Airport Security
2008/07/20 filed under /personalEverything that the US of A comes up with, is introduced in the Netherlands very soon after. There's a complete smoking ban in Schiphol, the Dutch airport, and security measures are annoyingly similar to the US.
My recent vacation to the far east made me long for the simpler times, when we, in the Netherlands, weren't so paranoid and weren't constantly wagging our tails when daddy Bush and his friends come up with annoying new rules.
By the time the rude Dutch security officials allow me to pass the check point, I've crawled through the scanner at least three times. Holding my pants up, because my belt could be a potential terrorist weapon, barefoot and fairly annoyed, they inform me that my half empty deodorant bottle is not allowed for it contains slightly more fluid (when full) than is allowed and think of all the horrible things I might do with deodorant!
Back in the day, smoking was not allowed in the common waiting areas, but the small pubs still had smoking sections, to make the mandatory 3 hour wait a little less painful, but hey, smoking probably supports terrorism as well, so let's make the entire building smoke free. Poor transit people that are stuck on the horrific airport that used to be so nice...
In Asia, I had to pass the airport security of both Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur and I must say I truly adore those airports. Granted, Schiphol looks better (although Kuala Lumpur is state of the art as well), but the people are friendly, smoking areas are provided for the poor addicts that are stuck and if a plane is a little delayed, meals are promptly provided for the waiting souls.
Sure, there are scanners that you'll have to pass, but heck, I carry too much that'll trigger the darn thing, so I simply pass it and have the friendly official use his hand scanner to find out I'm wearing a belt, carry a lighter, keys, watch, ring, glasses etc.
God bless the far east!
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