So, it’s just before 10am and I’m not able to leave Belarus, no Lithuania for me. I’m currently detained by Belarus immigration at the border leading to Lithuania, I’m not allowed in.
When I arrived at Minsk airport I asked about an immigration card, but as I was staying just for 3 days in Minsk it wasn’t necessary. What I didn’t realize that traveling by train to Lithuania means you are leaving Minsk, even if I am coming back from the day trip. In these circumstances you do need an immigration card. I don’t have one, so no entry, do not pass go, do not collect photos of Vilnius. It was very unclear, and I have made lots of inquiries, read lots of forums and never came across this, and I was not aware the complexity of the immigration rules. Obviously, it is done differently here. You can fly Belarus to Lithuania, but you can’t go by train without additional papers.
I was escorted off he train by five officers, with little to no English, it was only with the help of another passenger who had studied in Cambridge, so spoke good English, that I learned my status. My visit to Lithuania was not going to happen.
In a 10×10 room waiting, I wait. I have to wait 7 hours, it is going to be mind numbing. The next train to Minsk is actually the train I was taking back after a day sight seeing in Vilnius. I will see only the lilac walls on the inside of this old room. It is not prison, but it is a bit grim.
How I’m going to pass the time heaven only knows. I could cry. No one is speaking to me, and I’m not sure anyone can speak English anyway.
After about 90 minutes someone did come to talk to me, and he spoke excellent English. It is possible for me to leave to return to Minsk via taxi, but it would be 70 Euro. It was not a difficult question, and I would be happy to get out of here sometime soon. He went away for what seemed like ages, but it was probably no more than 10 minutes.
What I didn’t know was that the immigration official was to escort me with the taxi to ensure I went back to Minsk. We got into a taxi and headed.out. After about 10kn we did a military style hand over to a different taxi. I presumed., wrongly, this might be where the immigration official would release his consignment. That was not to be the case as he transferred cars too.
The second driver drove at break neck speeds. The hard part was I had no comprehension where we were, or how far from Minsk. Road signs were limited and obviously in Russian. 1 hour and 15 minutes in to the taxi ride and I’m not sure what next. The areas are a little more built up, so we must be getting closer. We drive onwards.
Then abruptly the car pulled over and the immigration officer got out and wished me good luck as he departed. I guess his work was done. Soon after we finally got a road sign to say we were 59 km to Minsk. The minutes ticked by as did the km’s, next sign was Minsk 44km.
The driver seemed to want to take me to the airport, seemingly he hadn’t given up on me taking a visit to Lithuania. Me, I had given up on that possibility a long time ago.
The km kept coming down, this could thankfully soon be over. Then, I thought about that harrowing prospect of still being hold up in that lilac room for another 4.5 hours. The taxi ride is easy by comparison.
We made it back, the taxi ride took 2.5 hours and cost 70 Euros. It was money well spent to return back to normality. It’s a story I will tell, but not fondly.
The Travel Completist 
OMG, how lucky are you to be alive! Any one of this guys could have robbed you and dropped you off in the middle of nowhere! How is Sheepy after such a shakeup??
Thank God Mz. Bliss wasn’t with you. That would have been another story!
So no flag for me, no pierogies for you! Maybe next year by a different route!