Then I traveled abroad for the first time, I was going to Egypt.

After I landed in Cairo Airport, the immigration officer asked me ‘Is it your first time traveling abroad’ (looking at the only visa in my passport).

I said, ‘Yes’.

After 2 minutes, she said, please wait in the waiting area.

I kept waiting for 2 hours and gradually she left. Now, I was the only person in the entire terminal building apart from a sweeper who was cleaning the terminal.

After half an hour (2.5 hours of waiting), the sweeper comes to me and asks ‘Passport, passport?’.

I said ‘Yes, I have been waiting for 2.5 hours’.

He said ‘Come to me’. (took me to to the men’s toilet)

He says ‘100 Dollars’.

For one moment, I was shocked. Looking at how corrupt the system was.

I had 1000 thought in my mind.

But I thought it’s better to be practical.

I started bargaining.

Back then, 1 USD was equal to 6 Egyptian Pounds i.e. 100 USD = 600 EGP.

So, I started bargaining and we settled down at 30 Egyptian Pounds. (Yes! I did a lot of drama)

Then, he agreed and said ‘Wait for me. I will tell you when you have to come to me’

In the mean time, he got me my luggage since it was the only bag on the luggage belt and the entire terminal was empty.

After 15 minutes, he was standing at the immigration counter and created a sound to call me near him, holding my passport in his hand.

Well, I don’t know what came to my mind.

But, suddenly, instead of taking out money from my wallet, I started walking towards him.

By the time I reached the counter, he opened the gate.

I start to find the visa page.

AND SUDDENLY, I RAN LIKE IT WAS THE LAST MOMENT OF MY LIFE.

That was the fastest I have ever run.

culled from QUORA

oh my God, Nigeria's on the brink of extinction. the internet may soon bring down Nigeria.

Some years ago, I was travelling home via Malaga Airport, Spain. A security officer asked me to place my watch in the tray to be x-rayed. I said that my watch had never triggered the alarm but she insisted that it was standard policy at Malaga to remove the watch.

I placed my watch on top of the tray, and the security officer then engaged me in conversation, asking where I had been and what kind of work I do.

When I reached the other side of the x-ray machine, my watch had gone.

When I told the person scanning the tray contents he claimed that there had been no watch. I asked him to scroll back through his film to my tray. He scrolled back to someone else’s and said ‘there is no watch.’ I protested that this was not my tray on screen. He said it was, and if was unhappy I should speak to the airport police.

I went to the airport police office and a guy looking like Coolhand Luke emerged, cigarette in mouth, shades, and hand on pistol.

He went back to the security gate with me and said ‘This gentleman says his watch has been taken from his tray.’ The security guy said ‘There was no watch.’ The policeman said ‘There was no watch, now go and get your flight. The more I protested, the more firmly he gripped his gun. I don’t like to argue with a man with a gun.

When I arrived home, an internet search revealed that this scam was (at that time) common at Malaga Airport.