Amusing Incidents

Sunday 28th March, 2011
12 noon Singapore Time - The Singapore Immigration Counter

The officer looked at my passport and then at me. I don't look like the person pictured in the passport so there's always a reaction and I waited patiently for it. "You've lost weight, haven't you? How much? 10 (kgs)?" Now that was certainly a first, "16," I replied. He was satisfied; scanned, stamped and I was ready to go.

1800 hrs Singapore Time- Guangzhou International Transfers Counter

The officer again looked at my passport at then it me. And again. And once more. About ten more times. Then he mimed at me to pull back my hair. Still dissatisfied he told me to look at the screen and took a picture. I was beginning to think that that would be it but he kept looking back and forth and puzzling over the difference for another ten minutes. Finally came the stamp and I walked on to get lost in the apparent signlessness of transfers area.

Monday 29th March, 2011
0130 hrs UAE Time - Dubai International Arrivals Passport Control

This time he didn't look at me and the picture in the passport. Instead he spoke to me in Hindi, which was entirely unexpected yet made me like the place instantaneously for whatever reason. He scanned my eye, was relieved to get the image first shot, and stamped and signed so I could go see the place that I had already decided I liked.

I'm not much for blogging, tweeting, etcetera about personal experiences, but for some reason I HAD to write this and write it without my usual dose of opining.