[Samurai]

Deky, you are probably the only other TBHPian apart from Yeti who can write a super-hit travelogue without needing any photographs.

Originally Posted by NetfreakBombay

Why did they arrest you? Your luggage was checked in. Its not a crime to carry firearms in checked in luggage.

In US, TSA would not le you carry even scope of a air rifle in carry on baggage. But never faced any issue with it checked in.

Yeah, that's true. I have carried loads of martial weapons in my 5ft long duffel bag from USA multiple times. Never had an issue with either Indian or US customs.

[MX6]

@Netfreakbombay, @Samurai.

It's find to carry weapons in check in baggage as long as it's declared in check-in counter. Sometimes the TSA officer would like to inspect the weapon which must be unloaded. Once he clears it, you can check it in without any issues with anyone whatsover.

Poor Deky has not declared a replica which was mistaken for a firearm.
Poor Deky incidentally forgot about packing a toy itself!

That's why when they mistook my telescope for a possible fire-arm, they asked me to unlock the suitcase. When they asked me what it was showing in the x-ray, I stated telescope. And they wanted to ensure it is the same.

[deky]

Originally Posted by jaguar.runs

Wonderful experience deky!

And your attention to detail narration keeps us waiting for more. Now for the next part

Originally Posted by pjbiju

Deky, I loved the way you have relived your stories for us. It was a scary situation. But all is well that ends well.

-Biju

Originally Posted by unoczar

HEY! The Mexican!


Btw, there's a trek in western ghats this december Deky.. u game?

Thank You guys!!!

Originally Posted by MX6

US TSA saw the telescope in my luggage in JFK through the x-ray machine and mistook it to be a small time missile launcher or something like that.

They asked me to leave the luggage unlocked and move away from the "crime scene".

But the eurolines issue was more troublesome. Brings me so much of old memories deky.

But the most hilarious incident I ever had was during one of my many trips between singapore and malaysia.

Originally Posted by advaitlele

This also reminds me of Singapore immigration who mistook my tripod kept in my cabin baggage to be; "gun like object". I had to open it and show it by putting camera on it.

Now next chapter please. Waiting eagerly.

MX6, now you have given us snippets of atleast 6 incidents. I think you have enough masala to write all of them down in a log. Would be great reading them. Seriously You guys should pen them before the memory fades.

Originally Posted by NetfreakBombay

Why did they arrest you? Your luggage was checked in. Its not a crime to carry firearms in checked in luggage.

Originally Posted by Samurai

Yeah, that's true. I have carried loads of martial weapons in my 5ft long duffel bag from USA multiple times. Never had an issue with either Indian or US customs.

Originally Posted by MX6

@Netfreakbombay, @Samurai.

It's find to carry weapons in check in baggage as long as it's declared in check-in counter. Sometimes the TSA officer would like to inspect the weapon which must be unloaded. Once he clears it, you can check it in without any issues with anyone whatsover.

Poor Deky has not declared a replica which was mistaken for a firearm.
Poor Deky incidentally forgot about packing a toy itself!

That's why when they mistook my telescope for a possible fire-arm, they asked me to unlock the suitcase. When they asked me what it was showing in the x-ray, I stated telescope. And they wanted to ensure it is the same.

After this incident happened, I visited various sites to read the rules about carrying a firearm as checked in baggage. Here are a few points that are common to all the blogs/sites regarding firearms.

1. Firearms can be carried as check in baggage provided they are unloaded and they have to declared at the time of checking in.

2. Firearms have to be concealed in specific boxes and have to be locked. The key has to be provided for the lock incase inspection is required. The ground staff will make every effort to locate the passenger for the key and if not found, the suitcase/ box will not be loaded.

3. Some sites even say, that one must follow the same procedure for "exact replica pistols"

4. Not doing the above can lead to arrests, detention and fine or all.

In my case I did enquire around before packing my suitcase about carrying firearms as check in luggage and I was under the impression it would be not a problem as its only a fake one. But the Xray can only show its a pistol and not if its a fake or real.

Originally Posted by Samurai

Deky, you are probably the only other TBHPian apart from Yeti who can write a super-hit travelogue without needing any photographs.

Thanks for the kind words and its a big ego boost to be compared with the one and only Yeti. Well for me he write's the "baap of all travelogues" He is way way beyond. But thanks anyways.

Originally Posted by sudev

That is a nice one Deky.
In fact this thread should become contribution thread where every one can write in their "jana tha japan pahunch gaye cheen" experiences. I may make a contribution or two also.

Hey Sudev. It would be nice reading your experiences too, please do contribute to the thread. But my only request is if you do that after I finish writing the 2 more chapters I have left. Or else readers will be reading two story books at a time. Thanks!!

[ashthedivx]

I always had a hearing where-in "pictures speak louder than the words", but your case is a bit different

[ASHISHPALLOD]

Something similar happened with me at cochin airport on 1st march this year. I was returning from malaysia with other rajababues. We took air asia flight from kl to cochin and onward go air flight from cochin to mumbai. At cochin airport domestic terminal, while screening my baggage before check in, security guys on other side of machine suddenly became alert and tense. They called me to other side and pointed to screen showing the image. I started to laugh. All of us rajababues bought replica of twin tower and packed in the luggage. The way i packed it, during x ray screening, it looked like pistol. I had to unpack my luggage to show the stuff to security. I also informed them that there are 14 other guys with me with same kind of stuff in their baggage. They stopped me to show the other baggage. By now, every security personal in line got information about 15 bags with suspicious looking item but no need to worry.

[phamilyman]

sahi round about trip man. Good FUN!

