A Surprise in Store

The good thing about travelling with a friend is the company. Sharing memorable moments with someone else definitely makes the trip more enjoyable. However, travelling with someone for the first time, may slip into the category of "Prepare to be Surprised," as I discovered a few days ago.

Airport security is there for a reason. We're all getting used to the heightened measures we must endure if we want to fly anywhere. A security officers job is to decipher those who may pose a threat, to the rest of us. But for a brief moment, my travel buddy (TB) and I stepped over into that other category and all I could think was... 'If this turns out well, this is going to make a great blog, if not, please check visiting hours at the local prison!'

My TB is a young, organised and articulate woman, so it came as a surprise when she was challenged at the airport luggage x-ray about aerosol cans. She'd been asked if she had any aerosols and she even checked and thought she must have left them at home, until the x-ray machine confirmed they were in her luggage. I just smiled, thinking it was quite amusing that just like a women's handbag, a carry-on suitcase was just as impossible to find anything and perhaps even more so because it was bigger.

When she walked through the metal detector her underwire bra set off the alarm! I giggled. It was so entertaining. The aerosols were located and her bag was put back through the x-ray machine once more for good measure. I was still giggling because she looked so surprised and so incredibly innocent. It was all fun and games (though trying to be composed and mature about the seriousness of the situation. Ahem!), until I got selected for a 'random' explosive test while I was waiting for her. Not giggling now. I didn't say a word. I knew it was just routine so there wasn't really a problem but we were still stuck at security and our plane was due to board any minute.

So the test was all good but TB was still being questioned at the x-ray machine. Apparently they'd found a pair of scissors too! Who was this person travelling with me? After seeing the movie, "Are We There Yet?" I'd been so careful to double check my hand luggage in case my toddler had slipped a shiny, metallic object inside so Mummy had something pretty to 'play' with on the plane. "Oh great," I chuckled, "I'm travelling with Angela Scissorhands!" The Underwire Lady strikes again.

As soon as the scissors were located and disposed of 'responsibly' we were on our way to the plane... or so we thought. Enter, centre stage, yet another explosive testing security officer, who approached us and flashed her laminated A4 notice at ME.... not Scissor Lady. I promptly informed her I'd already been 'randomly' tested but she didn't believe me and thrust out her hand in the 'stop' position. Hrmph! After a quick check with the other officer we were given permission to proceed. Given the "all clear" we were now able to laugh about it all the way to our gate, until we discovered our plane had been delayed for an hour. No more laughing.

And so the moral of the story is: carefully choose who you travel through life with. While good companions strengthen us, give support and help us flourish, the wrong associations could lead us along an entirely different path, that may involve surgical gloves and some cold lubricating gel! Seriously though, it may cause regret, limit your options and make you want to give up on your dreams.

All in all, we had a good laugh and no one was arrested. It was amusing for others too. My husband sent me a text message which read: ENJOY THE STRIP SEARCH. Hilarious. But next time I fly with TB, I'm checking her luggage myself!

copyright 2010 Philippa Vette