Ko Lanta

Ko Lanta is several Islands that makes up one of the 8 districts in the Krabi Province. It has two large islands Ko lanta Noi (Small Lanta Island) and Ko Lanta Yai (Big lanta Island). The big island is where all the action goes down and often is referred to as Ko Lanta. It is 30km long and 6km wide.

It has 9 main beaches from North to South along the sunset coast, lots of stunning scenery, lots of small islands and reefs close by underwater adventures, and has lots of forest to offer you some wildlife viewing.

This is not a party island and is quieter than Ko Phi Phi and Phuket. It is a relaxing place and attracts an older crowd, and families with young children, and a lot of divers. It is a charted holiday hotspot so expect crowds if you are in a hotel partnered with a tour company.

Cost wise it is a cheaper location in comparison to others and offers a lot more of activities both night and day. The restaurants are fantastic and the cooking class amazing. So a 2-3 day stay will get you around the Island and experience Ko Lanta properly. A week if you there for diving. The beaches are not the greatest and there is a lot of pollution on the beach. A pleasant quite stay with great seafood, drinks, activities and shopping would sum up Ko Lanta. Do not forget to try the Blue Crab in Red Curry.

Here are my top 10 tips for Ko Lanta:

1. Arrival options into Ko Lanta:
This is an Island with no airport so the closest airport options are Krabi, Trang or Phuket. Use the hotel you are staying with to arrange transport or use a taxi service like Taxi Krabi. There are basically 3 options available here all involving a boat arriving to Saladan Pier(North Ko Lanta):

Krabi International Airport Transfer:Take an airport transfer where a minivan picks you up and takes you to a ferry that transports you over. The options can be via regular ferry or Express speedboat from the ferry.

Ferry or Speedboat: You can catch a speedboat from Southern Islands like Ko Ngai to Ko lanta. Options are also available from Ao Nang, Railay, Ko Phi Phi, and Trang. They have ferries as well but this are large and crowded, so if you have the option take the speedboat.

By Car: There is no roads connecting the Island to mainland but they have car ferries operating in between. It take 15-20 minutes to cross to the Island.

2. What to expect at the Arrival port? :
Arrival town is at Ban Saladan which is the northern point of the Ko Lanta. Once you exit the Saladan pier you will probably first pay a ฿10 exit fee to some officers who are collecting money for the cleanup of Ko Phi Phi. Handing out paper receipts after payment which kind of defeats the purpose since this becomes the new litter for Ko Lanta.

Once they payment is done you will run into a crowd of tour brokers, taxi/tuktuk drivers, someone who wants to sell you something,and you may even find someone who claims to be lost family. So be open to all possibilities here ;) The prices from the port for a taxi to your location( if hotel pick up services is not provided) is fair.

3. What to expect in Ban Saldan? :
Ban Saladan is the main town and tourist center on the Island. There are a lot of Swedish expats on the Island operating businesses or simply working there. You can find them at Dive centers around the Island. There is even a cool Swedish Restaurant & Bar in Ban Saladan close to the pier. The Town is quite relaxed and one of the best for hassle free shopping.

4. Accommodation options:
The north and west side of the Island is where all the hotels and beaches are. Important thing to note before booking any accommodation is the hotel affiliations. As mentioned earlier Ko Lanta has lots of Swedish expats meaning there are a lot of Swedish tourists visiting the Island. This unfortunately means a lot of charter flights with operators such as Startour, Ving, Apollo, Solia etc. So try to book a hotel not affiliated with any of these tour groups to have more privacy and a better hotel crowd.

Unfortunately my hotel selection was based on bad information resulting in a hotel in the above category. It was a smaller hotel than the others at Khlong Dao beach area, so crowded in the 50-80 people range rather than 200-500. I sneaked into several other hotels in the area to check it out and they all were super crowded with charted holiday tourists. It was a blessing in disguise as it meant my 3 days were spent exploring the Island.

