Alcohol is a controlled, mostly prohibited item. Local Muslims cannot braing alcohol into the country, while non-muslims are allowed to import 2L and 12 cans. The border officials issue you a form of license to possess the liquor you bring in, and if any official catches you drinking without the paper 'license' you are in for it!

Last week Vijen and Lorrie brought me to the nearest border crossing to participate in a perpetual expat party. Those expats working without a proper visa must leave Brunei every 14days to renew their tourist visa, and Kuala Lurah is ain ideal spot to do that, and to take in a bit of the local atmosphere as well. Resembling a German beer tent, though open on all sides, Larry's (or Libby's or something similar) is a frothy maelstrom of beer and chicken wings. The town of Kuala Lurah persists simply to satiate the thirst of the expats that make the biweekly pilgrimage. It was said that the bar we were in would likely make about 40 000$B on a given night of the week. Hundred of Bruneians under a huge tent. Not all were expats, either, and I'm more than sure many of the locals were Muslim. The key to a Kuala Lurah booze run is to remember to cross the border by 10pm, or you'll be stuck without accomodation, and all the bars close, so there will be nothing to occupy yourself with. Vijen, Lorrie and I met up with an incredible number of aquaintances from school and found seats amongst them. After a quick meal of delicious fried chicken wings and a few quick Tigers we each bought our quota of alcohol and walked back over the border. We left around 9:30, just before the mass exodus that apparently begins around ten-to-ten.

One note: Employees paid by the government, as most teachers are, must apply to leave Brunei. In this manner, the government can control who can leave and when. If a worker was to leave without permission, and they would be allowed, they would lose one month's pay, plus their annual bonuses. After the smoke has cleared, an unauthorised border crossing may cost around 8000$B.