Well your plane has landed, you did your best to beat the mob to the luggage pick up, found you bags among 200 other peopls who were on your flight, now you are really ready to start your trip...well kinda, you still have to get through
The Customs Officials
Well all have to do, ( unless your secretly a diplomat, or have started a DIOMOC invasion
) you must pass through there little booth, counter, gate house, WHAT EVER!!!
These Goverment officials are pretty much there to make sure that their country stays safe. The can search any bag, or person with out cause, they can search any aircraft, boat or vehicle, some carry guns some do not, some are in uniform and some are undercover, they can hold you, arrest you under imagration laws, hold you gear for further inspection any ways you look at it these are the people you want to not get in the way of, they can make you trip not a very pleasent one, in alot of way their powers are greater than a police officer.
I had traveled from the Rep. of Ireland to Wales, I got off the ferry with my pack on my back and began to walk through the building where i thought the customs would be, it was along hall way with mirrors on either side. There was a man walking in front of me, just a regular guy, as we were about half way through the hallway, a door opened up, an man in uniform appeared, asked the guy in front of me to go with him, and they disappeared into another door on the other side of the hall...it was weird...but i just kept walking...and there i was, on UK soil with out so much as a "how ya doing", no questions, no contact, and no passport stamp. I jumped on a buds to the nearest train station and continued my adventure not giving it another thought.
a year and a half later i returned to England, Happy as can be, I made good time getting off the plane, go my bag ok and I was standing in line to get through customs, As i was next i thought to myself, wicked, i am almost there...as I stepped up to the counter and declared my citezenship, and handed my passport over, i was asked " Have you ever been to the UK before?" I said with a smile, yup about a year and a half ago...I was given a look by the officer and I just knew this was about to go bad..."Why is your passport not stamped then?" I was asked...I explained the story about the ferry terminal, but that was not quite good enough for him...35 minutes i was drilled for not having my passport staped that day a year and a half prior...this guy tore a strip off me up one side and down the other...I was in shock, but remained humble and answered his question honestly, this officer just could not get over the fact that little ol' me had entered the UK with out dealing with a customs official, it could not have happened ...I was finally aloud to enter the UK, but it was not a good way to start of my trip thats for sure...
From that meany in the UK, to paying a bribe to a Cuban Customs officals, to the Officer in the Dominican who did not look at me took my passport stamped it with out asking even my name, dealing with these officals is un avoidable, so be patient, and polite, no matter how bad it gets. Getting lippy or arresive will do nothing but make things worse, file a complaint after yor done dealing with them if you have to.
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