NIGER TO FRANCE
Another run in with airport security. Back at the airport and I noticed the hustlers trying the same trick as they done to me, they recognised me and gave out a cheeky smile. They are smart I’ll give them that.
HI, CAN YOU FOLLOW ME PLEASE
The airport has no facilities, none! Not even a vending machine! So the guys outside know where the flights are going to and coming from so they have all the currency and everything else you need. With no regular flights, they knew I was heading to Algeria and had dirhams ready to exchange. How smart! Although mine was just a layover before France.
NEVER TAKE YOUR EYES OFF YOUR LUGGAGE
Another officer asked me to sit down. Initially, I thought ‘fuk that!’ but remembered two people you don’t refuse: officers and bartenders. So I took the seat.
One officer thoroughly checked my bag, which I had spent an hour perfecting. I was tense about the drone but kept it safe. I didn’t look at him but I knew which part of the bag he was looking through and which ‘packing cube’ he was handling. He took out my electronic case, chargers etc and had a hard long look at the controller. Having a drone here is more than likely illegal and if it’s it then well I expect to hear a new law passed right before my eyes.
BRINGING OUT THE DRONE
While this happened, the other officer was busy. I tried peeking at his screen but decided to stay put. If this guy sees the drone and flags it, they could accuse me of anything. They probably haven’t seen a drone and might jump to conclusions. Then I heard the drone case zip. Sh*t! He talked to the officer, and I tried to stay casual – impossible!
What happened next surprised me. He zipped it up, threw it back in, and said ‘ok, done.’ Relieved? A little, but I still had the main officer to deal with. He ask me to sign something and I thought about my rule, I can’t really refuse no matter what it is. Why ask me to sign if he found nothing? What if it’s an admission of guilt? I hoped he was honest.
DAFT
There really is a power thing is Africa which you do get at home but Africa is next level. I eventually got through security and the lady asked “is there a camera in your bag, can I see?” So I took it out and showed her only for another officer to shout at me that the camera was pointing towards him. The fu*king cover was on. Get me out of here!
Being searched, even in Europe, can be intimidating. In a country with changing, debatable laws, it’s a different level. That’s when they do stick with the law as ‘anything can happen from nothing.’ It also depends on the mood of the ‘officer’ something I wasn’t keen on even considering his earlier pleasantries.
MORE IMMIGRATION PROBLEMS
For sure one of the worst airports I have experienced so I was happy the flight left on time, something very unusual here and it was off to France via Algeria.
Empty planes are common here in Africa. There were enough free seats for everyone to have a row to themselves. The Algerian airport was a welcome change, back to modern facilities and a temperature you could cope with but the immigration staff again proved to be less than co operative.
ADDRESS!
The Algerian airport handles transfers oddly. You fill in an immigration card, get cleared by immigration, but don’t pass through. There were two Asian guys travelling together and dealing with separate officers. The first officer is going through the card that has been filled in and has asked for the young Chinese guy’s address,
‘Address?’
The guy doesn’t understand and can only shrug his shoulders in embarrassment
‘Address!’ The officer repeats
And when he still doesn’t get an answer the officer starts banging on the table shouting
‘Address, address?!!’
POWER TRIPS
Now looking over to his friend for possibly an answer or some help he is also getting the same bang on the desk! They wouldn’t be as demanding with a 6’6″ Nigerian on the other side of the plexiglass. Power trips are terrible here in Africa! I got the one of the officers, in question but having been surprised before I was shocked at how nice the officer was to me. But I would experience the opposite the next time I visit here.
FREE ROW
I was dealt a poor hand in the flight as well. When selecting a flight seat, there are things you definitely want to avoid. The back of the plane as you recline is restricted as well as extra movement in the plane and the middle seat. I ticked all of these boxes but out of pure luck once the doors were closed I had the entire row to myself, this makes a red eye flight all the easier
NEXT UP
A day in Lyon. Click to read.
SAFE TRAVELS, DS x
133/229
This post is part of the West Africa Series, pt1, click to explore or for episode 1 click here.
To watch the video of my trip, head to my highlights on my Instagram.
