The Crossing

What is with the new Aussie passports? I know by putting the computer chip in amongst the pages and having a holographic image of yourself on the front page, your passport is supposed to be more secure, but the hassles associated with these things over here in the non English speaking world are amazing. Every time my passport was checked whilst crossing the border (5 times one way), the same process followed. Every page strictly scrutinised, front and back checked and felt, holographic image stared at then rubbed with fingernail to see is it would peel off, computer chip felt and held up to the light and then the whole process would be repeated. The other tourists would all stare and whisper to each other, "what's that foreign looking guy doing with the fake passport" or "I can't believe this guy holding up the queue, did he bring all the correct documents". At some points I even had the customers officers get on the phone to ask for a superior and then, only after the whole process was repeated did they reluctantly OK me.
Crossing from Russia into China was a strange experience. After passing what looked like a military base complete with dozens of menacing looking tanks, our bus traveled through "no mans' land" until we hit the crossing. Here the first of 5 passport checks occur as a solider boards the bus and begins to eye everyone very suspiciously. Then after traveling a few more meters we wait for about 45min to get clearance to disembark and go through immigration. Russian officials are nearly always grumpy, short tempered and trying their best at being intimidating. The whole story changes once we crossed into China. The Chinese officials did not have the tough guy attitude. There was a very faint smirk on some of there faces, which turned into a smile and followed with many friendly questions once they found out I was from Australia. " Ooh you are from Australia! What are you doing here? What is it like there?" It was a nice change to be considered a novelty rather than eyed with suspicion.