Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/07/04
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]At 07:55 AM 7/4/02 -0700, you wrote: >Hi Ted...Here in Phoenix they are on high alert for mischievous looking >people... ;-) >Steve > I was "selected" for special scrutiny at every step of my last trip. I think it was because I had a last-minute ticket change due to one flight being too late to catch another, and not because I look like a terrorist. They took all of my checked baggage (including two crates of medical equipment) to a special x-ray machine. I had to wait while they x-rayed them - there are signs saying the machines will ruin film and to remove any film before x-raying the bags. I had no film in my checked bags so that was o.k. After they x-rayed them, I had to remove all of the duct tape that was holding the crates closed and let them examine everything in the crates and my carry-ons. Then they let me go with my carry-ons to the regular x-ray machine. My film was in lead-lined bags so they did the hand-inspection and the bomb-sniffing machine. When I got to the gate, I was pulled out of line again and they went through every single thing one more time. The inspector unwrapped and looked through each of my Leica's and each lens, asked me about the digital stuff, and commented on what nice equipment I had. That made me nervous as there were some scruffy looking men standing over to the side watching the whole thing. All of this happened at the Charlotte airport. In Houston, I had to go through the same "select" treatment, including putting my shoes through the x-ray machine. When I finally got to Honduras and unpacked my bags, I discovered that the bag with my prescription medicines that was in my carry-on had been taken out somewhere and not put back in. I did without hormone pills, allergy pills, sleeping pills, and arthritis medicine until doctors came the next week bringing replacement medicines. My bag has never turned up anywhere. Travel is not fun any more. Getting there is, though. Tina Tina Manley, ASMP http://www.tinamanley.com images available from: http://www.pdiphotos.com http://www.mira.com http://www.agpix.com http://www.newscom.com - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html