THE TOURIST TRAIL 26 DEC 2007

The Author has been experiencing the mainstream Tourist Trail and train travelling from Northern Malaysia to Thailand. There was entry stamp confusion, as departure from Singapore involves firstly stamping into Malaysia and secondly rubber stamping the exit from the island state. I failed to gain an entry stamp in my passport and apparently the fine is 10,000 ringitts ($AUD3500) or 5 years gaol. WHAT THEY DID SAY WAS THAT ALL TRAIN TICKETS MUST BE KEPT ON YOUR PERSON UNTIL YOU FINALLY DEPART MALAYSIA. P.S. This reverse logic method of passport stamping is the official protocol and provided the traveller has a Singapore railway stamp on the Malaysian entry card, then this is processed just before Thai border. Effectively the entry and exit stamp are done simultaneously at this frontier.PHOTO (top):Indonesian woman with Australian traveller "Tamsin of Brisbane". PHOTO (lower): A GROUP OF MALAYSIAN STUDENTS ON THE OVERNIGHT TRAIN TO BANGKOK. "ADIBA SHAREEN" IS TO MY LEFT.