Colombia.....Here I Come...(Part 8)

Arrived Heathrow Terminal 4 about 5 minutes before midnight. There were still a lot of people wandering about the airport arrival and departure areas. I have another 4 hours to spare before the Air France check-in counters open. So I decided to look for a quiet and comfortably warm spot to hang-on until check in time. By 0200 hrs the crowd were getting thinner and thinner. By 0300 hrs it was almost deserted except for the cleaners and security personnel's. I was "Cat Sleeping" on and off pretending to be catching up on my lost sleep. My sleeping pattern is "Topsy Turvy" now....based  on Kuala Lumpur's time it's already 11.00 hrs in the morning (8 hours time difference). No wonder my tummy is feeling hungry because it's near lunchtime.

Heathrow Terminal 4


Lucky thing that I have stocked myself with some chocolate bars and "power breakfast bar" in my small backpack and there's also a Vending Machine dispensing hot coffee near where I was seated. Otherwise, unsealing the plastic wrapper on my suitcase is not the wisest thing to do. Once you undo, you theoretically can't fix it back on. It will be very expensive to re-seal the thin plastic wrapper here. I think it's about 20 Pound Sterling. Back home, it's only RM20. That means 5.5 time more expensive! The thing about this plastic wrapper - it's a precautionary measure to protect 1. Unauthorised people placing contraband into your bag or zip pocket. 2. To protect your bag against scratches and thumping. You will be surprised to know that with your zip luggage fully lock and secure, these unscrupulous syndicate can tear open thru' your zip and later re-zip without showing any sign that the bag has been tampered with. Scary isn't it, especially if you come from Country which is famous for drug trafficking.I will not take any chances in the matter, better be safe than sorry !

How Easy to peek into suitcases - Click here to see the short video.

A lot of the "drug mule" were caught on their arrival not knowing that they were carrying drugs. They were told by their "boyfriends" that they were just delivering bags of personal effects for his friend that is working overseas. While others, are not even assign the job but were caught with drugs inside their suitcase.Their "modus operandi" is somewhat like this..... This is the case that I mentioned earlier where this  illegal substances were smuggled into their bags without their knowledge. The syndicate working as airport handlers will unzipped suitcases and placed the illegal substances in it and then re-zip them. If the suitcase cleared the custom check point the other side, there will be someone watching and following them after they come out from the arrival hall. They will be lucky if they don't hurt them.They are not interested in the carrier's welfare.....but they just want to get their consignment....if the carrier pose as an obstacle, they will not hesitate to hurt or in a worst case scenario eliminate them. As such it cannot be over emphasized why it is so important to seal the bags with the warrantied safety wrapper.

By the time I was queueing for my check-in, I felt like a walking "Zombie". Everything was so light - everyone around me somewhat looks the same from my perspective. No issue at the checkin counter...and was informed about my departure gate No.22. My flight to Paris AF 1381 is departing at 06.40hrs Feb 3. I was the first person to check-in and my luggage was checked thru' to Bogota, Colombia. With that arrangement, I can expect my luggage will the last out from the baggage carousel at Bogota El Dorado Airport. First in - Last out. I was not in a hurry anyway - it's a vacation.

To be continued.........