Is it the way you look?

[Horus]

Reading Hepzis post about always getting her bags searched prompted me to think of my own experiences and I cannot remember a single instance where my own bags were searched at customs anywhere I have travelled in the world. The same thing with security searches, now my brother is often chosen for a bit of extra scrutiny even though he travels far less than I do, my son in law is picked on at virtually every flight he takes. My only incidents were once when leaving Zambia I was stopped by a plain clothes guy who asked for my wallet then started to ask lots of questions about how much money I was carrying, he warned me it was a criminal offence etc. to take above a certain amount of cash out of the country, then still clutching my unopened wallet he asked the question again. I gave him the same answers as before and he handed me my wallet back and told be to proceed to the transit lounge as I was free to go. I was very glad he didn’t take the 4 AA batteries out of my cine camera (yes it was that long ago) as they were actually little wads of tightly rolled up £10 notes.

On another occasion I had landed at Blantyre airport in Malawi (which was not much more than a shed) en route to Johannesburg. We had to leave the plane for refuelling and wait in the lounge, (AKA shed) when we were summoned back onto the plane again we had to pass through a side door onto the tarmac. Again I was stopped by a raggedy man in a torn shirt and flip flops who showed some official identification and questioned me as to where I was going, to which I replied “Johannesburg”. “Aha! I thought so” was his reply, but in a tone that implied he had uncovered some dreadful secret plot and he was some sort of super sleuth. I pointed out that the plane itself was going to Johannesburg so it was hardly a mystery as to where I was going and that I was not in his country by choice, but only on a refuelling stop over.

This didn’t seem to bother him and he demanded to see my passport, this turned into a Mexican stand off with me showing it to his face, but refusing to hand it over to him. I finally decided to brass it out and in a very loud voice informed him that I was an international traveller and he could not harass me as I was in neutral territory. As he looked puzzled, I took the opportunity to push past him and the armed guards and walk to the plane, it was one of the longest walks ever with the hair standing up on my neck. So I can only conclude that although I don’t look like the usual contraband smuggler and sail through customs, I must instead have the look of an international currency smuggler.

[carrie]

Last time I flew out of Hurghada was going through the usual thing of putting my things in the tray and hand luggage on the roller belt, I had my passport and visa for Turkey in my hand together with my flight details, put those in the tray and off it shot, never mind put the rest of my things in the next tray. Go through the security pat down etc and go to collect my things from the trays. My hand luggage was there together with my handbag but the tray in which my passport had been was missing. Panic stations. Told the security man that they were missing, he messed about a bit and everyone was looking under the belt , seeing if it had got stuck on the rollers. No sign of it. Then this officer said come with me and we approached this rather large woman. He asked her if she had my passport. Of course not she replied. Well can I check your passport please she was most reluctant but eventually passed it to him. It was my passport. No word of apology and then I asked where my papers where, I haven't got them, she had some papers in her hand and I snatched them from her, sure enough they were my visa and flight details. I showed them to the officer and he said one minute madam, next another more senior officer came along and I was taken through the rest of security without being checked and a cup of tea brought for me. The woman was marched off somewhere complaining loudly. Later the security man came to find me and told me that she was Russian, very bad people, they are thieves. Most horrible experience.

[Dusak]

Do you recall the times while watching TV they superimpose a shiny star on the teeth of a celebrity? Well I give out one of these towards any that seem to be showing an interest in my luggage, or myself for that matter. Never had a bag search, so it obviously works.

[Horus]

That could have turned into a nightmare for you Carrie, it makes you wonder how the security guy knew it was that particular woman who had taken your stuff. You also have to wonder what she intended to do with them, its not as if you just randomly grab someone else’s passport as you board a plane and think to yourself “I’ll have that” neither would I imagine you would book a flight just for the opportunity of stealing a passport, very strange behaviour.

[carrie]

I think she must have been in front of me and the security guy realised that it could only have been her that took it, I don't believe that she stole my passport just picked it up not thinking, her attitude though to the security man when he questioned her was really rude and she refused to let me see the papers. Had it been me I would have been all apologies she however was an arrogant ignorant so and so. Security just said "Russians".
As it turned out that was only the beginning of my disastrous flight to Turkey. Still I got there in the end and had a wonderful time.

[Mad Dilys]

Edit :Moved to Tax on gifts taken into Egypt.

[denisegr]

I got stopped once, i was taking a gift bag from a girl friend to her boyfriend out there, the security guy pulled out the bag and started to rummage, amongst the cds shirts etc was a variety of assorted condoms oh the embarrassment he quickly stuffed everything back in the bag and i scuttled off, never again

[Horus]