Dubai.
Something that's been making me extremely unhappy for several days now:

My very, VERY dear friend and ex-housemate in the Warehouse of Mighty Doom, Cat has been arrested and held without charge in Dubai.

All of this is 3rd hand, and i'm feeling extra-ordinarily irrational about the whole thing, so apologies if I get anything wrong or come across in the wrong way, the truth is that I'm scared out of my wits for someone I love very much, so that's my excuse.

He was originally yoinked because he had sleeping pills on him (legal here, where bought, and apparently in Dubai, also). Why he would take them, whether doing so was an accident or not, I'm not certain. Regardless, he's pulled at customs and told he's being held for possession of illegal drugs. They then claim to have found hash in his bags, which is bollocks.

Long story short, he's been moved back and forth between jails, they didn't charge him when the sleeping pills proved legit, his piss test wasn't damning, I think the understanding is that the trumped-up hash charge is why they're now still holding him a further seven days. Without charge.

The rest of us are just sitting here, shitting ourselves, hoping that after they've done a very fine job of making everyone feel scared, they deport and ban him and we get him back home to squeeze / slap for worrying us / celebrate / etc.

More informed accounts of the situation can be found at Mildred's and Scott's LJs respectively.

If you know Cat, you can help in a small way by sending on good wishes to her, and to be passed onto Cat (check her post).

Unless you happen to be a high-ranking official or defence lawyer in Dubai, or own a teleport device or something. If so, you'll have received my psychic beacon by now and know what to do.

I don't know what else to say on all this, I keep rewriting the post and stopping the stream of thoroughly xenophobic abuse that wants to gush from me, but suffice to say, if you're travelling to someone else's country, and they do things differently there, know what the hell you might be getting yourself into. Understand, respect and obey their laws and cultural norms. Take no chances and do not be under the misapprehension that you are immune from trouble. In particular (and not accusing Cat of this), ignorance of someone else's law is not an excuse.

And, while I'm sure this may appear strictly anecdotal, I cannot currently recommend Dubai as a travel destination for westerners.

I'm aware that similar things can happen in the UK (or US / wherever), mistakes can be made and there may be absolutely malice or prejudice involved here. Someone with a jet-setting passport and the wrong carry-on luggage can get in a bind anywhere. I'd like to think "we" are better somehow than "them" in some way that makes me feel better for our culture being somehow superior, but I know that really I just want to be fucking angry at someone, and that none of that is going to help in the least.

I'm just upset and scared because my mate's in trouble.

Diz is one of the most loving, intelligent, dependable, through-and-through great human beings I have ever met. I'm doubly shaken because of all the smart, worldly people I have the pleasure of knowing, he's not the bloke I thought would wind up in the klink like this. He's the guy I'd phone when I was in this kind of trouble.

Cat, mate, get your fucking arse back home. You're very much loved and missed.