Pleasantly Surprising – Libya

Life is a game of expectations. The more you have them, the more it will fail you! I am sure some philosopher said something to this effect a long time ago. Travelling is no different.

I went to Libya in June of 2013. This was less than a year after the September 11, 2012 attack on the US Consulate in Benghazi and the death of the US Ambassador during that attack.

But why, Raju? Why was it so important for you to go to a war zone? Well, it was a business trip. We were signing a contract with General Electric Company of Libya (GECOL) to help modernize their systems. GECOL was just about the only successful enterprise in Libya at the time and as such had a lot of political influence within the country. Of all my travels, this was the only time, I sought legal advice on whether to make this trip or not. I called our corporate attorney and personal friend Julian Izbiky to discuss whether I should make the trip. Julian is unlike a lot of attorneys you come across. He is a practical guy and does not bog down too much on risks and risks only. We talked about the precautions I was taking. One thing both of us were concerned about was the fact that the only US branded hotel chain (JW Marriott) in Tripoli was closed due to security reasons! After talking it over with Julian, I decided to continue with the trip.

How do you convince your wife it is safe to go? There were two people from our office who were supposed to travel for this trip. Our lead consultant backed out at the last moment as his wife did not approve of the trip. I was in touch with the Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) at the US Embassy in Libya. Many people at the US State Department and the US Commerce Department were aware of my visit. I had a meeting scheduled with the Commerce Division Chief at the Embassy as a part of my visit. I had the DCM’s direct mobile number and I gave that to my wife and said if you don’t hear from me for 48 hours, then call this number. I can’t believe I actually said that😊 This was probably just to convince myself that it was okay to go!

Getting a Libyan Visa is also an interesting process. One cannot just apply for a visa—one has to be invited. Because I was a guest of GECOL, a visa was a breeze for me. They had already informed the Libyan Embassy in Washington D.C. and this young lady named Aman turned my visa around in 24 hours —lightning speed in visa world for an African country those days.

Let the adventure begin! I was flying Lufthansa from Denver to Frankfurt and then continuing from Frankfurt to Tripoli. There were a handful of airlines serving Tripoli airport at the time. The flight from Frankfurt to Tripoli was another interesting experience. This was the only time I have witnessed armed military personnel (with machine guns no less) on an airplane! As a part of their security protocol, Lufthansa had four military guards on their plane to Tripoli. Their crew was not allowed to deplane. The cockpit crew did come out to check the plane once it was in Tripoli and they turned around with an armed escort. It was just unbelievable.

Once I arrived in Tripoli, things became extremely smooth really fast. GECOL was responsible for the local hospitality and I must say they did a phenomenal job. They arranged for my accommodations as well as local transportation. (To call it local transportation is an understatement. I was given a security detail).

Censored Material

Actually, there is a lot more to this story of the security detail and my experience. Unfortunately, I am not allowed to talk about this. Next time we meet in person, ask me and I will tell you all about the experience. It is certainly worth a listen.

Anyway, I was whisked away from the airport (felt like a real VIP)! They arranged for my stay at the Corinthia Hotel Tripoli—a true five-star hotel. On the way to the hotel, I could see how beautiful this place was. There were ruins from the war no doubt, but the architectural beauty was still obvious.

Geography Lesson

For those of you who don’t know, although an African country, Libya is in Northern Africa. It is only about 1,000 miles from Italy. It is on the Mediterranean Sea. The average temperature between Tripoli and Sicily is less than 5 degrees Fahrenheit apart. So you can imagine how beautiful the weather would be in Tripoli.

I could feel the cool breeze from the ocean; it was just an amazing ride. I was looking at monuments and asking questions along the way. All my worries about security disappeared. I checked into the hotel—they were ready with their Arabian-style welcome—an experience in itself. Corinthia is an amazing property. Being a vegetarian, I was concerned about food but they had ample options. They even had a wood-fired pizza oven! What else can a guy want? I called my wife to let her know I was all good and that I would call her every 12 hours while I was in Libya. I went to bed and started hearing gunshots around 11 pm. I called the front desk and asked what the gunshots were about. The guy said, “don’t worry, Mr. Shah, it’s just people celebrating!” What???? I never heard gunfire as a way of celebration before but okay.

