After four and a half years of living and working away from home I am finally home to live again. I cant describe the feeling and the fact that I don't have to fly out again in a week or two hasn't really sunk in yet and doesn't feel real. What is real is that I have managed to repatriate nearly all of my watches and associated bits. If you have been following my previous threads you will understand why this final step was full of a reasonable amount of trepidation. https://omegaforums.net/threads/seven-more-repatriated.58081/ https://omegaforums.net/threads/nothing-like-adding-a-bit-of-stress-to-travel.57071/ Started by packing, re-packing and re-packing again over a two week period. Being as comfortable with my strategy as I could be my journey started at about 12.30 yesterday morning. My strategy was to place one or two or three (cheaper) watches in each checked in bag and then have twelve watches on my person. Check in and security went smoothly for both airports, only final hurdle of arrival left. Arrived early and passed through immigration incredibly quickly and proceeded to the baggage carousel expecting to see bright yellow customs tape all over my luggage. The luggage was as swift as the preceding steps and no yellow tape, woohoo things are looking good. Next hurdle was baggage xray but unbelievably they wave me through with no xray, this I could not believe and was laughing out loud on the inside as I almost skipped out of the airport to my waiting taxi. I am home as happy as can be and will now have to rehabilitate my self to living a normal life again Some pics of the watch related goods that came with me amongst my other accumulated posessions:
Welcome (back) home. I don't know if I could have done it, that's a long time to be away, and the stress of getting all that booty back home must have been intense.
Couple good looking early Conquests in the mix. Congrats on dodging the tax man. Where were you emigrating to?
Glad the move went off without a hitch and everyone made it home without getting fondleded by Customs Now what is first on the list to acquire now that you're home?
I am very lucky that I have a brilliant wife. We would Skype at least once, frequently twice a day and there was always a smile on the other end. Watches and this place always kept me occupied when I was not working so owe a huge thankyou to OF. Now what is first on the list to acquire now that you're home?[/QUOTE] Don't know what is next. It is much harder now as you cannot import used items into Vietnam unless you carry them in. I was thinking about how much watch related stuff that I had repatriated over three trips and was a bit surprised. The cat (Ziggy) in the pics was also repatriated
I'm really glad to read that the final trip is complete and the ending is a happy one! Enjoy being back home good sir.
12 watches on your person?!? I don't suppose you have a picture of that you could share do you? I have much 'enjoyed' reading your threads on this nail-biting adventure. But the tension...! It has been palpable. Most of all, I am delighted to hear that it has ended well. And great to see pics of your amazing collection. Best wishes. N.
Fantastic finale Pete. Can I show these pics to Ms JimInOz? It'll help her understand that I'm not insane .
Hah, she is a rather rotund girl that i have owned for 15-20 years. She stayed at home so no need for repatriation. You have my blessing. Nutbags unite