What Not To Carry On
Posted on June 24, 2008
I write often about tips and ideas of what to carry on but this time I thought it might be a good idea to cover some of the things that you ought NOT carry on or for that matter, bring back period. I have seen a lot about this lately and it does warrant some attention. You see, some objects that are legal to buy and sell in foreign countries are illegal here in the U.S. Now that fact in itself does not surprise any frequent traveler. We all know not to bring back certain tobacco and alcohol items like Cuban cigars and Absinth. However, there are a host of other items that, because they’re made from endangered animals or plants, are illegal to bring back as well. Below is a global sampling of some big no-nos that appeared in a past issue of Conde Nast Traveler Magazine.
- Indonesia: Don’t buy products made from green and hawksbill turtles.
- South Africa: Don’t buy ivory or the skins of elephant, crocodile, snake, lion, jackal, leopard, zebra, or ostrich. Don’t buy ostrich eggs, mako shark or hippo teeth, porcupine quills, coral, or rare shells.
- Greece: Avoid tortoise-shell, ivory, or cat fur.
- Italy: Only buy pork products that are stamped and sealed for export into the U.S.
- The Netherlands: Flower bulbs must have a U.S. phytosanitary certificate.
- Caribbean: Don’t buy turtle oil or tortoise shell. Avoid reef flora and fauna and anything made with bird feathers (trust me on this one).
The entire list of what not to bring back appeared in Conde Nast Traveler’s October 2007 issue.
The World Wide Will
MedjetAssist -Take Trips, Not Chances
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well done, man