Tidbit

So, here is an interesting tidbit. The Libyan prime minister at the time was staying in the same hotel while I was in Libya. Four months after I was in Tripoli, the Prime Minister was kidnapped from the Corenthia Hotel (here is a Guardian story about it). How crazy is that? That is also when we decided to end our engagement with GECOL.

The next day, I went about my business with GECOL—they were nothing amazing people. They were so appreciative of our willingness to work with them and help improve their systems. After an all-day meeting, it was back to the hotel. In the evening, there were some entertaining shows at the restaurant. I met an amazing guy from Romania while I was having dinner. Adrian Brezulianu of GreenSoft is an awesome dude. He becomes your best friend in 30 minutes or less. We started swapping stories of our business and travel. We had such a great time and, tried to do business together afterward but it never materialized.

The next morning, I had a meeting at the US Embassy. The US Embassy in Tripoli is off the beaten path—on purpose I am sure due to security reasons. My security detail drove me to the Embassy gate. I have been to more than a few US Embassies around the world so I knew the security protocol in general.

Embassy Security: If you want to visit a US Embassy in any country, it is like entering Fort Knox. [Note that I am talking about inside the Embassy for meetings and not visa appointments. Visa appointments are usually away from the main offices.] One has to have an appointment at least 72 hours in advance. You send a copy of your passport and other personal details. They run your information through a security database to make sure you are not a threat. Once at the Embassy, they check your identification and you have to surrender your mobile phones, computers, and any other electronic devices. Then you go through metal detectors, etc. All while four young marines have high-powered machine guns pointed at you. It is an intimidating experience. You realize the power of the US government right then and there!

Being in Tripoli less than a year after the events of Benghazi, security was especially tight as you can imagine. After all the security process, I met commerce chief Josh Goldberg. Josh is an interesting guy. He used to be a teacher in rural America. We enjoyed swapping our travel stories—his stories were more exciting than mine! DCM popped in for a minute to say hello during our meeting. They were appreciative of our efforts in helping GECOL modernize. Part of the US strategy was to modernize Libyan infrastructure and let the people see the progress of democracy.

So, after the meeting, it was back to the hotel and then to the airport. But we are not done yet, no siree Bob.

Do you mean to say you want to come back to the USA? Oh, before I forget, I stayed overnight at Frankfurt airport due to the timing on my way back. If you get a chance, try Fig Ravioli at Frankfurt Airport Hilton. Best ravioli I ever had. Anyway, I land in Denver and I have Global Entry. Global Entry is a US Customs and Border Patrol program that allows US Citizens, Permanent Residents, and some foreign nationals (Canadians, Brits, etc.) to go through a background check ahead of time so you can skip immigration lines when entering the US. It is very reasonably priced and lasts for five years. If you travel more than twice in a five-year period, it is well worth the price. As a bonus, you get TSA Precheck for free if you have Global Entry. Well, not this time! The Global Entry gods did not want me to pass through easily. The machine had a BIG RED flash and asked me to see an agent. The agent said Mr. Shah, you have been flagged so please follow me. They take me into a room with no windows and asked me to wait. Meditation would have come in handy right about then! About half an hour later a young marine comes and escorts me to someone who asked me a number of questions. I told him, “the US State Department and the US Commerce Department are both aware of my visit and I can give you some names and numbers in DC you can call to verify.” He says, “Mr. Shah, I am just documenting the answers. As a US Citizen, I have to let you in. Once I document your answers, if someone wants to read it in DC and has questions, they will call you.” Fair enough.

Friends, that’s it. That is the most pleasantly surprising trip I had. Please let me know your thoughts in the comments section. What was your most pleasantly surprising trip?