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+--- Thread: Healthy New Year (/showthread.php?tid=102886)
Healthy New Year - CardBoardBox - 01-01-2021
Realizing healthy is a more appropriate word for happy, best wishes and vibs to all for the new year, after one which seems like it didn't exist, or hoped it was just a bad dream.
The standard greetings and thankfulness for what we have (or am I confusing this with the US Thanksgiving event in November), we might look backwards in several ways.
For me it was better times, more favorable, interesting times.
I know I've posted about some Customs and Immigration stories. In our shut-in and cabin fever moments, there's always the YouTube videos of other people encounters with those groups.
There's also 1st and 2nd person stories of similar encounters which might be entertaining.
I recall the time I was sent to "secondary inspection" and the agent found all my money and wouldn't believe me when I said I had no clue how much was there. "Everyone knows how much they have." Right? Not that trip. Each trip I would get 700 to $1000, and spend most of it. On one trip, when I arrived on the island, I found that in my ditty bag was the 3 envelopes from the previous 3 trips. I hadn't needed to bring fresh funds for trip #4, but I didn't know that. So the agent finds these 3 envelopes, plus what's in my wallet. Plus, because I had converted $300 US into Jamaica funds, at about a 100 to 1 conversion rate, AND I got nearly all of it in "small bills" which was in J$50 denominations, the agent's eyes got wider and his questions more intense. $10,000 Jamaican in 50's, with him not knowing the conversion ratio, convinced him IMO I was someone up to no good. I stood my ground and said each time in a friendly way "I had no idea" adding once that it was less than 10,000 USD. They searched and searched but had to let me go. But I could tell the one guy (of the two) were not happy.
Another encounter began the same way when the little doggie sat down in front of me. That secondary agent that time said he didn't care if I had smoked 900 pounds while on the island, he just had to know why the dog sat down. This relieved me. I confessed to smoking 900 pounds. I wonder what's in my TSA file, but I'm sure they will never tell me. I knew not to try something stupid; They are professionals and not worth me spending 2 years in jail. He ended the inspection very friendly and with good verbal advice to not wear any clothing which had been in contact with "herb" within 4 days of traveling.
I just wish they'd give me some advance notice when the arrival was going to be me handing them my form and me hearing "Welcome back." A couple of keys would make nice presents. I wouldn't bring a 50 pound bale though. Instead of the doggie sitting down, he just might fall over.
