For most people, going through airport security can be downright unnerving. I wonder why this is true when 99.999 percent of us should have nothing to fear.
The way I see it, I am an honest person, earning an honest living, going on an honest to goodness vacation. At the security check, I dutifully take off my shoes, remove my belt, empty my wallet and displace my computer from its case.
And then I hear the security officer say, O.K., Miss, please step over here while we check your bags, and I realize she is talking to me. The reality suddenly sets in that airport security is not only going to go through my carry-on bags, they are going to check my body.
After the whole body imaging technology took an X-Ray right through my clothing, the female security officer asks me to lift my arms and stand with my legs apart as she proceeds to pat me down. She actually touches me! Holding my breath, I feel like a criminal in an everyday lineup.
Staying calm and employing a healthy dose of self-talk, I remind myself that I must have been the umpteenth traveler to meet her hourly quota. She must be using me as an example to prove to other travelers that she really means business. When packing, I followed all the rules on the TSA and airline websites. I squeezed all of my liquid containers into one tiny quart-sized bag. I didn't pack nail clippers or anything sharp.
I begin to worry about being wrongly accused and fear being left behind all because of some error I may have made in reading the fine print on a gazillion Do's and Don'ts for international travel. No water bottles, no fresh fruit, no liquids in containers larger than three ounces, must have all prescriptions with pharmacy receipts, pack everything in see-through zip-lock baggies. Funny thing is I haven't left Chicago yet.
Next, I have to answer to the Customs agent upon arrival in Dublin. After Chicago, what would in the world are they going to do to me there?
Why do you want to come to Ireland? the agent asks with an Irish brogue, barely looking up.
I want to tell him the real reasons: You see, Officer, this is a dream come true. My whole life I have wanted to visit Ireland. Now, I am here. My feet are firmly planted on Irish soil. I am ready to kiss the blarney stone. I am living my dream!
I decide not to go there. Containing my exuberance, I plainly explain, I am on a study tour with the university where I am employed.
Welcome to Ireland. Have a good time, was his response. That's it? Is that all there is? One question and I'm through to ancient castles, storied villages and historical lands?
Even though I was relieved, I had spent so much time worrying about going through Customs, I felt let down and wished it had been a little harder to make all my fussing worthwhile.
I had heard that Customs would be really, really bad when returning to the U.S., so I braced myself for the worst. Carrying images of Night Line and 20-20 horror stories of innocent travelers, I imagined a 3-D body scan, strip search, three-hour interrogation and detainment, never to see my home and family again.
Instead, the U.S. customs agent, who told me his job would be a lot easier if he only could spell, asked...what reasons did you travel to the U.K., what do you do for a living, what does your job entail?
"That must be a very hard job," he stated. "Welcome home."
Jiminee! It was that easy...
2010 © Copyright Paula Damon. A resident of Southeast South Dakota, Paula Damon is a national and state award-winning columnist. Her columns have won first-place in National Federation of Press Women, South Dakota Press Women and Iowa Press Women Communications Contests. In the 2009 and 2010 South Dakota Press Women Communications Contest, Paula's columns took first-place statewide. To contact Paula, email pauladamon@iw.net, follow her blog at www.my-story-your-story.blogspot.com and find her on Facebook.
Friday, June 18, 2010
More Emails from the U.K...
This is the second in a series of two columns featuring my emails to my husband in South Dakota while I was traveling overseas in May...
Sent: Saturday, May 22, 2010
Subject: Greetings from London City
Hi Brian!
I am on an Internet timer here at the hotel, so I'll have to make this quick. Pardon any typos - this keyboard is weird. We arrived in London early Friday evening and have spent the last 24 hours touring the city. The first part of today, Saturday, was a motor tour. London is a very big city with very crowded sidewalks and streets. However, it is strangely peaceful here. I have not heard any yelling, seen any fights or tussles, like I experienced in big cities in the U.S.
Saw Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, the British Museum, the Charles Dickens Museum, Piccadilly Circus, the Thames River and many beautiful parks. At Buckingham Palace we saw the changing of the guards marching in procession with a band. I have video and photos of it.
On Sunday, we will tour the Tower of London and see Shakespeare's play Macbeth at the Globe Theater. Monday we will tour Oxford University in Oxford, England. Tuesday is a free day and we may catch another play that evening.Wednesday we leave London for Chicago and then back to Omaha.
While in London, we have traveled on the light rail system and then on foot to get to Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace, the British Museum, Charles Dicken's Museum, Picadilly Circus, Harrod's and so many other sites.
Our tour guide is excellent. We have learned so much about the history, government, culture and topography of our travels from him. The people here are very friendly and polite.
Every day, I have to pinch myself. I just can't believe that I have visited Ireland, Wales and now England!
