aburkefl
Second Officer
Flight distance : 78612 ft
United States
Offline
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Amen. Several years ago I was departing Mozambique. I was asked (in Portuguese) if I had anything to declare. I didn't understand until another person, in broken English, asked "...do you have anything to declare?" I said no. Then that same person asked me if I had any money!
My response was that I had a modest amount in American dollars and South African Rand, which I had brought into the country with me. I pulled some metacal (the currency of Mozambique) and the person asked me if I was planning on coming back to Mozambique. I said "Maybe."
They were downright stoic. Apparently "maybe" was not in their vocabulary. I shoved the metacal forward, the woman took it and all three of them smiled and wished me a "...happy trip!" I think they got a whopping 3 dollars equivalent out of me, but it pissed me off that they felt the need to rob you on the way out the door!
When I got into the international lounge, I told my friend why I had been delayed. He said when they asked me if I had anything to declare I should have said "...yeah, this is the most effed up country I've ever been in!"
Actually, in the two weeks I was there, there *were* a couple of times I was concerned about my safety, but I was never really threatened. I may never get to go again, but it was the experience of a lifetime.
Hate to think what they would have said if I'd pulled out a Phantom with batteries!
Art - N4PJ
Leesburg, FL
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