This is Deb, Doug's little sister and we need help and prayer!

That is what I was thinking the title of my next post would have to be as I sat in the detention area of Singapore customs and immigration office.

Deb and I had ventured out and decided it would be a lovely day to go to Johor Bahru, Malaysia which is right across the causeway from the Woodlands (suburb) area.

Deb had asked at work some questions on the best way to get there and the directions she received were splendid. All was going well. We got to the customs area and were in a very long line which moved very quickly. Deb was in front of me in line and she was processed quickly and told to proceed. I was next in line and went up to the counter with much anticipation the process would go just as smoothly. But this was not to be my luck.

When I got to the counter they looked over my passport and all looked in order but they asked me for my Disembark/Embarkation form for visitors which I had received upon my arrival at the airport. I had nothing. I did not remember them giving me one at 12:25am after a 27 hour trip. This was a problem. I was asked to step up in the area the customs officer was sitting in and wait for another officer to come and get me. Nervous? Yes.

I then heard Deb's voice very casually say "I will just meet you outside" and poof, she was gone like the size 29 jeans I wore in the 80's........without a trace.

I waited in this area for what seemed like an eternity until another customs officer came to "collect" me and take me to a "holding area." When this officer came and collected me he had with him what appeared to me to be his collection for the day of some pretty shady looking people, none of whom looked like me, the innocent middle aged American.

We were ushered into this holding area and told to sit and be quite until our name was called. This seemed to be a very, very long wait.

Finally my name was called and I went up to the desk. The officer looked me up and down, looked at my picture, looked at me again and then began asking some questions:
1) Is your name Douglas?
Yes it is.

2) You have lost weight is that correct?
Why, thank you, yes I have. (Okay someone noticed!)

3) You have a different hairstyle from your picture is this
normal in your society?
Yes it is.

4) When did you arrive in Singapore and where and at
what time and by what method?

After the questions were asked I was asked if I wanted to amend my answers to which I said no. I was then asked to be seated until told to come forward. It was not too long until I heard my name and I went forward. The officer explained to me how important it was to be aware of the handouts given at each checkpoint and to keep them with my passport until leaving the country. I apologized for my mistake and assured her it would not happen again and I was released to go into Malaysia.

Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty I was free at last.

I then hurried out the door down the stairs to hunt for Deb who I knew was probably sweating bullets, probably crying and shaking uncontrollably with fear written across her face.

Nope. Cool as a cucumber and not a bit worried. Seems she knew all would be well and was just enjoying the island heat while she waited for her big brother to be released! Go figure!

So on we went for our adventure into JB.....................