PICKING UP A GIFT (Leaving Zhong Dian)

IN YEAR 11 and at Uni I had spent a great many hours preparing mock trial cases for various legal scenarios. On that came up again and again was receiving stolen goods. My legal team or I myself would have to go before the judge and the opposition and paint the facts as though my client were merely receiving and giving gifts to friends - or some other bodgy representation.

This, and the recent Schapelle Corby trial taught me that you do not ever, ever agree to receive or carry a package from strangers.

Strangely - although we were almost the first ones on our bus that morning - our bags wouldn't fit in the side compartment of the bus where you would normally expect them to go and had to go in the rear boot area. Another passenger complained the the driver opened up the side panels and explained it wouldn't fit - pointing to the many cardboard boxes and polyethelene bags.

Later as we were leaving town - a man stood on the road and waved the bus down. He got on and handed the bus driver a box about the size of a light-bulb box and stepped off the bus. The driver knodding knowingly and put it in a bag next to his seat. I suppose we're not that fair from Myanmar and Thailand.