Subject: Traveling w/Scopes
Date: Jan 13 18:34:04 2004
From: Georgia Conti - Georgia.Conti at Seattle.Gov


In terms of international air travel, we took our scope plus binocs to
Mexico in late Sept/early Oct and carried them in a day pack. I was
happy to do this because I've had things stolen from my checked baggage
and didn't want to lose these items. The security personnel, of
course, asked to look at the scope, and I explained that I'm a bird
watcher. We had no problems at all clearing through security, and really
it didn't take much time. Less time than taking off our shoes and
retying the laces. We also had an easel, paint box, and cigar case,
all of resulted in more scrutiny than the optics. We put the tripod in
our checked bags, with no questions asked about it either going or
coming.

Last year, in May, we traveled by air with scope and tripod to Turkey.
On this trip, we put these items in our checked bags, which proved to be
more of a hassle in terms of time to unpack and repack things than
carrying the scope and binocs on board with us. Again, the cigar case
and paint box caused much more curiousity. I speak Turkish, however,
which sometimes helps speed things up.

For domestic travel, we've carried our optics on board with no hassles.


Georgia Conti
Seattle, WA georgia.conti at seattle.gov