Don't take your scope to Morocco (1 Viewer)

[rollingthunder]

What i don't quite understand and i have been to Maroc 12 times down as far as Dakhla where believe me as soon as you go beyond Layouune there are endless 'security' checks. We were on a coach and the only pale faces so they were only really interested in us altho they did try and confiscate half our alcohol twice but as soon as the Bride started bristling they backed off . Is that your baggage is checked when leaving Blighty or wherever and i have never had my hand-luggage checked upon entry to Maroc so unless you are wearing bins around your neck i don't see how a birder would be different from any other tourist? The rear light on my folding bike was smashed by rough handling at Marrakesh Airport which was uncalled for as i had labelled the bag accordingly:C

Laurie:t:

 

[rollingthunder]

Opisska - calm down mate it's only a 'scope

As for Customs officials - JFK said the way you are treated at an airport is the way the Government would like to treat you all the time!

This was back in the early-60's and he was talking about his own country but the rest as they say is.....

I do not have any equipment on show (ooh Matron) at any airport it gives control freaks in whatever uniform someone they think they can push around.
I flew from Manchester to Lisbon and at the former they pulled my bag with its scope and monopod and gave it a grilling and i kept cool and gave them the full 9 yards of birding mantra/retired former teacher etc, then chipped in with the wrong demographic/religion/target audience etc - they confiscated a fookin bungee clip that i use for the monopod #puta:C

In Portugal i found a small Swiss Army knife and took it to customs where an armed female plod looked at it measured the blade and gave it to me to bring back:t:

Laurie -

 

[rollingthunder]

Peewit - get yer bloke to man up ffs

Reciprocate the invective adding the word 'Puta' - that will get their attention and hold it i can assure you.

Nobody needs to be treated or spoken to like Dog crap, it's a power and control thing - hold your ground, show a picture of Churchill and select a coupla fingers:t:

Laurie -

 

[Acrocephalus]

I don’t like to argue, so I will just mention some points.

False alarm refers to the alleged new rules or law. Everyone will agree that it was indeed a false alarm. Obviously it didn’t refer to the incidents.

In a civilised discussion, people don't take a slight criticism too personal. For example, if someone told you that you don’t know something, it’s not the end of world. But if one takes things too personal, he/she only makes life harder for themselves.

This link needs to stay at the of end of the thread (or if the OP, jacana, wants to edit his post and add it there, it would be even better):

For anyone truly interested, please see this blog-post (and read it until the end): http://www.magornitho.org/2019/09/birding-optics-morocco/

 

[Jos Stratford]

On a slightly different note, on my last visit to the country, I had a 'nice' official at airport give me an entry stamp in my passport, then promptly put a line through it when he discovered I didn't have booked accommodation (as I was planning to drive south and pick up accommodation somewhere on route). Said permission for me and my four year old to enter was denied and he waved me away back to the the masses behind the queue.

Rather stumped, I then had to invent a hotel (actually asked another tourist for a name) and then queued up at another immigration officer and had to then try to explain why I had a cancelled entry stamp - fortunately he didn't seem unduly concerned and was happy with the hotel name, so gave me a new entry stamp.

So, lesson here, if going to Morocco, as well as perhaps being wary about taking an expensive scope, make sure you have a hotel name to write on the immigration form

 

[rollingthunder]

That’s interesting Jos - we haven’t been for 3 years and never have booked digs as we usually have a choice of 3 which we decide on over a Coffee or preferably a beer upon exiting the Airport. I will make a note to have one to hand to put on that entry form thingy you have to fill in. We used to take some of those as spares to fill in on the flight so as to clear the passport controls quicker as we are hand-luggage only but now Ryan-Air hand them out like confetti in-flight.

Good birding -

Laurie:t:

 

[Acrocephalus]

So, lesson here, if going to Morocco, as well as perhaps being wary about taking an expensive scope, make sure you have a hotel name to write on the immigration form

I will make a note to have one to hand to put on that entry form thingy you have to fill in. We used to take some of those as spares to fill in on the flight so as to clear the passport controls quicker as we are hand-luggage only but now Ryan-Air hand them out like confetti in-flight.

That immigration form that you both talk about is now "history", it was scrapped last September. The Police Department said this will improve the services offered to the citizens and travellers (e.g. less queues at the airports and ports).

For the new visitors to this thread, don't forget to check the answer in post 12.

 

[Brian Stone]

I had my scope (carried in the checked suitcase) confiscated on entering Jordan (Amman airport) a few years ago. A fairly lengthy process involving interviews with multiple officials. Eventually, despite showing field guides, notebooks, etc. they kept the scope AND my bins. They did however leave me with my bridge camera - capable of optical mag twice that of the scope and of course of video. No logic and no amount of calm discussion, pleading would help. And I was accompanying my elderly mother. Still sore! I won't go back.

Never had any trouble on my many trips to Morocco, but then I stopped going quite a few years ago.

 

[Bubbs]

Confused? You soon will be!