Airport tales

What a tiring day this has been for me. I had to wake up at 4am to prepare myself by the 6.45am flight to Kuala Lumpur. And all for a meeting at the JobStreet office there. But I feel a lot has been achieved today and I'm kind of satisfied that at long last, there is a tangible direction that I can identify with.

However, what I'm writing about is not about my meeting in KL but rather, one or two of my experiences today. It is no comfort to know that they occurred at the Bayan Lepas international airport.

When I crossed the security check-point this morning, the officer manning the x-ray machine detected a small screw-driver in my backpack. I had forgotten all about the screw-driver. It was the type - about four inches long - that you would use to tighten the screws around your spectacles.

The security officer was prepared to let me through. His reason? It was only a small screw-driver and I was only flying to KL. I was surprised. Security is security. Okay, even if he was prepared to let me board the aeroplane, what guarantee would I have that I would not face a problem at the KL international airport on my return flight? Would the security officer there by equally amenable to let me through or would he confiscate my screw-driver? Uh-uh. I'd rather go back to my car and leave the screw-driver there. I wouldn't want any problem.

The second incident happened on the flight back to Penang tonight (MH1166). As the aeroplane landed, I could sense that the aircraft was possibly travelling too fast and the pilot was trying to slow down as it landed on the runway. I could feel the plane sway ever so slightly from side to side as the pilot put the brakes on. Not a pleasant feeling at all, I tell you.

And that's how my rather eventful day started and ended ... at the Bayan Lepas international airport.