Our daughter was a babe in arms and the 3 of us presented ourselves to the immigration officer who immediately took umbrage over the fact we were not married. I said we are a family. I was told in no uncertain terms that we were not. I was asked to step back to the line. I asked the lady who she would like our daughter to be separated from, her mother or her father. I was told to step back to the yellow line, and of course I did. The officer then proceeded to ask the soon to become Mrs gdi how much money she was carrying. The not yet Mrs gdi turned to me and asked me how much money we were carrying. "No, not him, how much have you got?" None was her reply. "Where are you staying in the US?" Turning to me the soon to be Mrs gdi asked where are we staying. "Don't talk to him" shouted the officer.
Yes, looking back its funny.....but what did you/your wife think at the time? Why are they shouting at you?
My visits to the US on business are such that I rarely know where I am staying before I arrive. Immigration dont like this. I have actually been told by a couple of immigration guys to always write down a hotel, even if I know I wont stay there, so as not to get hassled on future visits.
The UK is also not a pleasant place to fly from, but luckily I can pretty much avoid the UK airports.... I think that the UK security is more petty than the USA with a rules is rules pompousness that definitely comes across as rude, as opposed to the more agressive nature of the TSA.
What gets me is that most of the "security" we see at airports is window dressing, what with granny parker being relieved of her knitting needles, evian and nail file.....its all so pointless... Id much rather everyone on the flight was given a foot long machete.....