5. Daytime Activities:
Being a larger island the options are greater for Snorkelling, Diving, PADI courses, Trekking, Kayaking the east side of Ko lanta where there is rich mangrove forests and caves, also Ko Talabaeng has nice limestone cliffs northeast of Ko Lanta worth exploring by Kayak or Long tail boat, Fishing trips organized for half day or full day will reel you in a tuna, sailfish, red snapper, marlin or other exotic fishes, Long tail boat tours of the east side, rent a boat, go on an Island hopping trip, Lanta Muay thai gym for some lessons, Mai Kaew Cave exploration, Snake or monkey shows, visit old Lanta or south sea gypsies village.

6. Evening Activities:
Nothing Much happens on the Island at night so it is more of a relaxed vibe. Try Night time fishing, Kick Boxing events, Shopping in Ban Saldan, massages, cooking classes, Dinner and Drinks.

7. Serenity Spa and Massage:
Once of my hangouts for massages on this trip since hotel spas were booked out. This place offers quality massages and is cheaper compared to hotels. You can read more about them here: Serenity Spa and Massage.

8. Roi Thai Cooking School:
Best entertainment on the Island, as Chef Roi entertains and teaches the Thai Culinary Secrets. You can read more about this on my Cooking Class review.

9. Wildlife overview:
Mosquitoes are your main worry here but trekking into the forest may reveal some interesting creatures. There are many snake shows and monkey shows if you want to see something in a controlled environment. Also the Elephant trekking is offered here but I refuse to go to this and support the industry where the elephants are chained down and treated badly. I have not tried the animal parks as well above due to me not supporting any places where animals are kept in captivity.

10. Cost Overview on the Island:
Food is relatively cheap and Lunch & Dinner will cost ฿100-300 a day. Water is quite cheap with big bottles 1.5 litres trading at ฿15. Beer is about ฿30 and cocktails can range from ฿80 to ฿150.
Accommodation price ranges from ฿800 to ฿23000 per night. Average price for a decent 4 star place with breakfast is about ฿5000- ฿8000.
Supermarkets, Art Galleries, Tourist souvenir stores, Electronic shops, and street markets are all over Ban Saladan. Grocery shops and markets available in Old Lanta. Ko Lanta is great for shopping on your holiday.
There is one Hospital in the middle of the Island close to old Lanta. There are dentists in Ban Saldan and at the hospital. ATM’s are easy to find in Ban Saladan.

My dislike for Charter Holidays as noted in point 2 Above: For those who are wondering why I don’t like Charter holidays here is some background. I have done 2 Charter holidays in my life and the yes it is cheap and if planned properly it can work out to be okay. Charter 1 was to Antalya, Turkey and charter 2 to Hurgada, Egypt: From the crowded plane with first time noisy travelers to the tour bus pickup it feels like animals being moved from one location to another. Then the pack gets separated at different hotels but each hotel already has more charted travelers checked in. So the pools are crowded, and meal times are like a zoo. Most of these packages offer all inclusive deals including alcohol, which means the zoo has drunken animals running around all day. Luckily on my second charter I chose a different hotel that was less popular which resulted in less crowd at the expense of some comforts of a normal resort. So to sum it up a charted holiday means crowds and not the best experience at a hotel.

Similar Thailand articles of Interest:

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Krabi town & Klang Island

Krabi is a town on the west coast of Southern Thailand. It is the capital of Krabi Province and Krabi District. The 8 districts include Ko Lanta Island as a district and also Mueang Krabi district which holds Ao nang and Railay bay. So to sum it up it is a huge province with some areas more popular than others.

Tourism is the main source of income here.

Unfortunately I did not have time to cover all the districts on this trip. Explored 3 and drove through an additional two. My trip to Krabi covers my short stay in Krabi town and my stay at Klang Island which is near the mouth of the Krabi River. Additional posts cover Railay, Ko Lanta, and Ko Phi Phi.

Travel tips for this District:

** Arrival to Krabi Town

There are 3 options here:

Krabi International Airport (KBV): Ideally located not very far from Krabi town or the surrounding districts. This serves as a convenient entry point.

