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Friday, June 29, 2012

trip wrap-up


all I need is an excuse to use the typewriter on the plane

imagine my shock at finding this damage to the Tippa

the knob was nowhere to be found.
I suspect that the Zurich security personnel tried moving the carriage and levered the knob right off, and it must have pinged away under something.  In hindsight, when I offered to open the typewriters for their inspection they seemed anxious for me to be on my way "No no you're fine, go ahead!" they told me.  I'm trying to glue on a replacement from one of my cork tops.
At the other checkpoint, where I checked baggage and had carry-ons approved before the search area, the security lady seemed unnerved by the typewriters and that one had been gifted to me, but the supervisor she called over had a more bemused outlook and took it in stride, especially after learning I am a collector.  She came later to the gate and recognized me as "the typewriter man" and told me that in her off hours she has a second-hand store and had sold a simplex once for over 100 Fr.  At that time I had not yet concluded the damage had occurred at security or I'd have complained. 

5 comments:

  1. Your Tippa experience is outrageous! You should file a complaint!
    Your Swiss trip was a very nice and active time for the Swiss Typosphere - thanks for your visit!

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  2. I haven't any evidence to back it up, just deduced it after long reflection on where the tippa had been.

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  3. Oh, dear, I am terribly sorry to see what happened to that beautiful Tippa. The only time I traveled with a typewriter on a plane, I had it in my checked baggage under a bunch of stuff... no one asked to see it and it arrived unscathed.

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  4. I recently flew back from Europe with an Adler model 32 and a small unopened jar of peanut butter in my checked baggage. Guess what? they must have x-rayed the suitcase because there were so many flyers inside indicating that it had been searched and examined! I can imagine what this must have looked like on their x-ray screen. Also had a Groma Kolibri in my carry-on bag that passed security with not even a second look.

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  5. On my recent trip to Europe I didn't have trouble with my typewriters -- just some positive comments from the security personnel. But they did tsk-tsk my little jars of pesto I bought in Rome. I always forget about the liquids rule!!

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