Spotted this fine example of lateral thinking on another forum :)

"Something you might want to consider buying for y2k preparation is 1 or 2 fully-refundable first class/business class tickets for each person in your family. Put the travel date sometime out in the future, like maybe 6 months from now.

The idea being that if something were to suddenly happen, like nuclear meltdown, biological attack, war, rioting, etc, you will have already paid for your ticket. You can grab your belongings - airline tickets, passport, cash, gold coins ( gold coins don't stand out in x-ray machines but silver coins do - even 1 ) , and head straight for the airport. Having your first class tickets, you can merely tell the check-in desk to change them for immediate departure. It may mean you getting on a flight when the next guy doesn't.

Have a couple of destinations considered. Think of a country where you would blend in. I would choose between N. America, Europe, Oz/NZ. NZ may be one of the best places because of its neutrality. Argentina may also be a consideration. Check to see if you need a visa for your destination. Oz asks for visas, but they give out 4 yr. visas for 6 month stays.

Pay for tickets by cash so that if you bought extra tickets, after arriving in the destination country, then you will be able to redeem one of your fully-redeemable tickets for cash. I'm not sure about specific airline policy, but it seems that if you pay by cc, then they debit your cc, if you pay by check then you get a check, if by cash then you get cash or check.

Choose a reputable carrier, and go through a travel agent as the prices are better. Shop around, a lot of travel agents have deals with certain airlines on business/first class.

Then there is the problem of Y2k shutting down airplanes for a while. Financially weak airlines may not be able to pay creditors without ticket revenue and may cancel flights. As it is now, airlines WON'T FLY the days before and after Jan. 1 because they can't get insurance. No insurance, no flights.

The flights might recommence on, let's say the 8th of january, but all ticketing is done by hand. You have a ticket so you're set. Also consider having foreign currency. I know the USD is fiat-non-grata but it is the most widely acceptable currency in the world, so have a good amount on hand stashed and ready to go."

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Wonder if I can get tickets for Club Med for WTSHTF :)

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), November 07, 1999

Answers

Who told you gold coins don't stand out in x-rays?

-- John Beck (eurisko111@aol.com), November 07, 1999.

OOPS!

My mistake. I missed the comment at the begining. I have to say this has got my vote for the dumbest thing ever said about Y2K.

Think this person would like to but a slightly used bridge cheap? No checks, cash only small bills please.

-- John Beck (eurisko111@aol.com), November 07, 1999.

NZ Neutral???

Thats a good one! LOL

-- matt (whome@somewhere.nz), November 07, 1999.

Tickets please for Bali, or maybe Tahiti, for WTSHTF. (sigh)

-- Psychotic (y2k@doom&gloom.com), November 07, 1999.

Actually Mr. Beck you're wrong. I worked for the Airlines for many many years and got the usual staff perks - free and 10% travel on a standby basis.

All went fine until once I ended up sleeping for 3 days at Cape Town airport trying to get back to Joburg to get back to London.

The only folks getting out of Cape Town were those with first class seats and/or a confirmed res and/or some pull...

Think outside of the box John and you will see it makes a lot of sense...

(By the way I have two passports and will have three if I go for US citizenship... it pays to keep your options open...:) )

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), November 07, 1999.

The only interesting thing there was "gold coins don't stand out in X- ray machines". I think confirmation of THAT would be of interest to a lot on this forum (except Andy - they'd notice his bulge so to speak). Any takers? X-ray X-perts?

-- Y2KGardener (gardens@bigisland.net), November 07, 1999.

Hey, you! Moderator! Was my post just deleted, or is this the price we pay for no Server Busy messages?!

-- Y2KGardener (gardens@bigisland.net), November 07, 1999.

I was wondering about that myself Mr. Gardener... it's a shame codpieces are no longer in fashion... hmmmm... there's a thought :)

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), November 07, 1999.

that is a hoot. sounds to me like lets get our revenues up during the fourth quarter. do you really think they were thinking of bug out purposes?

-- tt (cuddluppy@yahoo.com), November 07, 1999.

Well, here's your answer - don't carry Eagles in your handbaggage:

The Enhanced Performance X-ray option within the 500 series has been created to allow greater material discrimination and the opportunity to specifically identify explosives, narcotics, gold, and currency.
Link

-- Y2KGardener (gardens@bigisland.net), November 07, 1999.

...and another quote from the same site:

Conventional X-ray systems display organic substances in orange. However, while explosives and narcotics fall within the organic group, many other items such as paper, plastic, rubber, leather, and soap are also organic and are also displayed in orange. EPX provides the solution by identifying substances having the specific characteristics of explosives or narcotics and displaying them in red thus enabling rapid and consistent detection capability. Gold or currency may also be identified and displayed in red.

Looks like we'll just have to give the coins to our kiddies in a red plastic string-bag and pretend they're chocolate! Anyone got a toddler who can nonchalantly hold out a 50lb bag in front of the customs man?

-- Y2KGardener (gardens@bigisland.net), November 07, 1999.

Hey Gardener - you think like I do!!!!!!!

-- Andy (2000EOD@prodigy.net), November 07, 1999.

Poor old "Oz/NZ". Firstly, it's sad that they always get lumped in together. They are just a teeny tiny bit apart, you know, in terms of distance and culture. Second, they seem to be a top favourite for the "Run away! Run away!" brigade. Perceived as having strong agriculture without an over-reliance on technology, a genuine "can do" attitude and relatively temperate climates (all true to some extent) mean that they can expect to receive a fair number of "jangling tourists" near rollover, i.e. overweight middle age WASPs with pockets full of bullion and bulging suitcases looking for a nice cushy place to ride out the Collapse Of Civilisation, "just in case". They already both have strict immigration laws, and the LAST thing they want are more pale skinned slugs parasiting off of their prosperity. Poor old "Oz/NZ"

Here's a thought: are pre-rollover planes going to be so full of fatbodies with fat luggage (and bullion-belts) that they aren't going to get off the ground? Yes, funny ha-ha, but I've sat in a plane on a tiny runway in Sheland that ends up in the ocean, and been told "We're having to take some luggage out so that we can get in the air... no... wait... actually, the weather's changed, we THINK we can make it." Not so funny then, let me tell you.

- Colin MacDonald -

-- Colin MacDonald (roborogerborg@yahoo.com), November 07, 1999.