Funniest Thing for March

Tell ITN about the funniest thing that ever happened to you while traveling in a foreign country. There are no restrictions on length. (ITN prints no info on destinations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean.) The ITN staff will choose each month’s winner, who will receive a free one-year subscription to ITN. Entries not chosen cannot be acknowledged.

This month’s winner is GARY MOCKLI of Chesterfield, MO:

When I travel, I always stuff the spare room in my suitcase with plastic bags. They are handy for wet clothes, impromptu carrying cases, etc. Some of these bags are ones that I picked up on prior trips and then shoved into my closet until needed.

A few years ago, about the time of the SARS hysteria, I was in the Bangkok, Thailand, airport walking to the gate for my flight to Bhutan. That morning, needing something in which to carry my reading material for the airport/flight, I had pulled out a bag that I picked up at a Canadian duty-free shop. It was emblazoned with a large Canadian maple leaf.

What’s the worst that could happen? Someone might think I’m Canadian? No big problem!

Thinking nothing of it, I approach­ed the gate only to see a sign that stated, “Due to cases of SARS in Canada and the United Kingdom, citizens or visitors to those countries will not be admitted to Bhutan.”

Needless to say, I quickly turned around and ditched the bag.