So 2 weeks ago, I flew to Abu Dhabi to meet Daniel.
Right after landing at the airport, I went to queue for the passport immigration line. This brown guy (assuming Philippino) asked me if I'm European??? (which was rather flattering to be honest) and I said, no, Malaysia (and guided me to the GCC national counter... weird. But ok whatever).
Then at the passport immigration people, the guy at the counter took my passport and asked if I have been to the UAE before. And since I have been to Dubai like 3 times previously and once to Abu Dhabi (to visit Ferrari World of course), I said yes.
He flicked through my passport and said "Really?"
Me: "Yes. 3 times"
Him: "Are you sure??" *with the I-don't-believe-you look*
Me: "Yes I have! Twice in 2013 and once in 2012"
Him: *flicks through passport, types in some stuff on the computer. Pause. Confused look all over his face. Flicks through book again* "Ok"
and lets me through. Um... Ok?
Then fine. Whatever.
So this weekend, I went to Abu Dhabi again.
As I landed at the airport, this Indian dude asked if I'm a GCC resident or a tourist. I told him tourist and he guided me to the tourist line - which makes sense. Then after waiting for like 25 minutes for my turn, the lady at the counter gestured stop (as in don't come over) and she went away from her booth. God knows why. And so I was standing there with some bunch of other people queuing behind me wondering why the hell is the line not moving.
Then after me and this lady behind me gave a subtle angry looks at every other counter, this security guard decided to step in and take over, after like what? 8 minutes later???
THEN he took my passport, asked where I'm from and asked: "Why are you in this line???"
I stared back and said "cause I'm a tourist???"
Him: "No. You should not be in this line. Who told you to be in this line??
Me: "Some Indian security dude"
Him: "You need to be at counter number 2!" (and signaled the number 2 backwards 'peace' sign which in Britain would probably be an offensive sign).
Oookkk. So I went to counter 2. GCC nationals line. Like wth? Oh.Kay. Lets try this out then.
Thankfully the line was short. Like only 1 person ahead of me. Then it was my turn and had this quite a big size middle eastern lady who took my passport and did not make any issues about me lining up there ON A GCC NATIONALS line WITH A MALAYSIAN PASSPORT. Then it was like dejavu all over again as this conversation happened:
Her: "First time in Abu Dhabi?"
Me: "No. Third time"
Her: "Really?"
Me: "Yes. I was here two weeks ago in fact"
Her: "Really?"
Me: "Yes! I have it stamped in there somewhere"
Her: *flicks through passport. Types in something. Looks at me. Glances back at my passport. Flicks passport. Stamps passport* "Ok"
WHAT THE HECK? Do they think Malaysians can not afford to go to Abu Dhabi or something?!?!
Anyway, went out and had a good weekend with Daniel and 2 days passed and it was time to go back to Muscat.
Went to Terminal 2 as I was flying back with Rotana Jet and *trumpets out* MY FLIGHT WAS DELAYED 4 BLOODY HOURS. AT TERMINAL 2 ABU DHABI.
If anyone has ever been to Terminal 2 Abu Dhabi, you could say that it has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING at that airport. NOTHING. Even Puduraya bus station has more things there than this airport.
It was 5:30pm and my flight was supposed to leave at 7:00pm. I couldn't even check in and go through the immigration because apparently THERE WAS NO ONE AT THE CHECK IN COUNTER.
OOkkk~
So Daniel and I had bit of lunch at this small cafe in the airport (its like THE ONLY THING there at that terminal btw) till I randomly decided "AH F THIS. I'M NOT GONNA WAIT 4 HOURS AT THIS TERMINAL AND ARRIVE HOME AT 12 MIDNIGHT. I'm getting a new flight".
Get this. It was already 6:30pm that time and as I scanned through skyscanner.com I found a flight via British Airways that was flying to Muscat at 8:30pm.
I quickly booked it on my phone, checked in online and Daniel rushed me through to Terminal 1 airport.
There were lots of people scanning their bags and blablabla but I managed to get through getting boarding pass and stuff fine.
Then passport immigration time. This one is even more interesting that I've had previously.
*Gave the passport guy my passport and boarding pass*
Him: "Where are you going?" *while holding to my boarding pass*
Me: "Muscat"
Him: "Where's your visa paper?"
Me: "What visa paper?"
Him: "The visa paper they gave you when you came into Abu Dhabi"
Me: "I was not given any visa paper"
Him: "Then how did you get visa to come in?"
Me: "I don't need visa to come in. Its visa upon entry"
Him: *pauses* "Where are you from? Where is this from?" *while holding on to my passport*
Me: "What do you mean?" *gave him a weird look*
Him: "Where are you from? Where is your passport from?"
Me: "I'm Malaysian. My passport is from Malaysia"
Him: "Really?" *scans me and glances at my passport* "Malaysia?"
Me: "Yes really" (I was screaming in my head going WTH?! CAN YOU NOT READ MY PASSPORT THAT HAS THE WORD MALAYSIA STAMPED RIGHT IN FRONT?!!?)
Him: "Ok" *stamps passport*
LIKE WTH IS GOING ON?!?!
Anyway, I got home around 10:45pm. I checked online at Abu Dhabi airport, apparently my flight with Rotana Jet has yet left Abu Dhabi *gives a virtual hand clapping motion to the airline*.