Krabi boat piers:  Klong Jilad is the new pier 4km from Krabi town.  Chao Fah pier or Phi Phi pier is the old ones in the center of the town. Ferries run daily from Ko Phi Phi, Ko Jum, Ko lanta, and ko Yao Noi. There is also a Pier called Krabi Thalen 27km west of Krabi town where they have frequent speedboats. Buy your tickets at the pier to get a good price.

By Road: The roads here are good and easy to travel on. There is a bus service to Krabi town but do yourself a favor and take a private taxi. I did a taxi from Phuket to Krabi for ฿2500 and it took 2 hours through some gorgeous scenery.

**Krabi Town Expectations

This is a small town and much calmer than Phuket. The town is next to Krabi River and there are hotels and restaurants scattered all around. One of the few chilled out places for a Thailand town. 

Arriving there at 1pm there was some traffic but not much pedestrians about. Most of the tourist population use this location as a transit point to go to the other Islands in or simply transfer to Ao Nang or Railay further to the west. The highways around the area are very modern due to all the transportation needs in and out of town.

**Locations for accommodation

There are few hotels in krabi town ranging from backpackers to some 4 star hotels. There is one popular hotel called Maritime Park Resort & Spa, this is over booked most of the times and contains a lot of large travelling groups. So try to avoid this place or double check your booking status before arrival.

Most visitors staying in the Krabi Mainland head west to Ao Nang where all the fantastic hotels and resorts are located. The more adventurous get in long tail boats and head to Railay.

My situation here was different, arrived at the Maritime Park resort to discover they have overbooked so relocation meant a new adventure. The relocation option was to an Eco Village Resort on Klang Island, just south of Krabi town.

 The hotel staff drove us to Tara pier, located along Krabi River in Krabi Town. The local long tail boat then another 5 minutes cruising across Krabi River to Klang Island’s pier.  Then we jumped on a motorbike tuktuk and drove through the village across the island. A fun ride about 7 km through the narrowest of roads if we can call it that. Finally we arrived at the secluded peaceful Islanda Village Resort.

The Krabi Adventures: From Krabi town to Tara Pier, to Klang Island. The Drive to the resort. Boat out to Railay bay

**Islanda Village resort

Most of my travel friends don’t really like Krabi town after spending few too many days there so a relocation here was a sign from the travel gods looking after me. This was a hidden paradise. You have quite surroundings, luxury comfortable villas, a big swimming pool with Jacuzzi, good restaurant, and a manager who goes by the name Mr. Big. There is not that great of a beach or night life on this island but it is designed for relaxing & recharging. The only way to travel on the island is by tuk tuk or bicycle. Only way on and off the island is by boat or helicopter.

The Beachfront Villa and Pool	Arrival by boat and transfer by tuk tuk
Relaxing in the pool and Sunset view	Hotel Manager: Mr. Big

**Wildlife

While most people fought the mosquitoes and played with the cats at the resort, I found myself trying to convince more than save a cat from a snake. Both animals were safe from the drama that unfolded. So there are snakes on the island if you are lucky to see one.

Snake

Cat versus Snake

**Things to do on Klang Island

Daytime: I was here to relax and they have a big pool overlooking the beach to do that. You also have the option to borrow a bicycle and go check out the island. There was also a bathtub on the deck to watch the sunset. Limited activities so more of a “my time” place.

 Nighttime: Dinner and drinks followed by interaction with other guests. If you get bored you go look for snakes or other wildlife.

** Costs on the Island
Food is relatively cheap and will cost ฿200-300 a day at the resort. Water is quite cheap with big bottles 1.5 litres trading at ฿20. Beer is about ฿50 and cocktails can range from ฿100 to ฿150.

Accommodation price was ฿5000per night with breakfast for the Ocean Beachfront Bungalow. Other Bungalows start from ฿3000.
No Grocery stores here so buy you goodies in Krabi town.  No Medical centers or ATM’s either. I did mention it was a secluded Island with one awesome resort and a village.