My love to you!
Paula
Subject: Hello from London City
Sent: Monday, May 24, 2010
My dear Brian....
We toured Oxford University today. It's both vast and sprawling. Classes were in session. We could tell which students were taking their final exams because they were dressed in regalia, which is a required custom at Oxford.
Most students here use bicycles with large baskets to get around campus and town. You should see the bikes parked outside of buildings on campus! Too many to count. It's like going back in time a bit.
The accommodations and food are good. The bakeries are unbelievable and there are so many! Getting in a lot of walking.
Traveling internationally, at least to the U.K. and Ireland, is very easy and much like traveling to any point in the states, except you need to show your passport and you hear very little English with so many tourists here from around the world.
I love you and miss you. Can't wait to see you tomorrow...
Love, hugs and kisses...
"Pauli"
2010 © Copyright Paula Damon. A resident of Southeast South Dakota, Paula Damon is a national and state award-winning columnist. Her columns have won first-place in National Federation of Press Women, South Dakota Press Women and Iowa Press Women Communications Contests. In the 2009 and 2010 South Dakota Press Women Communications Contest, Paula's columns took first-place statewide. To contact Paula, email pauladamon@iw.net, follow her blog at www.my-story-your-story.blogspot.com and find her on Facebook.
Sent: Saturday, May 22, 2010
Subject: Greetings from London City
Hi Brian!
I am on an Internet timer here at the hotel, so I'll have to make this quick. Pardon any typos - this keyboard is weird. We arrived in London early Friday evening and have spent the last 24 hours touring the city. The first part of today, Saturday, was a motor tour. London is a very big city with very crowded sidewalks and streets. However, it is strangely peaceful here. I have not heard any yelling, seen any fights or tussles, like I experienced in big cities in the U.S.
Saw Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, the British Museum, the Charles Dickens Museum, Piccadilly Circus, the Thames River and many beautiful parks. At Buckingham Palace we saw the changing of the guards marching in procession with a band. I have video and photos of it.
On Sunday, we will tour the Tower of London and see Shakespeare's play Macbeth at the Globe Theater. Monday we will tour Oxford University in Oxford, England. Tuesday is a free day and we may catch another play that evening.Wednesday we leave London for Chicago and then back to Omaha.
While in London, we have traveled on the light rail system and then on foot to get to Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace, the British Museum, Charles Dicken's Museum, Picadilly Circus, Harrod's and so many other sites.
Our tour guide is excellent. We have learned so much about the history, government, culture and topography of our travels from him. The people here are very friendly and polite.
Every day, I have to pinch myself. I just can't believe that I have visited Ireland, Wales and now England!
My love to you!
Paula
Subject: Hello from London City
Sent: Monday, May 24, 2010
My dear Brian....
We toured Oxford University today. It's both vast and sprawling. Classes were in session. We could tell which students were taking their final exams because they were dressed in regalia, which is a required custom at Oxford.
Most students here use bicycles with large baskets to get around campus and town. You should see the bikes parked outside of buildings on campus! Too many to count. It's like going back in time a bit.
The accommodations and food are good. The bakeries are unbelievable and there are so many! Getting in a lot of walking.
Traveling internationally, at least to the U.K. and Ireland, is very easy and much like traveling to any point in the states, except you need to show your passport and you hear very little English with so many tourists here from around the world.
I love you and miss you. Can't wait to see you tomorrow...
Love, hugs and kisses...
"Pauli"
2010 © Copyright Paula Damon. A resident of Southeast South Dakota, Paula Damon is a national and state award-winning columnist. Her columns have won first-place in National Federation of Press Women, South Dakota Press Women and Iowa Press Women Communications Contests. In the 2009 and 2010 South Dakota Press Women Communications Contest, Paula's columns took first-place statewide. To contact Paula, email pauladamon@iw.net, follow her blog at www.my-story-your-story.blogspot.com and find her on Facebook.
Letters from the United Kingdom
I have just recently returned from a nine-day tour of Ireland, Wales and England. What follows are excerpts from my emails to my husband in South Dakota about my travels...
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Hi Brian -
Most of our tour group did not sleep on the seven-hour overnight flight from Chicago.
We are in Dublin today through Thursday morning. Tomorrow we will tour the Irish countryside. You would love the architecture here - it is very ornate and somewhat exotic.
Ireland is very small and the Dublin urban area has only about 1.75 million people. The total population of Ireland is right around 3.8 million.
Even with all these people, there's not as much traffic as there is in Los Angeles, Chicago or San Diego. That's because there are strict rules on carbon emissions and use of fossil fuels. High taxes are placed on driving larger vehicles and it's just plain easier getting around on mass transit, bicycles or on foot. Consequently, everyone appears fit.