Right after landing at the airport, I went to queue for the passport immigration line. This brown guy (assuming Philippino) asked me if I'm European??? (which was rather flattering to be honest) and I said, no, Malaysia (and guided me to the GCC national counter... weird. But ok whatever).
Then at the passport immigration people, the guy at the counter took my passport and asked if I have been to the UAE before. And since I have been to Dubai like 3 times previously and once to Abu Dhabi (to visit Ferrari World of course), I said yes.
He flicked through my passport and said "Really?"
Me: "Yes. 3 times"
Him: "Are you sure??" *with the I-don't-believe-you look*
Me: "Yes I have! Twice in 2013 and once in 2012"
Him: *flicks through passport, types in some stuff on the computer. Pause. Confused look all over his face. Flicks through book again* "Ok"
and lets me through. Um... Ok?
Then fine. Whatever.
So this weekend, I went to Abu Dhabi again.
As I landed at the airport, this Indian dude asked if I'm a GCC resident or a tourist. I told him tourist and he guided me to the tourist line - which makes sense. Then after waiting for like 25 minutes for my turn, the lady at the counter gestured stop (as in don't come over) and she went away from her booth. God knows why. And so I was standing there with some bunch of other people queuing behind me wondering why the hell is the line not moving.
Then after me and this lady behind me gave a subtle angry looks at every other counter, this security guard decided to step in and take over, after like what? 8 minutes later???
THEN he took my passport, asked where I'm from and asked: "Why are you in this line???"
I stared back and said "cause I'm a tourist???"
Him: "No. You should not be in this line. Who told you to be in this line??
Me: "Some Indian security dude"
Him: "You need to be at counter number 2!" (and signaled the number 2 backwards 'peace' sign which in Britain would probably be an offensive sign).
Oookkk. So I went to counter 2. GCC nationals line. Like wth? Oh.Kay. Lets try this out then.
Thankfully the line was short. Like only 1 person ahead of me. Then it was my turn and had this quite a big size middle eastern lady who took my passport and did not make any issues about me lining up there ON A GCC NATIONALS line WITH A MALAYSIAN PASSPORT. Then it was like dejavu all over again as this conversation happened:
Her: "First time in Abu Dhabi?"
Me: "No. Third time"
Her: "Really?"
Me: "Yes. I was here two weeks ago in fact"
Her: "Really?"
Me: "Yes! I have it stamped in there somewhere"
Her: *flicks through passport. Types in something. Looks at me. Glances back at my passport. Flicks passport. Stamps passport* "Ok"
WHAT THE HECK? Do they think Malaysians can not afford to go to Abu Dhabi or something?!?!
Anyway, went out and had a good weekend with Daniel and 2 days passed and it was time to go back to Muscat.
Went to Terminal 2 as I was flying back with Rotana Jet and *trumpets out* MY FLIGHT WAS DELAYED 4 BLOODY HOURS. AT TERMINAL 2 ABU DHABI.
If anyone has ever been to Terminal 2 Abu Dhabi, you could say that it has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING at that airport. NOTHING. Even Puduraya bus station has more things there than this airport.
It was 5:30pm and my flight was supposed to leave at 7:00pm. I couldn't even check in and go through the immigration because apparently THERE WAS NO ONE AT THE CHECK IN COUNTER.
OOkkk~
So Daniel and I had bit of lunch at this small cafe in the airport (its like THE ONLY THING there at that terminal btw) till I randomly decided "AH F THIS. I'M NOT GONNA WAIT 4 HOURS AT THIS TERMINAL AND ARRIVE HOME AT 12 MIDNIGHT. I'm getting a new flight".
Get this. It was already 6:30pm that time and as I scanned through skyscanner.com I found a flight via British Airways that was flying to Muscat at 8:30pm.
I quickly booked it on my phone, checked in online and Daniel rushed me through to Terminal 1 airport.
There were lots of people scanning their bags and blablabla but I managed to get through getting boarding pass and stuff fine.
Then passport immigration time. This one is even more interesting that I've had previously.
*Gave the passport guy my passport and boarding pass*
Him: "Where are you going?" *while holding to my boarding pass*
Me: "Muscat"
Him: "Where's your visa paper?"
Me: "What visa paper?"
Him: "The visa paper they gave you when you came into Abu Dhabi"
Me: "I was not given any visa paper"
Him: "Then how did you get visa to come in?"
Me: "I don't need visa to come in. Its visa upon entry"
Him: *pauses* "Where are you from? Where is this from?" *while holding on to my passport*
Me: "What do you mean?" *gave him a weird look*
Him: "Where are you from? Where is your passport from?"
Me: "I'm Malaysian. My passport is from Malaysia"
Him: "Really?" *scans me and glances at my passport* "Malaysia?"
Me: "Yes really" (I was screaming in my head going WTH?! CAN YOU NOT READ MY PASSPORT THAT HAS THE WORD MALAYSIA STAMPED RIGHT IN FRONT?!!?)
Him: "Ok" *stamps passport*
LIKE WTH IS GOING ON?!?!
Anyway, I got home around 10:45pm. I checked online at Abu Dhabi airport, apparently my flight with Rotana Jet has yet left Abu Dhabi *gives a virtual hand clapping motion to the airline*.
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