Originally Posted by anilisanil
Technically the airport staff cannot transit your luggage unless you have a boarding pass. But you already had a boarding pass issued with out a visa check!! Wow! Reciepe for adventure!!!

Sir,

Its the airline staff at the airport. btw, someone i know landed up at lebanon like this because of Thomas Cook & Gulf Air's stupidity (they said visa on arrival). He was sent back by the same flight & the airline was fined 10000 USD by the authorities (should be police/immigration).

Be very careful when traveling like this - even for business. We don't have US passports which work everywhere!

[sanjaykaul]

These things can sometimes become funny but most of the times turn into horrible experiences. I have seen many a time people being mistreated by airport security and USA after 9/11 was worst.

Few months after 9/11, I was in Vancouver and in-between had to go to Tucson (Near Phoenix) in Arizona for a week. While in Tucson, I found it difficult to manage salt in the hotel I was staying in and hence bought a packet from the store. When I packed my baggage for return travel (Tucson to Vancouver) I stuffed the pack of salt (mistake 1) in it and locked (mistake 2) my baggage.

When I received the baggage in Vancouver, it was opened (Lock and zip broken), cloths hanging out, all salt open scattered at the bottom of the baggage and a standard apology pamphlet from homeland security in it saying “we had to open your baggage”.

I guess, this kind of breach of baggage is not covered by insurance either. Airlines refuse to listen to you when homeland security breaks the baggage.

All I could do was smile imagining “how the stupid bugger would have felt when he/she would have tasted the salt thinking it was something else)

[naren_gs1]

Deky,
Your logs are captivating not only because of your simple style of narration, but your experiences are also unique and varied.
Thanks for sharing the same.
Regards

[deky]

Thank you all for all the wonderful response and all the ratings.

And I also apologise for taking a break in between chapters for a few days due to being busy on the work front. But here is the next chapter " Arrested in Mexico"

At the onset only let me tell you that this time it wasnt me who got arrested. To know more read on.

CHAPTER 3 : ARRESTED IN MEXICO

The two cities of Cancun and Cozumel fall on the eastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico in the Caribbean Sea. Cozumel is an island and falls directly opposite Cancun, which is on the Mexican mainland. Both the cities are separated by the Yucatan Channel, which is around 20 kms or around 11 nautical miles long. It’s so near that on a clear day you can even see the island of Cozumel from standing at Cancun with a naked eye.

Here is a picture from Google earth giving you an idea about the positioning of both the cities and the proximity to each other.


Cancun and Cozumel are must visit ports for cruise ships doing the Caribbean itinerary. Apart from the white sandy beaches, pristine blue waters, coral reefs and the glorious sunshine, these places also offer great opportunity for snorkeling, scuba diving and dolphin watching. Even the Mayan ruins are of a big tourist attraction.

Our weekly cruise itinerary used to start from Cancun. The Itinerary was planned in such a way that we used to pick up passengers from Cancun, move towards Cozumel, pick up more passengers from there and then carry on to the other Caribbean country like Cuba, Cayman Islands, Jamaica etc etc and return back to Cancun to drop the passengers who embarked from Cancun and pick up more and then to Cozumel and so on.

Cancun embarkation day was coming to an end. It was almost midnight and most of the guests were asleep in their cabin. The new guests were tired after all the various activities throughout the day. Tomorrow would be Cozumel and some had to disembark the ship early in the morning, hence they were asleep too. I also quickly wrapped up and my work and proceeded to my cabin. My cabin was right above the propeller shaft of the ship so it got very noisy when the ship was sailing. But after a few days of staying in the cabin, I had got used to the noise of the propeller and now the noise did not bother me at all. And any way’s today we hadn’t set sail as yet so it was all very quiet. Cancun to Cozumel is only about 11 nautical Miles and the distance can be covered in less than 2 hours hence the Captain preferred to sail early in the mornings itself.

I was up quite early in the morning as I was the incharge of the restaurant on the open deck. Usually in warmer climates the open deck restaurants are very busy as all the passengers come get some sun whilst they eat. As I was getting ready I pondered over last night when I had fallen off my bed after the jerk. I was deep in sleep asleep and also did not remember clearly what had happened, so I just dismissed it as a dream. Anyway I had to hurry upstairs as the propeller shaft was quiet, and that meant that we had docked in Cozumel already.

When I reached on the top deck, I was surprised to notice that we had not docked as yet. Infact we were right in the middle of the channel and on one side of the ship I could see Cancun and on the other side I could see Cozumel. Anyway, it was only 0600 hrs and the official time to dock at Cozumel was 0700hrs, so most probably the Captain had decided to while away some time. Thinking this was the reason I got busy in getting the breakfast buffet opened.

As the time passed things became even more interesting, whichever guest that came to the open deck straight went to the side railings and started looking over them. Surprisingly nobody seemed to be interested in breakfast. I also decided to look over the side and what I saw came as a pretty big shock for me.

[krish3]

Wonderful writing till now.

A query- Do you write scripts for serials? Asking this because of the way you end the posts... it just grabs our attention and keep us waiting impatiently for more.

[khoj]

Deky,

I am actually reading two of your stories at the same time, for me it is
"Jaana tha Japan pahoonch gaaye cheen with the Norwegian fjords in between"
Waiting for the drama to unfold in Mehico.

Were you on the Carousel?

[deky]

Originally Posted by BaldOwl

Were you on the Carousel?

Yes indeed I was. Now dont tell me you were on the Carousel too? That would be an amazing coincidence

[sachinj12]

Aww Deky, you always build suspense and then leave us hanging!!

Not fair man !!

[sudev]

Decky strikes again with his mid narration stop.....Very interesting and detailed narrative. Life on ship as a deck hand must be very tough with the hours you had to keep.