A Faux Pas in Australia
Sometime during the long flight from Manila to Hong Kong to Sydney, the flight attendant handed out Australia's immigration form. Groggy, I filled it out and when it came to the part about: Do you have fruit, vegetables, meat, etc. I decided to do what I usually do when I enter the United States. I generally check off "No" but I mention to the US Immigration Officer that I do have packaged cookies or candies. I know that the US is watching out primarily for fresh fruit and unprocessed meats; and the packaged and processed foods do not interest them. So, half asleep, I checked off "No" to the Australia form, with the intention of mentioning that I did have some food. I must confess dear Readers that when I travel I always bring some snack food; I like having "emergency" food during the flight and when I've just arrived a place.
When I arrived Sydney I noticed that the immigration officers were x-raying all suitcases and handchecking a large number of them. I quickly located an officer and made my confession and the person told me to tell the person up ahead, which I did. It turned out to be a serious matter and they took away my beef jerky and I was warned to fill out the form accurately next time, otherwise I'd get fined $200. I reminded the officer that I did tell them about it, that I'm used to the US where they just wave me off when I do my verbal declaration. No, problem, they let me off, but I did learn my lesson.
My friend Rose told me they are indeed very strict because their sheep and beef industries could be easily ruined by the entry of diseases such as Mad Cow and Hoof and Mouth Disease.
I understood this of course because sheep and cows were everywhere in Australia, and in fact their steaks are something wonderful (Argentina and New Zealand have comparably great steaks.)
Rose warned me that New Zealand is even more strict about the matter than Australia. And indeed New Zealand was! At every port stop, there were immigration officers making sure the passengers didn't bring any food, even non-bottled water off the ship. Some Princess passengers were caught with some food and were fined $200!
I emptied out my purse and checked the pockets of my coat, and did all right for the port stops, but just as Lauren and I were about to see the Immigration Officer in Auckland, I discovered some peanuts in my computer case! I almost panicked. My husband said, "Get rid of it!" and walked on ahead leaving me holding a bag of peanuts in my hand. There was no garbage can around. The people behind me said, "Eat them quickly!"
There was no time to do a thing except walk up to the Immigration Officer, who was of Indian background, and before she said a thing, I blurted out, "I found peanuts in my computer bag." The truth. It's the best recourse.
She glanced at it, and handed it back to me. "I don't want your peanuts."
On leaving, I told her that the whole thing made me nervous because I like to carry food with me, and they're squirreled away in my purses, pockets. She said, "I make you nervous?" She was young and nice; she was not mean about this whole matter at all. I said, "No, it's your country that makes me nervous. It's very strict."
Of course after seeing New Zealand, I understood why they would be anal about this whole matter. There are sheep, cows, fruit of all kinds (grapes, kiwi, apples, and more), lumber, etc, etc. - all important sources of income for this country.
Pictures show: Hops for beer, sheep being sheared, kiwi, and logs
Addendum:
(In New Zealand some parks had chickens running around scot free and which seemed to be there to keep the place clean. Imagine, no one had turned them into Fried Chicken!)
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