How to Make Your Next Border Bounce a Lot Less Miserable

Visa runs don’t have to be torture. Here are my best tricks to stay comfortable, get work done, and maybe even enjoy the ride.

Wanna know my dirty secret? I actually kinda like border bounces.

I know, it’s weird. Most expats dread having to spend an entire day on a cramped bus speeding down the highway, with the sole objective of having to leave the country you’re in, only to be stamped for all of three minutes into a bordering country, turn around and return to the original country. 

It seems silly, and to most people, a huge waste of time.

Now, I’m not going to get political and go into the many, many reasons why border bounces are absolutely ridiculous and are usually enforced simply to inflate tourism numbers. 

Because, frankly, it ain’t changing any time soon, so we might as well stop moaning and make the most of them.

So, why do I like border bounces? What’s wrong with me? 

Well, being an entrepreneur with multiple ventures, but also having a family and dogs and a house to look after and a team of people, my workload often gets interrupted as I make my way through it throughout the day. 

On border bounces, it’s just me, my laptop, and my hotspot. And we got nothin’ but time. I’m uber productive on border bounces, since there are so few distractions.

But nailing a productive border bounce isn’t done without a few tricks. Here are my top 10 tips to making the most out of your border bounce.

1) Get Charged Up

It kinda goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyways: charge all of your devices up full before your bounce. You’re not likely to be able to charge anything for 15+ hours, so make sure you have enough juice. 

Invest in a mobile battery charger that will keep your phone charged for that long, and also a good WiFi package that you can use for a hotspot. 

A newish laptop with long battery life is also essential. My HP laptop lasts for my entire run if I take breaks and use it right (read: battery saver ON!).

2) Pack Your Lunch

Most border bounces come with sub-par food, stops at 7/11 and roadside stalls that look like they’ve had the same food sitting there for days. 

Head to the market the night before your bounce and get yourself some fruit, a few take-away meals, and some snacks (I like edamame and pistachios). Get some food containers to put your food in, and maybe even a lunch box. 

Pack yourself a little treat as well, for the end of a long day of work — a chocolate bar or something. Maybe a flask with some booze for the ferry back if you’re feeling festive.

Don’t forget a fork, spoon and napkins. 

Your nourished brain will thank me later.

3) Other Essentials

Bring an eye mask, a neck pillow and a sarong for the morning, when you’re barely awake and need a few more hours of rest. The eye mask will keep things dark as the sun rises, the neck pillow… well that’s self explanatory, and the sarong will keep you warm when it’s still cold in the morning and the ferry or bus is blasting the air con. You can also put the sarong over your shoulders at the border, if they’re showing (if required, depending where you are). 

Grab yourself some motion sickness tablets from the 7/11 or a pharmacy (called Dimenhydrinate Tablets), in case the ferry or bus makes you queasy. While you’re there, pick up at least two packs of wet wipes.

Obviously, triple check that you have packed your passport, and make sure you have your departure card too. Bring a pen as you may need to fill out forms. 

4) Don’t Be a Dirty Girl

Shower the night before, even if you usually shower in the morning. You won’t have time to shower the next morning, nor will you feel like it, and if you don’t clean up the night before, you’ll regret it by mid-day.

5) What to Wear

Border bounces usually come with crazy temperature fluctuations. You’ll be freezing in an air-conditioned bus at one point, and melting in the beating hot sun at another. Solution? Layers. I usually wear yoga pants — comfy and they cover my knees (appropriate at the border) and can be rolled up if it gets boiling hot, and a light, short-sleeved top. I also bring a hoodie and a sarong for when it’s cold. 

6) Meet ‘em There

Did your border bounce company offer to pick you up? That’s cool, but plan on waiting for them for like 20+ minutes, which feels intolerable before sunrise, and then getting to the pier, only to wait around for another 30 minutes. 

I usually opt to make my own way there, so that I can get a few extra minutes of beauty sleep. It’s worth it to me — may or may not be to you.

7) Superseat

Having sat in all the seating positions in the minivan, I can say without doubt that I know the best seat. And most people don’t even go for it.

So, here’s the deal. I’m going to tell you my secret spot, but, you have to promise that if we are ever together on a border bounce or visa run, you will not beat me to it. 

Promise? OK.

It’s the front passenger seat! It’s comfy, lots of leg room, right in front of the air-con (which you can also adjust so it doesn’t blow on you if it’s too much), and there’s no one sitting beside you, so you can spread out a bit.

And since most people are border bounce newbies, they don’t realise that anyone can have the front passenger seat. I, too, used to think it was reserved for someone else, like, I dunno, the driver’s buddy or something. 

The downsides? 

SOMETIMES there is a middle seat between you and the driver, and SOMETIMES if the bus is full, someone will get in beside you and you will then have to scootch over and sit in the middle, between the driver and the passenger. This is probably the worst seat on the bus. But don’t worry — it doesn’t happen often.

Also, the front passenger seat, on minivans that don’t have their engine in the front, which speed down the highways throwing caution to the wind, is also known as the death seat. It’s scary up here, and certainly not for the faint of heart. I’m used to it, and I still get nervous sometimes. 

Wear your seatbelt. If it’s not working, sit in the back.

8) On the Run

The driver will take multiple rest stops. Make sure to use every single one of them to the maximum. Get out and stretch your legs. Go to the bathroom. Get a bottle of water. 

Take breaks. It’s easy to get caught up staring at your screen the entire time. This isn’t good for your eyes or your mind. A good rule is: every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break and look at something 20 metres away. (I learned that from an optician.)

Fill out any forms while you’re on the bus, so you’re not trying to use your passport as a mobile desk while standing in the queue. 

9) Ration Your Water Intake

If you don’t want to suffer with a full bladder while the van bumps and jumps down the highway, you’ll need to carefully plan out your water intake.

If you take a morning ferry, drink lots of water before it, and at the start. You can easily pee on the ferry whenever you want.

Your driver will probably stop once every two hours, and if he doesn’t, it’s reasonable to ask him to (but not more or the other passengers will likely get annoyed with you). 

It’s difficult to anticipate when he’s going to stop, but you can probably safely consume eight ounces of water every 1.5 hours, which will keep you hydrated enough.

When you approach the border, drink up!! You’ll have at least 30 minutes here, which gives your body enough time to digest your water and pee it out. 

10) Duty Free

There is usually a little bit of time to pop into the duty-free. Make the most of it! This is your chance to stock up on cheap booze. Try to pay in the local currency (easiest way is with your card) to get the best exchange rate).

After Your Run

Treat yourself to a massage, if you don’t get back too late (if you do, get one in the morning or on the weekend). You deserve it, and believe me, your body needs it! 

And those are my top tips for making the most of a border bounce. I hope they’re useful! If you have any tips to add to this, please let me know in the comments below! Border bounces are like taxes when you live abroad. They’re unavoidable. So we might as well make the most of them!