I was a bit nervous at Shamshabad, since I was carrying medical equipment for the first time; I didn’t know what to expect. Rajiv Gandhi Airport, interestingly, sends passengers through security after deplaning and passing immigration. Better late then never, I suppose. I kept my laptop in my backpack as an experiment. One of the men peering at the x-ray monitor took my customs tag after my bag went through and put a code on it. I became a marked man.
I claimed my checked bags and proceeded guiltily to the customs area, where, upon observing the markings on my stub, the officer directed me to another x-ray machine. The good one, I guess. I walked over to this area cursing myself and Verizon Wireless for not having an international cell phone so I could twitter myself out of this calamity. There, the man looked at me expectantly, almost appearing to await my orders. It’s my hand baggage, I confessed. They want me to have you send it through the machine. He happily obliged, then asked about the checked bags. Those are fine, I assured him. He accepted this and began examining his monitor with the utmost attention. I transferred my checked bags to the other end of the machine as I heard his colleague asking me why I did not put them through also. The first officer explained patiently to him that it was only the hand baggage that was to go through.
I was then summoned to the monitor area as the two stared gravely at the image of my backpack. What are these coins, I was asked. I ruffled through my backpack, trying to find them. I couldn’t. What the hell were those coins, I asked myself. Then I pulled out my waist pack and extracted the offending currency, a mixture of rupees, Euro cents, and American quarters. They nodded approvingly. Then they asked about the various electronic items I was carrying. In particular, the video camera.
Is it new?
No, it’s 3 years old. I bought it when my daughter was born, but I just haven’t used it much. I am just a horrible father, you see, not a hardened import/export criminal.
Does it take tape?
Umm…yes?
Is it mini-DV?
Yes. Yes, it is mini-DV. (Do I get one phone call? Can I get a private cell?)
With this technologically unimpressive revelation I was summarily dismissed. I did not stick around to see what type of media would have resulted in more interest. I will warn you DVD-R camera – using travelers, however, that you are playing with fire. I proceeded out of the building, noted the new McDonalds in the semi-outdoor waiting area (Bindu can get her fix immediately next time she is here), and headed to the Radio Taxi stand.
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