cavanami Posted January 10, 2006 Report Share Posted January 10, 2006 oppps, selective memory = only putting Japan on the form. My passport is completely filled, plus 48 extra pages, too many stamps for the custom folks to sort out. :: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavanami Posted January 10, 2006 Report Share Posted January 10, 2006 My passport is 95% full, including the 48 extra pages that I have had added over the past few years. There are more then enough stamps and visas to discourage the hardest working custom official. I just put Japan on the form, as I spend ample time in Japan, and they wave me thru. For sure, it is always a gamble, so don't gamble with more then you can afford to lose Another way, if your hard drive has enough space on it, use the software: Virtual CD. This will make an image of a CD and copy it to your hard drive, thus you carry no CDs, with either music or software. Can do the same for DVDs, but they will eat a lot of HD space. An external HD may be the answer, as I carry 360 Gb of external HD. Cheers! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Hippie Posted January 10, 2006 Report Share Posted January 10, 2006 Ok good ideas! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solomick Posted January 11, 2006 Report Share Posted January 11, 2006 The thing about saying you've come from any other country apart from Thailand is that they now stick them security label on your bags at BKK airport. I got stopped in Holland and the guy asked why I was going through arrivals from european union countries instead of international since I had been to bangkok. At first I didn't know what the hell he was on about, I had just arrived from England. He then explained that they had seen my case with the Bangkok security sticker and where waiting for me to see if I had anything. So I would be careful with that idea of putting another country on your entry form and from what I hear at the moment espically in the US. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted January 11, 2006 Report Share Posted January 11, 2006 My worst experience was in Seattle, of all places. The idiot tried to play Joe Friday on Dragnet with me, asking me about the drugs I "must" be carrying. Last time home I flew direct Tokyo to Dallas. Dallas folks were great! Probably my best welcome home was in ... NYC! The custom guy starting coming on like Joe Badass, until he asked what I did. I told him I was going home on Peace Corps extension leave. His attitude completely changed and he asked to see my passport. I showed him the State Department stamp, and he turned nice as could be. He rushed me through customs without opening my bag and welcomed me back to the States. He must have thought I was living in the jungle with Stanley and Livingston, instead of being a university volunteer in Thailand -- with my own two-storey house, wearing tailor made clothes and eating out every night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monzoon Posted January 11, 2006 Report Share Posted January 11, 2006 A PSP and clothes. They decided clothes were new and had to pay VAT for them. I've been travelling all around the world during the last 25 years and this is the first time ever I've been stop at Customs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickfarang Posted January 11, 2006 Report Share Posted January 11, 2006 For people who have to cross borders on a regular basis, some of you sure seem to take a lot of chances. Aren't you worried that you will get caught with something and end with a attribute in some database, and wind up getting hassled in customs every time? Or does this just happen in my imagination? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shygye Posted January 11, 2006 Report Share Posted January 11, 2006 I've gotten seached about 50% of the time. I always list CD/DVDs. Customs has never taken any software, music, or movies. Of course I only have a few and am not bringing in a suitcase full of CDs. The Customs folks have never given me the lecture on pirated goods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-.-.- Posted January 11, 2006 Report Share Posted January 11, 2006 Does anyone know of any case where they have actually taken the laptop to another room and had some "techie" search it for anything illegal? One perrson- not a boardmember- claims that this has happened to him. In this case what do you do? If you refuse to give them the password they can still search it but with a huge amont of effort. Have often wondered what I would do in a similar situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Hippie Posted January 11, 2006 Report Share Posted January 11, 2006 Claim they broke it, and demand a new one! and sue forlost files! ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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