*ominous music playing*

previously happened in Galadriel's hair life: Galadriel receives a little note telling, that ever efficient Customs of Finland has stopped, among illegal drugs, radioactive material and other suspicious stuff, her hairstick shipment. The note says, that it is being held hostage in Customs Office, and G needs to go declare them (and pay a large sum of money) in order to get them. After recovering from first shock, Galadriel packs the necessary papers, and is off to Customs...

*music fades slowly*

So, I found myself standing a bit nervous in customs office, where two sharp-eyed ladies (with shoulder length hair!) were running the show. When my turn came, I went to the counter and gave the notification. The officer lady brought a familiar looking package.

"Now open it." she said.

First, she was very impressed with Rapunzel's package sealing skills.

Soon, she was also impressed of my skills in opening Rapunzel's package.

A sweet smell of perfume bursts out, and starts to fill the air.

"Is there perfume?" asks the officer, now leaning intently forward. She has obviously forgotten for a moment papers that said that shipment contains hairsticks.
"Just some perfumed tissue." I said and started carefully unwrapping the tissues.
"That's really good and pretty packaging." says the customer lady as I finally take out three little wrapped figures that have butterfly stickers on them.
I smile, and proceed to open first wrapping.
"WOW! What are those?" asks the officer when Glittering Sea hairsticks are revealed.
"Hairsticks", I reply, already busy with opening the second wrapping.
"Hey, come and look at these." she calls the other officer (currently without a customer of her own) as I take Keylime Pie pair from wrapping.
Now I have two officers watching in silent awe as I unwrap Spring Daisy pair.
"I've never seen anything like those." says the officer.
"Totally amazing" agrees the other officer.
"I wonder, how I should classify those."
"I guess we have hairsticks in their own category..."replies the other.
"How do you use them?" asks the first one after seeing that she can proceed with official stuff.

I explain, how to make a cinnabun, and show the bun I'm wearing, held with Hot Chocolate hairstick. "Don't you really need anything else than those sticks to hold that?" the other officer asks disbelievingly.
I simply pull my hairstick away and undo my bun, and quickly redo it again. I explain, how to weave the hairstick in so it will sit tightly enough.
"That looks so easy." sighs my officer. She then notices my receipts again, and that they are also rather expensive. I say simply that "art can be a bit expensive" and that cheap ones I could buy locally if I wanted. Both officers agree with me, telling again that they are really gorgeous hairsticks.

"Can you tell me about the company that makes them."
I tell a little about LL, and Rapunzel's philosophy. Both are listening probably more intently than they ever did at school. They then look at my new hairsticks again, asking about the art glass beads and other materials used, and I tell them about that too. (Boy, I'm sure that any company would have offered me a place as a salesman had they been there...)
When I repack my treasures, I note Rapunzel's card and give it to my officer. She looks very glad about that and quickly puts it to her pocket.

Soon, I leave with my hairsticks leaving only a mild cloud of perfume behind. Custom fees and tax cost me 50 Euros, but I had too much fun with everything to be bothered much about that. And, most importantly, I am now finally holding in my hands some really gorgeous hairsticks.  ;D

YEA!!!!!!!  The hairsticks have been freed!  No more dark, dingy dungeons for them.  They are free, they are free!

::: flits about the room in excitement:::

I still think it was a conspiracy though.  They were jealous of the pretty, scented packaging and HAD to see what is in it, knowing it would be pretty.

WOW  :o very interesting tale, I enjoyed reading about the experience  :) THANKS!  ;D

And the hairstick jailers have become Rapunzel's hairsticks addicts!
Probably the best thing that happened to them all week. ;D

Thanks for sharing that story, Galadriel.

he he he ... this made my day (and i am going to bed so it really did). laughed for a full five minutes (now who said again a few minutes of laughing is as great as jogging for 30 minutes).
he he he he he he

(sorry for the 50 € though, lets hope those ladies don't steal your future orders!)

Thanks for sharing,this made me smile :)
I've had quite similar experiences with customs & hairsticks,although definitely not as funny as your experience :D