Guards and airport officials were stationed ahead of the check in counters at Changi Airport, asking travellers if they displayed any SAR syndromes. Then we were each given a notice containing important contact information.
Before we got our passports tamped, we were scanned at the door by those amazingly newfangled machines that the Straits Times reported about. Fortunately, our body temperatures were fine and I admired the psychedelic colour outlines of each passing traveller on the screen. Mum and sis didn’t even notice they were being scanned. We met up with my friend Karen who works at the airport, and proceeded to buy up the entire store check out the DFS sale.
Terminal Two was fairly empty. The occasional traveller walked around, wearing a mask. Not many of them wore it properly. One man actually fidgeted with his mask, took it out and put it back on again. A big Middle Eastern man pulled the mask atop his head, making him look like he was wearing a ridiculous hairband. They might as well not have bothered wearing any at all!
The flight was uneventful, save for a white male passenger sitting in front of us who kept on coughing. I wondered how they let him through. I’m pleased, however, to report that when we landed in Perth there was no manic SARS witch hunt.
After claiming our baggage, I proceeded to the Green Zone by myself, as mum honestly decided to declare the mint sweets she had brought with her, and Vicki followed her. I stood in the queue, wondering what kind of questions they’d interrogate me with.
The Customs lady looked at my immigration card.
“A Web Designer, eh? We need a few of those!” She said jovially.
I smiled.
She proceeded to ask me a few simple questions about my health (Am I feeling well? Do I have a temperature?) and gave me another card with a 1800 toll-free number to call in case I started feeling unwell. And that was all!
We dashed out in the drizzle to the rented car, hauled our luggage in, and drove to South Perth. After checking in, we were told that there was late night shopping tonight, as tomorrow all the shops would be closed for ANZAC day. So off we went, to Westfield Carousel, to buy our groceries and browse the shops. It was very crowded.
On Saturday the real fun begins – We head on to Margaret River.
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