[Harp-L] Traveling with instruments

[George Brooks <gbrooks@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Winslow asks:

>Who is willing to check their harps in as luggage to avoid
>the hassle of schlepping, explaining to baggage screeners, etc., and  
who insists
>on keeping their harps in their possession the entire time?

I keep them with me because I can't afford to lose them.  With checked  
baggage it is always a gamble.  My luggage has been delayed for at  
least 24 hours on three occasions and once my suitcase arrived on time  
but badly torn (ballistic nylon, too; the airline replaced it).  And I  
don't even fly that much!  The process at airport security is almost  
always painless although I once had an experience like Bill's where  
the woman to whose table I was directed had me open my harp case and  
then, with astonishing quickness for a person of advanced middle age,  
plucked a Filisko from its slot, jammed it in her mouth, and honked on  
it tunelessly for a good thirty seconds.  Then returned it to its slot  
and grinned up at me, clearly immensely pleased with herself.  I  
smiled back weakly....

It's nice to be able to brighten up the day of someone who, after all,  
must have a pretty boring job.  The urge to do her unspeakable  
violence passed in mere weeks.