In your place I would choose for a few days neighbouring country, then you get at least something back for the money, and chances for questioning will be less.
Indeed most times the rules do not change, but the circumventing of the rules gets stopped. Some people here think that everything that is not enforced gives possibilities and thus is allowed to do. When it gets enforced they complain rules changed.
No idea how you could have understood this the wrong way, it was discussed here many, many times and it is perfectly clear you have to stay in the area of jurisdiction of the embassy/consulate.
But when I need to get the cash first to top up, the advantage of easy paying is gone. I just don't understand why I can top up Truemove without any problems from my international creditcard, but cannot top up Truemoney the same way, or transfer from Truemove to Truemoney