The Security Check
Feeling liberated having survived “The Check-in Counters“, I pick up my hand luggage – which is stretching the weight limit to the max (do I really need that many magazines and crossword books for a 4-hour flight?) and drag my already weary butt to the security check area.
Having carefully placed all my acceptable-limit liquids in a travel-approved see-through bag, I confidently march past all the not-so-forward-thinking-and-unprepared passengers who are emptying their bags of all liquids.
Now, I don’t know if it’s just me but even if you don’t travel often, don’t you check things like baggage allowance, things allowed in your hand-luggage, travel documents needed??
No?
Just me then.
Ok, I’ll move on … For now…but I will revisit this. You’re not getting out of it that easy!
So where was I?
Ah..confident marching.
I hand over my passport…confident in the knowledge that I’m not a criminal and therefore don’t need to feel nervous about being caught out.
Not.
Well, I’m not a criminal – but I am nervous.
Is it just me or does the security check have you trying your hardest not to break any sweat (which is difficult when you’re in a place like … Say India … Where it’s …. HOT!
I dare not take out a tissue to dab my brow because obviously that means “criminal alert!”
I’ve seen those shows.
You know the ones I mean.
Where the passenger casually lines their suitcases with all sorts of “not allowed” products from their recent trip to a pick-up-anything-illegal-here country.
I’m not one of those.
I’m way too much of a nervous person in a passport control and security check area to ever even imagine getting away with that.
So I won’t bother.
Digress over.
For now.
So I make it safely past the passport control.
In fact, the border patrol officer barely even looked at me.
I wasted all that energy hiding my sweaty tissues.
I hear you saying “I told you so.”
Hush!
Next stop. The conveyor belt.
Once again. Do travellers not prepare for these things?
No?
Just me?
Again?
I am in the longest queue.
Even though I tried to avoid the bad queues.
You know the ones I mean …. pushchairs, holidaymakers, elderly and stick to the businessmen queue.
Or so I tried.
Because the person-in-uniform decided to close the short queue just as I was about to get there and divert me to the queue that has only one person multi-tasking doing the “take laptops out, jackets off, shoes off, belts off, jewellery off” monologue, pushing through of bags, and then running around to check the security TV, I am now even further back than I was.
I remain calm. I should be used to this by now.
Beside, I’ve got plenty of time. I’m here at the allocate 4 hours early – for those fearful of missing their flight.
Eventually, it’s my turn!
Obviously, I pass through with flying colours.
Being overly prepared as I am — always.
Not!
Stuffed at the bottom of my bag is the half-drunk bottle of water I purchased before I joined the long, long, long check-in queue!
Airports – 1 …… FrinkleFiles – 0
Stay tuned for Part 3 ….. In The Plane!