I had traveled around 10 countries as a backpacker and out of these, majority were located in South-East Asia.
Travelling as a backpacker is a thrilling experience and truly speaking, I had not faced troubles in the hand of citizens of the counties, where I had travelled alone. In fact, while travelling alone, I had made good number of contacts with the travelers around the world.
But above fact was the bright picture of traveling as a backpacker, now comes the darker side.
The trouble of travelling as a backpacker, came mainly from the government authorities and that too immigration and security officers within India and outside India.
When I started doing backpacker trip, I never expected that, the world is not the place for the backpacker to roam around in the eyes of law. But considering all experiences as part of life, I carried on with my passion for travelling and these experiences had made me so tough that, now whenever I plan my solo trip abroad or any group trip, I am always prepared to face the worse.
One of such incident I had already shared in my previous blog, which can be accessed through below link-
https://travelasmuch.in/the-trouble-at-airport-1/
https://travelasmuch.in/the-trouble-at-airport-2/
https://travelasmuch.in/the-trouble-at-airport-3/
https://travelasmuch.in/the-trouble-at-airport-final-chapter/
Now, I am sharing another such incident, which took place in my another trip which was to Indonesia.
Trouble at Bali
Bali, is undoubtedly, one of the hottest tourist destination of Asia and world and how can I miss this place, when it is located near to India and that too when Visa for Indian residents is free, to enter Indonesia.
So, after due preparation , I reached Bali International Airport which is Ngurah Rai International Airport and it was my first point of entry to Indonesia. I was carrying all required documents to enter Indonesia, which was valid passport, return airline tickets, hotel reservations, travel insurance and sufficient currency in form of cash and credit card.
The trouble started from Indian airport, but for now, I will restrict it to suffering on foreign land.
After reaching Bali Airport, first task was to acquire Visa to enter the country.
After de-boarding aircraft, the display board at Airport made it possible to reach to Visa counter, where after validation of all the documents, Visa was granted to me for stay of maximum period of 30 days. There were only formal queries at the Visa desk before placing stamp on my passport and I was relaxed that the process went smoothly and without any trouble.
Just to recall, I had faced trouble at Bangkok airport, as soon as I stepped out of Aero ridge and then after visa approval, there was no trouble.
Here at Bali, being a tourist friendly destination, the process was easy too and I was not expecting any trouble at airport. Also, I had not heard any story from my friends or relatives, of facing any kind of trouble at airport.
But my story is different, I am a backpacker.
Expecting a joyful start of my trip, I was moving towards Customs Check post before the airport gate and before reaching the check post, a cop who was standing at the investigation counter, called me and asked me to show the bag.
He took my passport from me and did some investigation by checking countries I had travelled in past. His investigation continued from the questions like, native town in india, purpose of travel to Bali, date of return, reason for travelling alone.
I had nothing to hide and no other intentions to visit Bali, so I answered all queries promptly and factually.
Having received my answers, he told me that he wanted to check my bag. I had no reason to oppose to his order.
He than asked me to stay back and place my bag on the ramp.
One after the another, he started taking out stuffs from my bag and placed it on the ramp. Since, I was carrying only one shoulder backpack and the travel necessities were tightly kept inside bag, so the bag which was looking lighter from outside was actually heavier from inside. In order to avoid multiple luggage, I usually carry one big and one small bag on my trips.
So, the cop started with my big bag and within few minutes, all the stuffs of my bag, which were resting inside bag, were now breathing above the investigation ramp.
It was indeed an embarrassing moment for me, as all my personal belongings were now available for display, however, I noticed that I was not alone to face such embarrassment.
There was a couple, who were also standing next to me and another officer was investigating them in the same manner.
I was polite during investigation but they were annoyed. They started showing their annoyance and discomfort on this public show of their personal belongings. Time and again they were saying to the investigation officer that, they have been visiting Bali from Australia regularly and they have not faced such situation before. It is indeed a matter of big embarrassment for a couple to display all their personal belongings in a public and the investigation officer should have minimum etiquette to deal in such a situation. Without any evidence, proof of the tourists, having being involved in any offence in past, they were humiliating the tourists.
The officer, who was investigation me, took out everything from my bag and started searching something in my bag. He first used his hands to search each and every pocket of the bag, to find out something. I was just looking everything calmly, but one question was running inside my brain “what is he doing”, “what is he searching” ??
He than went inside a room and brought a sensor kind of equipment, which he moved over the bag, than he inserted that equipment inside the bag.
He did not leave any corner of bag in his search and after being convinced, he asked me to keep all my things inside the bag.
Before placing everything in my bag, I asked him about the equipment which he was using for search.
He replied that the equipment is a drugs detection equipment and was like a Density Meter.
His answer relieved me from all my worries, since he was investigating the wrong guy but such kind of investigation was very strange for me, as it was first experience for me, being investigated for “Drugs”
After his search was over, I was convinced that the investigation was over but I was incorrect….