Security overload

I have always thought that the security measures at airports were a bit over the top. I hate having to take my belt off and hold up my pants as I walk through the metal detector and nothing is more annoying than the whole no liquids over 100ml thing and having to take your laptop out for the x-ray machine. If you are unlucky, you may get taken to a small room to get padded down or wait around while your bags get 'randomly' swabbed.

After traveling for the last 8 months, the most insane security is, surprisingly, not in America, but in china.

At the security gate, someone checks your passport and ticket as you enter. Everything gets x-rayed as you go through a metal detector then you get padded down on the other side as another person checks your passport and ticket. Once through to immigration, another person checks your passport before you go to the departure area. At the gate, another person checks your passport and ticket before you get on. The most surprising thing about it, is that this is the security for a domestic flight!

For the Tour of Hainan, the security did not stop at the airport. For the opening ceremony, which was outdoors, they set up a compound on the beach front with police surrounding it. Before entering, you had to make your way through a temporary metal detector and get padded down by police.

The worst thing was that there were no toilets inside so if you needed to go, you had to leave and do the whole thing over again.