** Conclusion

If you looking to stay in Krabi you can choose a hotel in Krabi town but options are quite limited if you looking for luxury. As an alternative for a night or two try this resort on Klang Island. It is quiet and peaceful. Getting away from the crowds helps in Thailand. On check out we took a 30 minute boat ride across to Railay.

South Thailand Island Guide
Boat options for Island Transfers

Phuket Tips
Phuket Map
South Thailand 13 Useful tips
Ko Phi Phi Don
Railay Beach 
Ko Lanta

Hamad International Airport (Doha, Qatar)

Europe flying options have recently become a lot cheaper especially for the Nordic countries with Qatar Airways and Emirates Airlines flying direct flights to the Doha and Dubai hubs to help connect the passengers to more locations at a cheaper price.

This was my first visit to the New airport in Doha. The Hamad International Airport recently opened in Doha last year on April 30th for Qatar Airways, with all other airlines relocating by May 27th, 2014.

This airport  is catered for the seasoned traveler with its list of services. It offers you transit hotel rooms before passport control which you can book for an overnight stay, 12 hours, 8 hours or simply 4 hours, along with the option to skip the hotel room and head straight to the wellness center to use the  spa, gym or swimming pool.

The design of the new place is simple but elegant. It is designed to allow quick movement of passengers so there is limited queues. The food court has all the different flavors of the world without going overboard.

The airport hotel offers different room types ranging from QAR 900 to QAR 1700 (£163-£308) for the current period.

Room Type	12 to 24 Hours stay package	9 to 12 Hours stay package	5 to 8 Hours stay package	3 to 4 Hours stay package
Superior Room King or Twin (38 sqm)	900	792	720	630
Deluxe Room King or Twin (43 sqm)	1000	880	800	700
Executive King or Twin (56 sqm)	1100	968	880	770
Executive Suite King  (92 sqm)	1700	1496	1360	1190

The wellness center features:

•       Temperature-controlled 25-metre swimming pool (towels provided)
•       Fully-equipped gymnasium, with cardiovascular and weight training equipment and personal instructors
•       Two squash courts (equipment provided)
•       Showers and changing rooms

It costs Approximately QAR 100 to get into the wellness center but if you have a room then it is included.

Duty Free shops feature many products that are hard to find across Europe and at a cheaper price as well compared to the rare find in Europe.For example the Tom Ford, Fragrances.

Hamad International airport is a great hub for connecting flights and with Qatar airways cheap flights from Europe to exotic destinations around the world, it is an opportunity that must be explored.

A second article coming soon will feature more information from the Oryx Lounge, QA Gold Lounge, and QA Silver Lounge available at the airport. The Oryx lounge is also accessible to Economy class travelers for QAR 140.

Click here to read about the One night Doha city layover.

One Night in Doha

One night in Doha was not equivalent to the song about the one night in Bangkok.
There was despair but no ecstasy, and the world was not my oyster after this visit.

Having a 13 hour layover in Doha, I could have done the wise thing and stayed at the airport hotel. However that would be boring as I wanted to discover a little bit of the city and have more to experience than just the airport.

You can leave the airport while in transit by purchasing a visa which costs QAR 100. The visa is available to countries in the Nordic region, European Union, North American, Asian, and Australasian region. 

Once you get out of the arrivals terminal you have the option to take a taxi, limo or be picked up by your hotels designated driver. Being adventurous I went with the taxi option. Bad idea on my behalf as the driver was confident in driving but had no clue where he was going.

Instead of going with one of the bigger chain hotels I decided on a Boutique hotel in the souk to get my group acquainted to the real Doha. Al Najada Boutique Hotel had received some good reviews online so I though I would try this place. I was expecting the hotel area to be loud, busy and a good feel of Doha in my short stay.

Well the above expectations were met except for the hotel not being open for business on arrival.

First the taxi driver had no clue where the hotel was and we drove around the souk and partially through (via the car park) twice before I saw the building. When I went to enter the building, I was surprised to find there was a Soprano type bloke at a security desk in a matrix leather coat sitting next to the the stairs leading to the entrance. 

