life of wandering alan - First International Travel Mistake
life of wandering alan - First International Travel Mistake
Since 1950 I have been traveling internationally beginning with Canada, then Mexico and then 93 countries and 49 states on 6 continents
In articles, newsletters, storytelling conferences or workshops I have been writing or speaking about the FANTASTIC, FUN, SCARY, DANGEROUS
experiences I have had since I road around our block on my tricycle at age 5 without anyone knowing.
One of my NEVER TO BE FORGOTTEN Travel EXPERIENCES, first happened in 1977 when I was traveling by train from Mainz to Lucerne.
Two of my friends and I from Palm Beach County, Florida left for Europe in early June. We were traveling together to help each other during our first trips to Europe. The two of them were heading to Spain for 45 days. I was going to travel throughout Europe and part of Eastern Europe to 23 countries. .After a couple weeks traveling together we were separated by my first EXPERIENCE.
A train conductor approached me when I was standing in the corridor taking photos out the window of the countryside.
I had no idea what language he was speaking.
I "GUESSED" he wanted to see my (BRAND NEW, only stamped twice so far in 3 days) PASSPORT (1st one in my life).
I shared it with him. He looked at it and handed it back.
He asked more questions.
I "GUESSED" he wanted to see my backpack.
I took it down and shared it with him.
He asked more questions
I "GUESSED" he wanted to see my nylon shoulder bag.
I took it down and shared it with him.
It was filled with 50 audio cassettes and 100 rolls of 35mm slide film all in their original cellophane wrapped packages. I was carrying them that way to protect them.
Next he said more that I did not understand and he pointed towards the exit of the train car and then down the steps to the platform.
We just stood on the platform as the train pulled out heading to Lucerne. One of my travel companions had come out into the aisle rubbing the sleep out of his yes and saw the conductor and I standing on the platform with my gold backpack and brown nylon shoulder bag.
I waved goodbye.
About 30 minutes later another train arrived and the conductor guided me onto it.
In a few minutes that train pulled out going the opposite direction. In a few minutes the train arrived at another train station. Once again he guided me and my bags off the train down onto another platform.
Again we just stood there.
In a few more minutes a 3rd train arrived and once again he guided me onto that train. Shortly after that train pulled out going in still another direction.
10 or 15 minutes we arrived at 3rd different train station and he guided me down the steps and onto still another train platform. Then he directed me to follow him with my bags. Eventually we arrived near what looked like offices where another man in a train uniform with markings you would expect a ranking officer to have.
The two of them spoke looking at my passport and my opened brown nylon bag and the 100 rolls of film and 50 audio cassette cases.
They talked some more.
The officer turned towards me.
"Mr. Black. Why are you carrying the film and audio tapes."
"I am traveling around Europe this Summer and will be writing a book based upon my experiences using photos I take and audio tapes I make along the way."
I will share the rest of the story if you are interested and you share one of your stories
"Mr. Black it is illegal to carry more than 10 of any salable product across a country border."
"I am not carrying them to sell them."
"I have no way of knowing that."
"I left them in their original packaging to protect them while I was traveling for the next 90 days."
No matter what I said to justify what I was doing, why I was, or how I was he was calling it smuggling
After 15 or 20 minutes of going back and forth he gave me what looked like a paper arrest ticket and charged my $50 fine.
I was frustrated, tired, exhausted from not sleeping.
"how can I prevent having this happen every time I cross a border in Europe this summer?"
This Swiss guard had no ideas or suggestions.
Then this idea popped in my brain
"if the film was only in their plastic containers and the audio tapes in just their clear plastic containers would he have arrested me? Would I be accused of smuggling?"
"No I would have seen them as your personal items."
"Then you wouldn't have fined me?"
"No because you would not have been smuggling."
"If I rip open all the packaging and throw it away will you give back my $50?"
He said nothing. His face went blank.
That is when I got my general understanding about part of Swiss culture.
One and ONLY ONE ANSWER, ONE WAY ONLY TO SEE EVERYTHING.
this is the first draft of this introduction of my new travel focused book
Life of Wandering Alan
* * * *
Please share one of your travel stories.
