And There Was Customs and Duty...

We arrived in Guatemala City after being awake for almost 24 hours.  We were tired!  As we were waiting for our baggage I noticed X-ray machines near the Customs Area.  Not a good sign.  Oh, well we finally got our bags, I think that they were the last ones off the plane.  No worries we are spending a couple of days in the City.

Now we notice that everyone is having their bags opened and searched  and some are asked to move over and go to see the officials behind glass.  I really got nervous when I saw that a fellow cruiser was sitting with his bags in front of the Customs Office.  This definitely is not good.

So here go the bags into the X-ray machine and now they are being opened and stuff is being removed and three people besides Michael are asking me questions.  Three are asking in Spanish.  Holy Crap Batman, we are in it now.  They are asking for receipts.  Receipts for what you ask?  Well,  there is the new 20" IMac computer, the depth finder, the new SSB Radio, the electric pump, the Wii and the Wii Fit Board, the wind instrument and varies other small electrical items.  You get the picture...we were burros for other cruisers and now we got to pay.
They want to know how much it all costs.  What is the right answer?  We made a stab at it and were told that we now would need an agent.  I couldn't find all the receipts and now we have our own customs person, Gina, who took over and took care of us.  Gina tells me to calm down, not a problem!  She takes what receipts I can find and goes over and talks to someone behind the GLASS.  She comes back.  We will not need an agent, but we will need NIT's.  NIT's are numbers in Guatemala so that you can pay your taxes and duty and customs.  Okay we can do that.  Only one more small problem, Cynthia is 14 and she will need a NIT.  Gina is trying very hard to keep me calm and move us along.   "Do you know anyone that has a NIT in Guatemala?"  "If you do we can use their number for some of the stuff and off you go."

I call Marco at the Marina and once again he helps us.  He gives his NIT and Mirna's NIT.  Paperwork is being done in triplicate and stamps are flying.  Now all we have to do is PAY!  Lucky us, we brought Quetzales with us and we still have some dollars.  After we pay all our customs and duty and for the NITs we have 20 Quetzales left.  That is about $2.50 US.  Thankfully we have a free airport shuttle.  We can't afford a cab.

We hit the ATM and get more money.  We are at the Biltmore, taking showers, eating pizza and drinking beer.  We are exhausted or "Estamos Fritos" as they say in Spanish.
The moral of this little tale is...never carry more that you can pay for and only be a burro for yourself.  Like I told my Dad, "Next time it is bathing suits and underwear!"