Locked Up Abroad

One thing I never wanted to experience = Jail in a foreign country. Thankfully I'm still blissfully ignorant- my parents on the other hand are international jailbirds. Yes, my parents.
On the last day of our travels we left Zanzibar in the morning for mainland Tanzania, then caught a flight into South Africa. We had dinner plans, a gorgeous B&B to stay at, and a few more hours to spend together before they left me in Africa. Instead, they were quarantined in the airport for not having documentation of receiving yellow fever vaccine. After I got all hysterical on the customs agents for trying to separate us, they took us to a holding room for about an hour and a half while they “sorted through the situation.” Then, without much warning, they told me I had to leave the airport and they would be taken to another holding facility. I was escorted out of the airport, with hopes that I’d be able to track them down in the morning. Turns out they were placed in two different jail cells- metal bars, squeaky bunk beds, florescent lights that were never turned off, horse-hair blankets- the whole nine yards. And then they waited.
In the morning, about 12 hours after our escapade started, they were released into the airport after signing deportation paperwork and told to wait for their flight to the United States. I, being a Peace Corps Volunteer and therefore very resourceful, worked my way back through the airport and tracked them down (and getting myself into the VIP lounge), so at least we had our last few hours together.
A few things I find odd about the situation: After being detained and help in jail cells overnight, they were released into the airport with all other passengers, to roam around for the three hours before their flight. Wasn’t the point of detention to keep them from contaminating other passengers? Also, all it would’ve taken, to avoid the whole evening of jail cells and airport fees (the airline had to pay 180rand per person per hour for the jail cells AND (I believe) a 10,000$ fine for each of them) was a simple shot. Two 50$ shots, given upon arrival, and they would’ve been let on their way.
So, after a fantastic trip and so many wonderful memories, my parents leave Africa after spending the night in jail and being deported. At least they got a nice story out of it.