If someone asks me what my impression of North Africa is, I will not hesitate to answer: sunshine! The sunshine of the Mediterranean, the sunshine of the city streets and the sunshine of people.
If someone asks me what unforgettable experience I have in North Africa, I can't answer in a few words; Because there are many funny, funny, touching, sad, exciting and thrilling stories.
Tell a funny experience on the plane when I first entered Africa; And I was forced to give someone a $65,438+00 bonus when I left the airport.
At that time, Air France refused to open flights between Paris and Algiers. After I flew from Beijing to Paris alone, I had to take an Algerian Airlines plane to fly across the Mediterranean and arrive in Algiers.
When I first took an Emirates flight, there were only about half of the passengers on the plane.
Fortunately, it was not full, because the Arab aunt sitting next to me with a kind expression easily filled two seats; What should she do if the plane is full!
Not long after the plane took off, I was surprised to find that the Arab in the front seat actually took out a lighter and lit a cigarette, sitting in his seat and began to smoke!
You know, you can take a lighter with you on flights in Europe, and you can even smoke in the back of the plane in the early years, but you are absolutely not allowed to smoke in your seat.
I am a smoker, too. Should I order one?
While hesitating, the Arab aunt next to me smiled and pointed to my shirt pocket and made another smoking action.
Ok, I took out two cigarettes, and then I smoked in an airplane seat for the first time in my life.
This is really a funny and weird feeling.
By the way, an experience of flying from Paris to Algiers by Emirates is quite interesting.
This should be my third trip to Algeria. After boarding the Emirates flight, I found that I was the only Asian face in the cockpit.
I have no time to eat because I have to make a quick connecting flight at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. I was hungry when I got on the plane of Emirates. After the plane entered a smooth flight, I quickly invited the stewardess of Emirates to have lunch.
The stewardess quickly brought me a set meal, which looked quite rich!
When I put the first piece of beef in my mouth, I suddenly found that Arab passengers around me were staring at me with strange eyes! I have no idea about the specific reason and meaning of this strange look, but I was staring at it, and my heart was a little hairy and uncomfortable.
I looked around-strange, why don't they eat? Isn't Tuan hungry?
As a result, when I crustily skin of head ate more than half, I suddenly realized: Ramadan! This is Ramadan for Arabs!
Arabs have to abide by many rules and regulations during Ramadan: for example, devout Muslims are not allowed to eat, smoke and have sex after sunrise and before sunset.
It's noon. They are not hungry, but they can't eat when they are hungry!
No wonder they stare at me like this!
Well, I ate it anyway, so I crustily skin of head and carried the lunch to the end.
This is probably the hardest scalp in my life.
When I first entered Algeria, the formalities of entry, security and customs declaration gave me a headache.
The official language of Algeria is Arabic, but I can't speak either.
I'm not very good at English either. What is terrible is that Algerian customs officers speak Arabic English just like speaking Arabic. I pricked up my ears and tried to listen, but I could only understand roughly. Even after being repeated several times, I am still at a loss!
Fortunately, Algerians are very friendly to China people. Even if they don't know each other, people will still smile: Welcome to Algeria!
Next, you have to declare your laptop and camera, and you have to declare your own dollars. At that time, Algeria was a foreign exchange control country, and the law stipulated that it was not allowed to bring more than that amount of US dollars into the country.
By the way: At that time, many China people who were doing business in Algeria would sew a hollow belt for themselves if they wanted to take the earned dollars abroad, roll the dollars into a small tube, put them in the belt and tie them around their waist to take them out. Of course, if it is seized, it will be too bad and will be completely confiscated.
After the customs declaration, the last link is the possible baggage spot check.
Supposedly, the old man is disgraceful and looks up to no good. As a result, it was stopped by the prosecutor, and the bearded policeman motioned me to open the big box.
I can't help but gasp.
Don't get me wrong-I went to Africa for serious work, not smuggling rhinoceros horns or ivory.
But why do I feel tight?
It's all my colleagues who arrived in Algiers early-they have been here for more than three months and are insatiable about pork. They asked me to bring them some sealed products such as pork, ham, pork sausage.
I was a little worried at that time, so I asked them if they would be detained when they entered the customs. Will I be in trouble after being detained?
Their answer is: people are just checking and may not find you; If you find out, it's not a big deal. Algeria is a secular Arab country after all.
It's okay now, I'm caught-the bearded police officer pointed to those sealed products and asked with a Gherardini face: What is this?
What do you want me to say? I can't say: well, this is an indescribable thing!
When the bearded policeman saw that I couldn't pick up the words, he understood in an instant; People don't touch that pile of things and don't ask me routinely. They just looked at me and let me taste the expression on his face.
In fact, it is not difficult to taste-that expression reveals a trace of expectation, without any hint.
Copy that, copy that.
I rummaged in my pocket, and there was a small square in it-a small square that I had folded with a ten-dollar bill, which didn't take up the space in my hand!
With a friendly smile, I stepped forward and shook hands with him warmly!
After the enthusiasm passed, the small square was also passed to him.
He immediately smiled more sweetly than I did, and with a wave of his hand, he let me go with my big suitcase.
In this way, I finally walked out of Algiers International Airport and breathed the fresh air in North Africa.
People always make progress by groping.
Take me for example. Then I became very experienced. Before going abroad, I prepared a big bag of small boxes of cool oil. Seeing the police and soldiers, I greeted others and sent two boxes. By the way, I raised the cool oil into a panacea.
Now it seems that this trick probably doesn't work, but it was still very useful in those days: for example, the clover tower commemorating the liberation in Algiers was not allowed to park private cars, but my car was not only free to park near the tower, but also allowed to take photos with soldiers who refused to take pictures.
After all, they all took my cool oil and knew me.
In addition, you don't have to think that bringing pork products into China is a great offense to local people.
You may not know that there are also local vendors selling wild boar secretly in the vegetable market in Algiers.
On the outskirts of Algiers, in order to protect their crops, local farmers will also shoot and directly put down the destructive wild boar.
After putting down the food, it's our turn to add food-people can't handle it themselves, so they will call us as soon as possible: China friend, please help us move the long nose in the field. ...
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