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Hey, today is monday 9th feb, im just in the hostel for a bit before I go and catch my plane for Cairns, Australia.
Yesterday we took a long train ride to the West of the Island and then got a bus to Bukit Timah national park- it was amazing, there are four jungle walks that you can do there and we did all of them. Some of the routes were pretty cool- steep slopes and even steeper down, at one point a monitor lizard fell out of a tree to land at our feet on the path- that was pretty cool! There are loads of stunning butterflies in the reserve, and strange plants and the noisy cicada insects. Quite a few chinese people trek around the reserve to keep super fit. We trekked to Singapores highest peak too. At the end of the last route we went back to the visitors centre and sat in the beautiful gardens and wooden shelters to have some drinks and ice cream. We then walked a little bit around the town of Bukit Timah, back to the bus stop and came back across singapore island to our hostel.
We spent a bit more time in the reserve than we had planned, and its a long way there and back, and we saw Bhavna off as she left for Malaysia. Basically me and suzanne got back a bit late but still tried to go to the night sarafi at singapore zoo. We got all the way to Woodlands in the North of the island, but we were too late to make it to the safari. We did stumble across a massive supermarket in Woodlands- we got lost in it! We were looking for some traditional food to eat, something new- and we just kept finding take out food stores. We found a hilarious 'British chippy' store- british flags everywhere, and none of the food was what we eat here lol (only the cheesy chips- but the cheese here has sugar on it!). Me and Suzanne brought some chinese food eventually and I had squid (so yummy!) and we looked around for somewhere to have a drink but there was nothing- chinese really dont have a drinking culture at all. Trust us to be the typical bad british wanting to have a drink lol.
We went all the way back to Dhoby Ghaut (area near our hostel) and there were hundreds of Indian people celebrating a festival- some of them were adorned all over and others carried adorned metal frames with giant feathers and flowers, it was really lively. We found a bar and had some drinks- I dont think they'd served many alcoholic drinks before- they didnt know how to pour a beer which wasnt too good for suzanne- or measure vodka which was very good for me cus I got a whole glass of vodka with a tiny bit of coke! We went bk the hostel when the bar closed. Had a bit of a giggling fit on the way..prob a bit of an understatement- we cried with laughter for about an hour, tried to be quiet in our dorm but without much success- we went online til about 1am (were exhausted but we never get to bed earlier than 1 lol, too much to do- some people watched a film in the hostel, I dont think I'l ever be that bored).
So anyway...monday morning, today- me and suzanne got up early, packed our things and checked out. We had planned to go to Sentosa island today, which is pretty much what most people do in singapore- but its so touristy and a rip off. So instead we planned to head for Palau Ubin island, which is a pretty much deserted island with jungle all over, and old style hut buildings and jetties. Its like how singapore used to be a long time ago. So we went all the way to the northeast coast of singapore by train then bus, to a place called Changi village, and then took an awesome old little boat (theyre called bumboats!) out to the island- and there were virtually no other tourists here it was brill! :-) It was so original, and quiet- and dirt cheap. We hired mountain bikes out for virtually nothing (the whole trip costs us 5.00 pound- getting there, hiring etc) and got straight on, no messing about with maps, and headed off into the jungle. Parts of the island had roads to cycle on, which was pretty fun whe you shot down one of the steep hills, and parts of it...well, we got stuck in marshy mud and saw some big water lizards- one was at least 2 metres long but it whizzed into the marsh so quick we didnt get a photo. We saw loads of macaques, and another small monitor lizard. We both kinda bumped off the biking trail twice- suzanne into a bush and almost the marsh, me down a slope lol. We found some nice beaches and could see Malaysia. We bumped into two guys, one of them an avid mountain biker, and went down a really bumpy bath- riding over buttress roots and large loose rocks lol (me and suzanne's bike had no suspension like the guys!!). I flew ahead a lot (the avid biker said I was nuts lol)- its so exhilarating flying round bends and ducking under branches, not being able to see where you're going. I got a bit covered in mud- we all had to give up on one of the trails and double back- apparently it had been closed but nobody told us lol. Oh and I saw a wild pig- went charging off, my bike brakes sqeaked and scared it- it took out trees along its path lol, pretty powerful animal. Oh and then the avid biker punctured a wheel and had to get a new bike- we all headed back, had a few drinks and then headed back via boat to changi village.
Me and suzanne came across changi beach park and hung out on the beach for a bit. The we came back across singapore and now were at the hostel, going online for a bit before we head to the airport. Singapore has been brilliant- we have seen everything we wanted to see, and more- prob more than some travellers see. Weve seen the city, the natural singapore- rainforest, and the old style, original singapore- the village and Palau Ubin island. Its been fantastic and I hope I never forget it. Me and Suzanne have the same flight to Cairns in a bit (what are the chances of meeting someone doing the same journey as you?! its fab) and then were borht in cairns for two days before she joins her trip down the coast and I meet Sarah from home, and we go off down the coast with a different trip company- Oz experience! I cant wait Im so excited. Me and suzanne are at different hostels in cairns but will meet up- definitely be partying at my hostel there, gilligans (doubles up as a popular bar). Anyhow, better go now and get our flight, write again soon xxxxx
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