If anyone is travelling out to Africa, I would recommend using a courier such as DHL to get your films back to the UK, same could be said for most of Africa. I recently returned from my home country (Zimbabwe) and despite having a brand new airport with all the modern facilities, they'd successfully managed to break half of it within a year and were using the oldest x-ray machine I have ever had the misfortune to meet. I was using clear LowePro film transport packs in hand luggage, minus film cannisters and had them ready for hand inspection but the officials refused to look at them, the official simply snatched the whole lot and threw them into the x-ray and said 'its too late now'. I would have expected the customary hint for a bribe before it got to that but anyway.
I guess moral of the story is beware of antiquated and poorly maintained x-ray machines and do expect primitive behaviour from officials, particularly in Zimbabwe. The cost of a courier pales in comparison to the cost of a wasted trip and as far as I know, courier packets of small envelope size rarely get subjected to x-ray. Not all of my film was ruined but a significant proportion bore scars fwiw. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of R.Stone Sent: 02 July 2003 04:36 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [PRODIG] US baggage screening I just got back from going to the Philippines from the US. What I did to speed up the process in the airports was to remove the film from the boxes and canisters and put it in plastic zip lock bags. I asked for a hand check in 6 different airports and had no problems. I kept empty the canisters in my luggage and put the film back in while I was there and removed it on the return trip. The lead lined bags won't do you any good because the x ray equipment will increase power until it can see thru it and damage your film. Rick ----- Original Message ----- From: "Alfred Loeb" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, July 01, 2003 9:58 PM Subject: RE: [PRODIG] US baggage screening > At US airports you can request hand inspection of film. If you have a large > number of rolls get there very early. > > Al Loeb > > > > > "Equipment used for screening checked baggage <will> damage your > > undeveloped film". > > > > Mike Russell > > -- > > Mouse in the House, London > > http://www.mouseinthehouse.co.uk > > =============================================================== > > GO TO http://www.prodig.org for ~ GUIDELINES ~ un/SUBSCRIBING ~ > > ITEMS for > > SALE > > > =============================================================== > GO TO http://www.prodig.org for ~ GUIDELINES ~ un/SUBSCRIBING ~ ITEMS > for SALE > =============================================================== GO TO http://www.prodig.org for ~ GUIDELINES ~ un/SUBSCRIBING ~ ITEMS for SALE =============================================================== GO TO http://www.prodig.org for ~ GUIDELINES ~ un/SUBSCRIBING ~ ITEMS for SALE
