s.fowler

I've been fortunate in not being subjected to much inspection and harassment by customs, but I'll share two stories. <BR>When I was entering Greece from Macedonia on the train, I and some other foreign nationals were taken off and our passports taken away. [I was leaving Skopje the morning after NATO started bombing Kosovo & Serbia.] Others were freaking, but I figured that they would eventually figure out that a middle-aged woman from Chicago was neither a drug smuggler or a terrorist. I think they were just yanking my chain because I had 4 Macedonian visas. They did give a "gift" though - they "failed" to stamp my passport, so when I went theither I was in the country illegally or I wasn't standing in front of him Fortunately I had my train ticket and onward air ticket. <BR>A brief and lighter moment was when we were entering the US from Canada. All the agent wanted to know was whether we had any beanie babies! <BR>

s.fowler

That was.... <BR> <BR>so when I went tthrough immigration at the Thessaloniki Airport, either...

Tanyia

MY husband and I were living in Germany. We flew to Lisbon, drove to Spain and then took a boat to Morocco. The next year we flew back into Lisbon stayed for a week and then left. While we were attempting to leave, we were questioned repeatedly by several people as to what our business in Morocco had been. My husabnd was actually still in the military at the time and they just wouldn't accept our answer of pleasure. It was so strange that they didn't get worked up the first time we left their country after visting Morocco.

Mary Jane

Hello, <BR> Man, these stories are great.....I know they may have been a pain to go through, but at least they now put a little smile in someone's day.....especially the story about the "marital aid." <BR>I have never travelled out of the country before, but I will be going to Germany in March. I am on many medications for my allergies and asthma (including inhalers). I'm keeping them in the correct packages and also had my doctor write a letter to carry with me that explains the necessity of my medications. I'd recommend anyone else do the same, aspecially for asthma medications. <BR>Thank you to everyone for posting your stories. I'll definitely take them into consideration when I travel.......I plan on just packing the necessities and looking as nondescript as possible.......it's a good thing that my boyfriend and I look "average." <BR>Have a nice day! <BR> Mary Jane

elvira

Oh cripe how did I miss this thread?? These stories are hysterical! (ok not for the poor schnook who had to deal with the situation - I feel for you, guy - but for the reader it's a hoot!) The Marital Aid Revelation is a story for retelling (ok not in polite society, but that's definitely not this forum anyway). <BR>My sister, Ahgeez, must have a target on her somewhere. She gets pulled out for searches fairly regularly (she's as clean cut as you can get, is always quiet and polite, but she is TAGGED). So, after a trip to London, where she bought some er special cigars in Harrod's, she gets tagged by U.S. Customs. She's got sweat pouring down her back, with visions of a vacation at Leavenworth, when the customs agent opens the Harrod's bag, peers in and quickly closes the bag, waving her through. Ahgeez starts breathing again, but can't take the time to look in the bag to see why the mid-twentyish male agent was so quick to close the bag. When she finally gets home (sneaking a furtive look out the window to see if there are any black sedans down the street), she opens the bag. Seems that Harrod's puts its cigars in a container that looks like....a purse-size Tampax container.