I'm very glad to be back home in Singapore after my backpacking trip of Melbourne, it left a big negative feeling of Australia for me.
The immigration officer were very impolite and cold. After stamping my passport, I was screened by the first officer and asked about my passport, air ticket and is it the first time I visited Australia.
After, collecting my luggage, another officer came and asked the same questions again, passport, air ticket and whether it is the first time I visited Australia.
Then I had to go to another officer to screen what I have in my luggage. Pasar malam at the checking counter for 1/2 hour and asking the same questions again and how much money did I bring into Australia.
He then kept my passport in the drawer put on his gloves and proceeded to go through my stuff. I had to take out my belt and also show my hidden waist pouch. Then he asked me why I was using a jacket and I had to remove it and let him go through my jacket, it was cold in the airport.
Fortunately, I did not have to strip down. After checking all my stuff, he told me that I was a suspected threat because I was travelling alone.
I talked to some of the people who have stayed there for a while and was told that it is quite common for Asian travellers and I was lucky that I was not detained for a few hours.
I talked to my hostel mate from USA and he told me that he did not have to pasar malam when he went through immigration.
Just a warning to those who are thinking of backpacking to Australia alone.
The immigration officer were very impolite and cold. After stamping my passport, I was screened by the first officer and asked about my passport, air ticket and is it the first time I visited Australia.
After, collecting my luggage, another officer came and asked the same questions again, passport, air ticket and whether it is the first time I visited Australia.
Then I had to go to another officer to screen what I have in my luggage. Pasar malam at the checking counter for 1/2 hour and asking the same questions again and how much money did I bring into Australia.
He then kept my passport in the drawer put on his gloves and proceeded to go through my stuff. I had to take out my belt and also show my hidden waist pouch. Then he asked me why I was using a jacket and I had to remove it and let him go through my jacket, it was cold in the airport.
Fortunately, I did not have to strip down. After checking all my stuff, he told me that I was a suspected threat because I was travelling alone.
I talked to some of the people who have stayed there for a while and was told that it is quite common for Asian travellers and I was lucky that I was not detained for a few hours.
I talked to my hostel mate from USA and he told me that he did not have to pasar malam when he went through immigration.
Just a warning to those who are thinking of backpacking to Australia alone.