A time to reflect, my first passport.

[Deleted member]

As another birthday approaches, I was reflecting on how some anniversaries and birthdays serve as special milestones that are otherwise unremarkable.

As I was waking up this morning I was reflecting on how the AFF community had changed my attitude to travel and how to access benefits once reserved for the more affluent traveller.

I was trying to remember my first taste of (international ) air travel and went to retrieve my bundle of passports.

I opened my oldest one, and "Lo and behold" the date of issue is 40 years ago this December.

How time flies. I looked at the photo, a younger man in the fresh bloom of youth smiled back at me, and so I compared it to the latest effort and thought, this could be a fun thread for AFF. What we looked like then and now.

 

[RooFlyer]

Truly a thread for the bravest on AFF!

I had to retrieve my first passport the other day, to check when my first USA visa was issued, as I was applying for a new one and it was one of the questions.

Then: 37 years ago, like GPH, fresh faced and optimistic (no smiles or glasses allowed today!)



Now: old grumpy guts (but it did the trick and can helpfully also be used as my mug shot)

 

[Denali]

Gosh. I was about 29yrs old when I got my first passport - sad, I know. Been making up for lost time though!

 

[ajd]

I wasn't quite 12 months old when I got my first passport... 0-year-old me looks very confused as to why there's a photographer there and why everyone's looking at me...

 

[zig]

My first passport at about 7months saw me just listed on my mother's passport. I traveled on her passport for years. There was no photo of either myself or my sister, just our name. How times have changed!

 

[ajd]

My first passport at about 7months saw me just listed on my mother's passport. I traveled on her passport for years. There was no photo of either myself or my sister, just our name. How times have changed!

My 11-month old passport was machine readable and everything!

On the other hand, if I were able to inherit my mother's Malaysian citizenship - not that I'd particularly want to, but in any case they prohibit dual citizenship and when born outside Malaysia citizenship only passes down the male line anyway - I would have been put on the children page of mum's passport instead, with its "not valid for travel to <communist countries>" markings and all...

 

[Archphoto]

My first passport (40 years ago almost to the day!) was shared with my mother - advised as we were heading to the UK and as she was born there it would be easier at UK immigration. My sister and I stood either side of her for the photo, and surprisingly, it was not the typical "mugshot". Instead, it was taken from the LHS and unlike my father's, not closely cropped.

Since then I've burned through another 5 - 4 as the supersize 128 page, and the most recent being a 64 page with 3 years remaining. A race to see if I can fill it before then - sadly international travel has been a little light these past 12 months.

 

[Bundy Bear]

Picture of my first passport photo from when I was 10, I actually remember getting my first passport photo taken, some people would believe me.

And the photo with it is from my current passport which was renewed this year.




Changing photos on AFF what a hassle, changed sizes and less colour, didn't want anyone to copy it.

 

[JohnK]

First passport when I was 8 years old and both my brother and I are in mums passport. It was a Greek passport but also had French translations. Oh how times have changed.

I got my own first passport 27 years ago and have just got my 4th passport.

My daughter had her Thai passport at 1 month old and her Australian passport at 5 months old. She's already flown more times than most people would fly in a lifetime and she is not even 1 year old yet.

 

[Deleted member]

So after my reflection on my passports. I decided to look at the small collection I have from my family.
Those who know me , will nod sagely when they discover that I have another eclectic item that I collect

Here are my Grandparents passports, which started well before FLounges and status credits.

Grandma and her South African Passport (she was entitled to a British one as she was born in Salford)



Then in her later years her NZ passport



Then my Grandfather , who was Kiwi born and bred, went travelling for work on anAussie passport



Then as a retired gentleman

 

[Deleted member]

I have Mrs GPH's as well, but with out written permission I would not reproduce them here. In spite of her being a bit of a looker in her photos. Who would think passport photos could be glamour shots too