246 / Regulation And Bureaucracy

Whichever country it is, coming through an immigration checkpoint is rarely fun.

In Chile, we had to pay U.S. dollars ($140 per person) before we could even begin the passport/immigration process. Each bill we presented was soundly scrutinized, and many were rejected, as we spent long minutes trying to come up with a selection of $20 bills that would add up to $280 and meet the high standards of the woman who decided whether or not to let us proceed. No "tears," no matter how small; no "creases," either.

Dealing with bureaucracies is why people hate regulation.