These photos cost me $500

Between Canada, Morocco and Albania, a few drone photos cost me over $500…!

I bought a new drone towards the end of last summer. After a few weeks of waiting to receive it and several email exchanges with DHL, they told me that they had lost my package somewhere in transit. DJI, the manufacturer, refunded me and I ordered the same model again, which finally arrived at its destination.

Drones banned in Morocco

In the meantime, I realized that Morocco, my first destination in this Airbnb project, prohibits any drone entry into its territory. I found several writings from unfortunate tourists who explained that they had the object confiscated forever when entering or leaving the country. If it is theoretically possible to leave the drone in storage at the airport for a fee, my flights were already purchased and I was not leaving from the same airport as on arrival. I also wasn't so confident leaving my drone for more than a month at the airport.

So I'm looking to send him to Albania, my second destination. My Airbnb hosts where I will be staying agree to receive it for me. Only problem, it's about $2 for delivery...

So I ask my friend Adam, owner from a music store, to send my package with his corporate account. The cost drops to $160 and is much more acceptable to me, although still quite high.

“Is it really worth it? Adam asks me.
- Yes, I love photos of the tunes too much to do without them for a year.

I declare the full value of the drone to DHL—$1!—in order to be reimbursed if he loses it a second time. And I drag my batteries with me since I fortunately realized in time that we could not send them by post without a special authorization which I obviously do not have.

One of these “500$ photos”, of the Albanian border post of Përmet in the south of the country, just before entering Greece.

Dorela and customs

DHL Albania (in the person of Dorela) writes to me about ten days later to tell me that the package has arrived... and that I owe them the equivalent of $320 in customs fees. That is, sales tax of 20% of my declared value of $1. I really painted myself in the corner.

"It was sent from me to me, and it's not new!" I probably answer them in six different ways because I don't believe it. In reality, the drone is (practically) new; I then used it for a total of one minute before leaving Canada to see if it worked! But Dorela is intractable.

- Will I be able to get reimbursed when I leave?
- No.
- Can you redirect the package elsewhere?
- No.
- Can I pay the amount online?
- No, it's at the bank in Tirana.

I am still in Morocco and I answer that I will pay when I arrive.

On site two weeks later, I visit 4-5 banks, all of whom tell me that they don't know what I'm talking about. Dorela, whom I question a few times, answers me each time that the payment should work in any bank. I call directly to his office and find someone other than Dorela (they are 2 employees!). “Ah you have to go to the São Paulo bank, they are the ones who have the account! ". I can't decide if Dorela is kidding me or completely incompetent.

Switchback climb after the Bovilla reservoir, north of Tirana.

The worst bank in the country

The São Paulo bank I was referred to has already closed for the day at 14:30 p.m. I go back the next morning...to wait more than an hour and a half in line! I fume while passing this wait to read the comments on Google Maps: “Worst establishment in the country! Waiting at any hour of the day! Execrable service! Go anywhere but here! ".

I finally sit in front of someone who knows how to take my huge customs payment. And the clerk tells me that the transaction will cost me an additional $10. This in addition to the fees for withdrawing money, the only way to pay…

- You are a bank and you are not able to take my credit card?!
- No, it has to be silver.
- It's going to cost me another $10 in local fees to get that amount out of the box, just for you to put it back in right after!
- Yes, but it must be in cash.

The thermal baths of Benja in the municipality of Përmet.

Oops, the rates have changed

Still furious at the charges that keep piling up, I write to Dorela to tell her that the payment is finally complete. She replies fifteen minutes later that the monthly exchange rate was recalculated a few days earlier. "I just realized that," she said unapologetically. You guessed it, the change is not in my favor and I owe more money!

So I go back the next morning to the bank. I arrive before it even opens and there is already a queue. To the same clerk, I again pay the bank charges of $10 to thank them for making my customs transfer of $10.

Just west of Leskovik, Korçë region, in the south of the country.

The final delivery

For the last time, I write to Dorela with the new proof of my payment. A few hours later, my Airbnb host calls me to ask me if I'd rather have the package delivered to my accommodation rather than to his office as we had discussed. As in many countries, transactions are made by talking directly to a person rather than through a trading system. Having agreed to change the place of delivery, the DHL delivery man calls me directly by the Whatsapp messaging application to agree on a new meeting point. The addresses being far from reliable and precise in Albania, I suggest the grocery store at the bottom of my building, and tell him that he will recognize me by my blue coat.

When he arrives, I find it hard to believe that the transaction will finally be completed. He gives me the drone, and me the equivalent of $22. Apparently final delivery is also not included in the shipping price. As most often in Albania, he gives me an invoice certifying the exchange.

My drone and multiple invoices totaling more than $500 in hand, I could finally go photograph the country.

The new Namazgjah Mosque in Tirana, paid for by the Turkish government.

$500 later, the drone finally in hand!

PS My sweetheart's aunt visited us a few weeks later in Slovenia, the next country. To have known beforehand that I would run into all these problems, I probably would have just left her the drone she could have brought me at the time. But hey, with hindsight, decisions are always easier!