Some random thoughts today - caused by various things I hear or saw..
Yes - it is the first of the month so White Rabbits is the call!!
My friend and colleague Steve "the flasher" Mitchell - and don't get me wrong - he is a flasher because of his skill with the camera rather than any other predilection... posted a comment..
"Do I really look like someone who would keep explosives in his underpants? ( I was swabbed)"
Seems he was checked with security and to be honest I might have singled him out as a strange character in my early days - after all he has spent a lot of time in prison .. (he does official visits and writes for various magazines)
This got me to thinking of a recent trip I had out to Crete, where I decided to keep all my electrical items and cables and camera and attachments in my carry on bag - for safety of my equipment, and ease of packing - they were quite heavy...
I had every bit of camera and all my cables and lap top in my carry on bag - as a result they decided to swab every item one by one .. It occurred to me as they were doing it that the previous week I had been at the Pirate Fest at Raglan - where oodles of black powder was being used.. Now - normally I try to get as close to the canon as possible to get the best "Muzzle Flare" shots and the same for the muskets and any other firearms.. On this occasion - due to arm injury I was unable to lift the camera so took none - but I could just see this being an awkward thing to explain under normal circumstances ... and no - I did not get swabbed in my underpants -
The sequel of course came as the security man finished his swabs and suggested that next time I put all the cables into bags so they can be taken out at the same time as the lap top and put into a tray so it is clear what I have..
When I came back from Crete I did this .. stored everything in little plastic bags and as I got to the security at Heraklion - they told me not to even get the lap top out !! Just put the bag into the scanning machine... well - that was refreshing - until they decided that they wanted to check something !! So they opened the bag and start feeling around and chatting with the guy who was looking at the scan... Out came the camera and a few items - put back in th a tray and passed through - nope - not satisfied.... So we get another little camera out - they seem a little bemused that I would have a big Canon and also another little camera..
Another look. And then the small bag that contains the HD 1080 video camera and stand.. What is this ?? they ask!! A camera - is the answer - but they seem unconvinced.. holding it at arms length ... Yes - a camera I say and they say it is a knife... Apparently, on the screen, the triangular tripod collapsing stand for the little phone-like camera looked just like a dagger ... They opened it gingerely and I show the Little expanding stand.... Oh - everything is okay then !!
Might have been easier to take everything out as they first suggested in the UK.
And so - with that, another day draws to a close... a glass of Port and a little dram may be called for ...
Cheers !
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