My reservation was of no concern to him and his message was highlighting the obvious fact that this hotel is closed, and he is not the man to talk to so we should go to the Sister hotel to sort this out. He mumbled a Name of a hotel and pointed in a direction across the souk. My taxi driver shook his head from side to side and told me "No Problem sir, I know".

At this point my immediate concern was, why is this man wearing a leather coat in this hot humid night?, and secondly I have a major issue now as driving through the souk or worse walking through it with luggage looking for the sister hotel is not an option. Having experienced the chaos of a Marrakesh souk 3 months earlier, this seemed all to similar from initial observations.

So back in the car for one last drive and search attempt for this other place. After 10 minutes driving it was apparent that the driver had no clue what the Matrix Soprano Crossover man told him and it was at this point I asked him to take us to Radisson Blu which I remembered from the in-flight magazine. One hour of my life that I wont get back after this episode.

Check in went smooth at Radisson Blu and at this point the group was starving so we decided to settle for a Indian restaurant. The food was good but nothing over the top that I will rave on about. Fatigue was kicking in after the flight and souk adventures so everyone was ready to hit the sack. However I had to suggest we explore the bar upstairs in the hotel simply for observations. 

After the thorough ID checks at the door we entered the bar. Word of advise to all women: Do not enter the bars in Doha without a male companion. Taking two attractive blondes into the bar was like placing blood into water full of sharks. All the people in the bar which was all male except for 2 waitresses gave the girls the stare down and they had hope in the eyes. Fast forward 90 seconds, we hit the gas on reverse and got out of there.

Doha hotel bars is a red zone ;)

Doha is not a busy location yet but they have the handball championship there shortly and the bigger event Football world cup in 2022. So a lot of construction work is already in progress to improve things.

It is a smaller version of Dubai from first observations, however it is stricter. It features great architecture and the place has a lot of potential in the years to come. So a return visit with a longer stay is on the cards in the future to explore some of the fancy Museums, entertainment venues, and restaurants. 

South Thailand: 13 Useful tips

This European winter I decided to take an 18 day vacation in South Thailand. Not being a big fan of the cold weather, some relaxing time in the sun was my Christmas gift to myself for 2014.

The itinerary set for my trip was taking the flight from Oslo with Qatar Airways to Hamad International airport in Doha for a 13 hour layover, followed by a direct flight to Phuket. From Phuket the plan was to do some Island hoping in this order: Phuket ► Krabi ► Railay Beach ► Koh Lanta ► Koh Ngai ► Ko Phi Phi ► Phuket

I had never been to South Thailand before so this itinerary was purely based on light research, and my adventurous ambition to discover new holiday spots. Having New Year’s Eve in Phuket would be the kickoff for my Thailand adventure. After the short layover in Doha, I arrived in Phuket at 1830 on the 31st December 2014.

Now there are several key important tips one most know before traveling to Thailand:

1. Same Same but different:
This goes for pretty much everything in the country. So if you have a ferry travelling from Phuket to Koh Phi Phi, tourist agencies will print different pamphlets with different prices. However the actual ferry is the same ferry used by all the agencies. The same goes for organized excursions, transfers, and services. So buying online tickets is not recommended for any service oriented activity as it is a marked up price. The best procedure here is to buy on location when you are in the country.

2. Always bargain:
So continuing from above when purchasing on location, always bargain. The vender or service provider like a tuk tuk driver will throw you a price, and you counter offer that price till you reach agreement. Supply of services exceed demand in most service areas here so you will have the bargaining power. For example petrol cost is 40 Bhats per litre, so paying 100 Bhats for a short taxi ride is okay but you can get away with paying half of that. All product purchases can be negotiated and you can get 20-50% off on the price.

3. Everything runs on Island time including International Airline flights:
Don’t expect anything to run on time. Take a scheduled time for an event and add an extra 15-30 minutes if you are lucky. This is how it operates in most islands across the globe, growing up on Fiji I know all about Island time so relax and just go with the flow.

4. Lose your normal accent and switch to Thai accent:
English is not the main language here so a fast speaking American accent, or strong British or French accent will do very little for your communication. So adapt to speaking “Thai-glish”. How to learn this? Observe and imitate.

