once you are actually inside Turkey. You can book before you arrive, but once you cross the border, youāll need a VPN (which is hit or miss) or a different site like Airbnb or Expedia.
The Hack: So before I canceled the Expedia booking I contacted the AirBnB host directly, explained Midnightās training (just because heās so large), and checked on the internet speed. The rate for this place is excellent because itās away from the town up the mountain, hence beautiful sea views. Itās not summer so Iām not bathing in the ocean. Iāll go take walks, meditate, etc., and enjoy it from my balcony.
The Pro Tip: Some hosts charge pet fees if you add your animal as a pet. Because Midnight is a Service Dog in US and AirBnB is an American company, you do not have to pay for service dogs.
š The "Midnight" Health Check: Beyond the Paperwork
dog health check, importing a dog into Turkey, importing a dog into South Korea
Moving an 85lb dog across borders isn't just about the ferry tickets; itās about high-stakes medical gatekeeping. When you're operating on a nomad scheduleāoften staying up until 3 AM in dimly lit Airbnbsācritical details can blur.
I woke up at 9:30 AM yesterday with a jolt: Turkey has strict entry requirements that aren't just "suggestions"āthey are the difference between a smooth entry and being turned back at the border.
The Stakes: At the marina, missing paperwork means game over.
The Vet Pivot: At 10:30 AM on a Thursday, I called the vet in Athens who handled Midnightās titer test and Pet Passport. He graciously squeezed us in for the mandatory deworming at 2:30 PM that same day.
The Timing: Deworming must be done 24 to 120 hours before the trip. Phew! We made it just in time.
The Titer (FAVN) Test: Turkey requires a titer test for dogs to enter as well. The one we did here in Athens isn't ready yet (itās being DHLād to us later). The Plan? Iām using the US one we did in January 2025. (Check your datesāmost titers require a 90-day wait period after the draw before entry, so my January 2025 test should actually be the 'golden ticket' here.). You only need one titer test for life. I just learned this recently. I thought it was to be done annually. But, I let the rabies vaccine lapse for two months last year so we have to do it again. There will be no more vaccine lapses.
Cross my fingersāgo to work, Spirit Guides! TeÅekkĆ¼rler!!!!
š The Takeaway
Being a nomad isn't about perfectly executed itineraries; it's about knowing how to pivot when the math stops making sense. By tracking my visa days, splitting our flight bookings to avoid "hub premiums," leveraging pet-friendly ferries, price comparing in multiple sites, and utilizing the local WhatsApp economy, we turned a logistical nightmare into a Mediterranean upgrade. Ve iÅte!
We still have to merge 2 large suitcases into one, donate what we canāt take, and storing/shipping it from Athens to South Korea. We donāt arrive in South Korea until May. Fun fun fun!
