Things are not created equal, I know. And neither are airline baggage rules, so I've discovered. During the last x years we've seesawed between US & Finland, we've always carried two bags per passenger, max 25Kg each bag. Not so between Asia and Europe. It's 20Kg per passenger, period. The Asians are not just tiny. They must also carry tiny suitcases. 

So as we are packing all our souveniers and Finnish food into our two huge suitcases on the morning of our departure, I somehow get a funny feeling we should double check the weight limits before heading out to the airport. Two calls to KLM confirm the one bag, max 20Kg per person rule and we go into a repacking frenzy. Two old, smaller suitcases are dug from Mummu and Pappa's basement and masterpacker Peterson is put into the ultimate test to fit everything within the weight and time restrictions available (now four bag and minus two hours to airport transport). He does it with skill and precision and we feel ok about the little episode now behind us. At the airport we smile at ourselves for being so smart about everything and think nothing of the food packed in our luggage.

We actually feel so good that in Amsterdam we stop at the deli and buy eight more pounds of prime aged Gouda that can still fit into our hand luggage. Little do we realize that with the Olympics (or not, who knows), stricter enforcement is awaiting us in China--Chinese Sniffer Dogs.

Fourteen hours later we land in Shanghai and move like zombies through the passport control and look like the living dead waiting for our four bags. First one comes down the belt just fine, second one too and then the third one. When I see the fourth one coming, I nudge David who snaps awake just to see that a CSD (Chinese Sniffer Dog) has taken a very special interest in our bag. The custom's guy pulls it swiftly off the belt and slaps a yellow sticker on it for "Special Inspection Required". Great. I'm starting to get the picture...

David follows the custom's guy to the special inspection area and signals me to take the other luggage, the carry-ons & the kids and head out to the customs on my own. We simply exchange glances as the gravity of our situation is sinking in...the aged Gouda must be saved--even if it means one of us must go down. 

So there I am, with the suitcases piled high, three carry-ons and a backpack (full of Gouda) alternating between yanking the half-asleep kids forward and pushing the luggage cart with a bum wheel towards the customs scanner. Gratefully, we make it to the other side and wait for David and the last remaining suitcase.

David arrives right after us and in the car he tells me his side of the adventure. At the special inspection site, he was asked to describe what food was in the "special" suitcase before it was opened. He guessed they were after the Gouda so (in Chinese) told the inspector "probably chocolate and cheese". The special customs team then proceeded to dig through the suitcase but in the end found no stinky cheese--loads of chocolate but no cheese.

So what happened? As they zipped up the suitcase again David spotted the likely source of the problem...um yeah...his running clothes in a plastic bag with 2 days of prior "wear" and 14 hours of trans-continental "pickling" time in the hot cargo area. No wonder the dog went for the suitcase ..."woof woof...that must be Camembert I smell?!"

If this episode doesn't give me the right to burn the old workout clothes and buy him new ones, I don't know what does! :)