Since 1950 I have been traveling internationally beginning with Canada, then Mexico and then 93 countries and 49 states on 6 continents
In articles, newsletters, storytelling conferences or workshops I have been writing or speaking about the FANTASTIC, FUN, SCARY, DANGEROUS
experiences I have had since I road around our block on my tricycle at age 5 without anyone knowing.
One of my NEVER TO BE FORGOTTEN Travel EXPERIENCES, first happened in 1977 when I was traveling by train from Mainz to Lucerne.
Two of my friends and I from Palm Beach County, Florida left for Europe in early June. We were traveling together to help each other during our first trips to Europe. The two of them were heading to Spain for 45 days. I was going to travel throughout Europe and part of Eastern Europe to 23 countries. .After a couple weeks traveling together we were separated by my first EXPERIENCE.
A train conductor approached me when I was standing in the corridor taking photos out the window of the countryside.
I had no idea what language he was speaking.
I "GUESSED" he wanted to see my (BRAND NEW, only stamped twice so far in 3 days) PASSPORT (1st one in my life).
I shared it with him. He looked at it and handed it back.
He asked more questions.
I "GUESSED" he wanted to see my backpack.
I took it down and shared it with him.
He asked more questions
I "GUESSED" he wanted to see my nylon shoulder bag.
I took it down and shared it with him.
It was filled with 50 audio cassettes and 100 rolls of 35mm slide film all in their original cellophane wrapped packages. I was carrying them that way to protect them.
Next he said more that I did not understand and he pointed towards the exit of the train car and then down the steps to the platform.
We just stood on the platform as the train pulled out heading to Lucerne. One of my travel companions had come out into the aisle rubbing the sleep out of his yes and saw the conductor and I standing on the platform with my gold backpack and brown nylon shoulder bag.
I waved goodbye.
About 30 minutes later another train arrived and the conductor guided me onto it.
In a few minutes that train pulled out going the opposite direction. In a few minutes the train arrived at another train station. Once again he guided me and my bags off the train down onto another platform.
Again we just stood there.
In a few more minutes a 3rd train arrived and once again he guided me onto that train. Shortly after that train pulled out going in still another direction.
10 or 15 minutes we arrived at 3rd different train station and he guided me down the steps and onto still another train platform. Then he directed me to follow him with my bags. Eventually we arrived near what looked like offices where another man in a train uniform with markings you would expect a ranking officer to have.
The two of them spoke looking at my passport and my opened brown nylon bag and the 100 rolls of film and 50 audio cassette cases.
They talked some more.
The officer turned towards me.
"Mr. Black. Why are you carrying the film and audio tapes."
"I am traveling around Europe this Summer and will be writing a book based upon my experiences using photos I take and audio tapes I make along the way."
I will share the rest of the story if you are interested and you share one of your stories
"Mr. Black it is illegal to carry more than 10 of any salable product across a country border."
"I am not carrying them to sell them."
"I have no way of knowing that."
"I left them in their original packaging to protect them while I was traveling for the next 90 days."
No matter what I said to justify what I was doing, why I was, or how I was he was calling it smuggling
After 15 or 20 minutes of going back and forth he gave me what looked like a paper arrest ticket and charged my $50 fine.
I was frustrated, tired, exhausted from not sleeping.
"how can I prevent having this happen every time I cross a border in Europe this summer?"
This Swiss guard had no ideas or suggestions.
Then this idea popped in my brain
"if the film was only in their plastic containers and the audio tapes in just their clear plastic containers would he have arrested me? Would I be accused of smuggling?"
"No I would have seen them as your personal items."
"Then you wouldn't have fined me?"
"No because you would not have been smuggling."
"If I rip open all the packaging and throw it away will you give back my $50?"
He said nothing. His face went blank.
That is when I got my general understanding about part of Swiss culture.
One and ONLY ONE ANSWER, ONE WAY ONLY TO SEE EVERYTHING.
this is the first draft of this introduction of my new travel focused book
Life of Wandering Alan
* * * *
Please share one of your travel stories.
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