Trinity College is amazing and ancient with cobblestone courtyards. We visited one of the university's four libraries called the Long Room, which literally is a very long room with at least 50-foot ceilings and 200,000 books.
We are staying in a quaint hotel outside of Dublin proper. The countryside in this part of Ireland reminds me a lot of Southern California. In town, there are many flowering chestnut trees. Everyone is very nice and helpful.
On Thursday morning, we will depart Ireland and travel across the Irish Sea on the Ulysses, which is the largest seafaring ferry boat in the world. We will be in Wales for a day or so and then will make our way by tour bus, or "coach" as buses are called here, down to London for the rest of our stay.
Hope you are having a good week. If everything goes well and the flights are not canceled due to volcanic ash, I will be home on May 26. I love and miss you very much.
XOXOX,
Paula
Saturday, May 22, 2010
My dear sweet Brian,
Glad to hear the puppies are doing well. Please give each one an extra long hug for me. I miss you very much.
We are in London, which has a population of about seven million. There are people everywhere! Riding the above ground light rail and the subway in London takes getting used to!
Did you know that health care is totally free in the U.K. and so is a college education if you pass the entrance exam and qualify financially.
In London, people seem to dress more formally than we do in the states. Male office workers wear suits and ties, women are attired in skirts and dresses.
London is very international with over 300 languages. English seems to be a second language because I hear very little of it here. Traveling internationally is quite easy. It is not very different from air travel to New York or California, except for having to go through Customs. There's so much to see and do and life is so short.
Take good care. My prayers are with you. More later...
XOXOXO,
Paula
2010 © Copyright Paula Damon. A resident of Southeast South Dakota, Paula Damon is a national and state award-winning columnist. Her columns have won first-place in National Federation of Press Women, South Dakota Press Women and Iowa Press Women Communications Contests. In the 2009 and 2010 South Dakota Press Women Communications Contest, Paula's columns took first-place statewide. To contact Paula, email pauladamon@iw.net, follow her blog at www.my-story-your-story.blogspot.com and find her on Facebook.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Hi Brian -
Most of our tour group did not sleep on the seven-hour overnight flight from Chicago.
We are in Dublin today through Thursday morning. Tomorrow we will tour the Irish countryside. You would love the architecture here - it is very ornate and somewhat exotic.
Ireland is very small and the Dublin urban area has only about 1.75 million people. The total population of Ireland is right around 3.8 million.
Even with all these people, there's not as much traffic as there is in Los Angeles, Chicago or San Diego. That's because there are strict rules on carbon emissions and use of fossil fuels. High taxes are placed on driving larger vehicles and it's just plain easier getting around on mass transit, bicycles or on foot. Consequently, everyone appears fit.
Trinity College is amazing and ancient with cobblestone courtyards. We visited one of the university's four libraries called the Long Room, which literally is a very long room with at least 50-foot ceilings and 200,000 books.
We are staying in a quaint hotel outside of Dublin proper. The countryside in this part of Ireland reminds me a lot of Southern California. In town, there are many flowering chestnut trees. Everyone is very nice and helpful.
On Thursday morning, we will depart Ireland and travel across the Irish Sea on the Ulysses, which is the largest seafaring ferry boat in the world. We will be in Wales for a day or so and then will make our way by tour bus, or "coach" as buses are called here, down to London for the rest of our stay.
Hope you are having a good week. If everything goes well and the flights are not canceled due to volcanic ash, I will be home on May 26. I love and miss you very much.
XOXOX,
Paula
Saturday, May 22, 2010
My dear sweet Brian,
Glad to hear the puppies are doing well. Please give each one an extra long hug for me. I miss you very much.
We are in London, which has a population of about seven million. There are people everywhere! Riding the above ground light rail and the subway in London takes getting used to!
Did you know that health care is totally free in the U.K. and so is a college education if you pass the entrance exam and qualify financially.
In London, people seem to dress more formally than we do in the states. Male office workers wear suits and ties, women are attired in skirts and dresses.
London is very international with over 300 languages. English seems to be a second language because I hear very little of it here. Traveling internationally is quite easy. It is not very different from air travel to New York or California, except for having to go through Customs. There's so much to see and do and life is so short.
Take good care. My prayers are with you. More later...
XOXOXO,
Paula
2010 © Copyright Paula Damon. A resident of Southeast South Dakota, Paula Damon is a national and state award-winning columnist. Her columns have won first-place in National Federation of Press Women, South Dakota Press Women and Iowa Press Women Communications Contests. In the 2009 and 2010 South Dakota Press Women Communications Contest, Paula's columns took first-place statewide. To contact Paula, email pauladamon@iw.net, follow her blog at www.my-story-your-story.blogspot.com and find her on Facebook.
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