5. Always repeat the keywords in a sentence:
So if you want the taxi driver to wait for you, you would say in Europe or America: “Please keep the meter running, I will be back shortly”. In Thailand you will say, “Wait wait, I come back fast fast.”

6. Learn the Key Words:
Like any foreign country learning the keywords such as “Thank You”, “Hello”, and “How are you?” among others helps break the ice and makes the locals appreciate your effort of trying.

7. Insect Repellant:
The wildlife is quite beautiful here and if you are lucky you might see some spiders, snakes, scorpions, and some exotic birds. The guaranteed sightings will always be monkeys and mosquitoes. The Mosquitoes are all over the place and love the tourists. So invest in a repellant. Local organic product Citronella is a good choice which you can purchase there.

8. Carry Cash:
Cash is king. When doing a cash out, go big and take out 20k bhats while you at it instead several small transactions along the way. Most stores as modern as they look may not cater for cards so cash is needed. Once you in the smaller islands good luck finding an ATM. Carry cash with you and lock it in the safe, so you take what you need on each outing.

9. Hit and Miss:
This is the theme of South Thailand with all services. For example a Thai restaurant at a 5 star resort will serve the worst Thai food you would have on your tour because it is run by Non Thai cooks. A foot reflexology massage ends with your shoulders being massaged. You order one dish and you get something else. So communication and following recommendations here are important.

10. Keep it private:
All excursions and transfers are best kept to a small group. Island transfers are best done in speedboats or private long tail boats depending on distance. Avoid large ferries and groups as this is a disaster waiting to happen. Overcrowding on such ferries is common and makes for a very uncomfortable ride. So spend the extra dollars and go private.

11.Stay clear of the day trippers:
The day trippers are common around the world when it comes to locations with beautiful Islands. They will stay on a bigger island with resorts where comfort is guaranteed and wildlife is at a minimum, hospitals are close by, translators and tour guides are with them, and hotel staff are there to help in all kinds of small emergencies. Good on them for travelling and discovering the world, however they are quite annoying as they often travel in packs. Their objective is to see locations and the tour guides mission is to throw them on boats and get them out there. Information such as sea sickness, what to wear is not discussed so expect to see them throwing up in the ferries, and running around in denim when the temperature is 30 degrees Celsius. They are prone to appear in tourist trap locations and are guaranteed photo bombers in your background. Stick to rule 10 and avoid them in boats. As for locations such as Maya bay in Phi Phi, you will need to get there earlier than the big boat loads of tourists.

12.Lady Boys (Kathoey):
Lady Boys (Kathoey): This term refers to either a transgender woman or an effeminate gay male in Thailand. They are also known as the third gender. Anyway they have Cabaret shows in the bigger cities and can be found all over Thailand. They are living life as normal individuals and you can refer to them as females when communicating. There is no need to fear them as they are friendly just like any Thai person you meet there.

13. Pollution:
Unfortunately in this paradise rubbish dumping has become common practice. Walking along beaches you will find lots of plastic bags, plastic bottles and other sort of Rubbish washed up on the beach. Now our travel group made an effort to clean up several beaches but this is a much larger job than several individuals. So try to educate someone not to throw rubbish into the ocean and hopefully the Thailand government starts a campaign to help clean up the beaches. Tourist and locals are equally guilty in this dumping of rubbish into the ocean as witnessed on this trip.

Similar Thailand articles of Interest:

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Singapore Airport Security

Every once in a while we make a mistake and pack something in your bag that you should have researched slightly better. No we are not talking about Narcotics, this is not that type of packing but more along the lines of items that can be considered weapons. Living and travelling in Europe within the Schengen countries, the rules are a lot more lenient on items that are concealed in your checked in luggage.

However once you step outside of the European zone, the rules become a lot stricter.

