One of my colleagues posted up an article about a couple being detained in Dubai. It's hard to believe the truth of it because it's reported only on the Chinese Lian He Wan Bao but not making the headlines in mainstream news does not mean it never did happen, or that it was a scam.What strike me most was the manner in which it was written, it lacked a detailed explanation of 'why it happened' but a ton of description of 'how it happened'. The result, immediate fear, paranoia, anger and distrust. Worst still, most readers react with the immediate condemnation of the country that was mentioned, its people, their culture and even religion. We are not given the full detail of what really happened, neither has the matter been brought up officially. So, until it does, it would be best to keep our prejudices and hateful comments to ourselves.


On a side note,Singaporeans are really sheltered people, the nation's low crime rates have turned us into trusting and arguably complacent people. We trust people easily, we extend our helping hand willingly to those who are in need. There is nothing wrong with that but such naivety should be kept within the country. When travelling to places that are unfamiliar, be as paranoid as possible,well, at least that's how I'd do it. When you are abroad, anything can happen and it's always essential to look after yourself, your family and your belongings. Also, if you have your suspicions about a certain country or if you feel that you need the extra security, do inform friends/relatives of your travel schedule. And there is always the MFA. Always travel smart and remember that the world is not all rainbows, ponies and friendly men from romance novels/movies.