So let’s see what I had packed in my checked in luggage:

A: A jewelry chain with an empty bullet with the following words carved on it “Better wear than use” made by a Polish designer at Unikke Design

B: A blue Cheese knife. (Why carry a knife? Well travelling in France and Spain you always need a knife for the cheese and baguette. Ask any Frenchmen and they will tell you the importance of this knife)

So fast forward the trip from Oslo > Zurich (Transit) > Dubai (24 hour Layover) > Singapore (For my 2 day layover)

The Singapore Airlines flight landed at 0700 and I was super tired, the red eye flights are not my favorite. I was impressed with the efficiency of the staff at the airport and by 0720 I was on my way to the exit of Changi airport, ready to hop in a taxi and get to the airport and get my sleep on.

On the way out, out of all the passengers exiting the customs officer decided to select me. She approached me and said, “Sir, we need to x-ray your bag.” So I complied as any traveler would do.

The results came back and the lady was concerned by one of the items in the bag. She said, “You have a prohibited item in the bag, please open the bag.”

Upon opening the bag I realized that perhaps it is the cheese knife which is the problem and something I should have left at home. So I took out the knife which was in its case and showed it to the customs lady. To my surprise she said this was not the item and it was the bullet that she needed to examine.

So I presented the item to the customs lady and she looked very worried. She said put the knife away as this is okay but we do have a problem with the bullet so she needs to call the security team to handle this situation.

She radioed her colleague and within a minute arrived two more custom officers. One of the man said, “This is a prohibited item to bring into Singapore and we need to call the police to register this incident, please come with us.”

So the two customs officers escorted me to the security office several hundred meters away. They sat me down, one of the officers took the jewelry bullet chain into the back room for examination while the other officer sitting at the desk in front started filling in forms after photocopying my passport.

I stated my defensive argument to them regarding this was a jewelry item absent gun powder, it has a chain going through the bullet so it is not possible to use it in a gun chamber or gun magazine. 

Having weapon knowledge from action movies and games, it seemed like I should shut up about guns so I don’t tick of more red flags. The guy in front of me handed me a pamphlet for prohibited items as I claimed my innocence of not knowing that jewelry items were such a threat and due to the lack of information about prohibited items at the airport.

He agreed that the bullet is not a direct threat but still a prohibited item, and by law he needs the police on site to examine the bullet and make the final decision so until their arrival I must wait at this office. Luckily they were kind enough to grant me the right to browse on the airport wireless with my iphone so I could keep myself entertained.

So this was a breaking story on my facebook status to keep my family and friends aware of the thug life situation I was in. Sitting at airport security waiting for the police (Five 0) because I got a bullet jewelry they consider dangerous.

Now the time was 0830, the customs officer said the cops will be here in 10 to 30 minutes. We made some conversation regarding weather and rugby. As they were interested in the New Zealand rugby team “All Blacks” after seeing my passport.

 At one point I asked if I could go to the bathroom and they said in a few minutes while they radioed for two more officers for backup. So when the time came I had a 3 men escort to go to the men’s room. Perhaps they thought this big guy will run and the officers will need three man to tackle me (lol). There were two officers behind me and one in front of me as we marched towards the toilets. 

Along the way walking past the baggage collection area there was an Indian family. The father figure in that family looked at me and shook his head with the wobble of disappointment, I suppose one man with 3 officers looks pretty serious.

Similar views and facial expressions of disappointment, fear, and curiosity was witnessed along the way. Two officers guarded the door while one went inside with me, this was beginning to play out like a scene from a movie. I concluded with my business in the bathroom and went back to the office along with the officers and more judgmental gazes from fellow passengers.

Soon after the Singapore police force’s 2 officers arrived armed with hand guns in the holster. There was an exchange of Singaporean mandarin among the police and customs officers before some forms were presented to me. The police officer said, “The bullet is a prohibited item and we will confiscate the item, please sign this form of acknowledgement and you will be free to go.”

It was just after nine now and I was hungry, sleepy and ready to get to the hotel. After signing the document I was a free man with a Singaporean police incident record now. Great start to the layover but you live and learn.

So always check the prohibited items before heading to countries outside of Europe as they have stricter rules. For example in New Zealand, you can get a fine of NZ$200 for having mud on the sole of a packed pair of shoes.