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Gibbs Locates
So, here we are in Chinatown, Singapore..and do you think I can find a laundry anywhere? No chance..after walking in the Singapore heat for 15 minutes, we're pointed to a place that looks like an old army billet...in there is a self service laundrette...We spent an hour watching socks and pants go round in circles. not my idea of fun but it was something that certainly had to be done..! Then we tried to book tickets for the train ride to Kuala Lumpur for friday...could it be done? No, was the answer..somehow the internet just wouldnt have it. We did it the old fashioned way and did a dry run to Woodlands in North Singapore which is basically the Singapore/Malaysia border and the booking office for the KMRT..the Malaysian Train Ticket counter...it's a good job we did the dry run otherwise we'd have had problems. It took about an hour and a half to get there on the MRT and then a connecting bus. Eventually we found the place and booked tickets. I asked the guy "Are your trains like Indian ones?"..he looked surprised and said "Certainly not". I then told him that we'd spent 16 hours on one of the best trains we'd ever been on. He saw through us and laughed. I then asked if the 2nd class seats would have Air Conditioning?.."Of course" he replied. With our tickets in our hands, we skipped for joy out of there.
It then took ages to get back to Central Singapore as we hit rush hour and the MRT got really busy. Grant was hungry and so got a McDonalds...unfortunately he sat next to some Triad Charaters, so I went join him for a coffee, the heavily tattooed gangsters took great delight in spitting by our feet. Once again, I'm surprised about stuff like this in Singapore as in the old days the gentlemen with the big sticks would have been on the case. The gangsters werent doing this to offend us, they were just being ignorant pigs. It then took a lifetime to find the bus stop to get back to Chinatown. We planned a night of staying local. This would be a challenge. The locals of Chinatown arent unfriendly, but they are aloof.
We went out about 9pm and took the plunge and sat in a local outdoor eatery. As soon as we sat down we were treated very nicely and people asked us questions. Basically, lots of westerners shuffle in and scuttle out, but once you sit down, it's almost like you've shown them you've got the bottle to sit it out and more importantly, spend some money there.
It then took ages to get back to Central Singapore as we hit rush hour and the MRT got really busy. Grant was hungry and so got a McDonalds...unfortunately he sat next to some Triad Charaters, so I went join him for a coffee, the heavily tattooed gangsters took great delight in spitting by our feet. Once again, I'm surprised about stuff like this in Singapore as in the old days the gentlemen with the big sticks would have been on the case. The gangsters werent doing this to offend us, they were just being ignorant pigs. It then took a lifetime to find the bus stop to get back to Chinatown. We planned a night of staying local. This would be a challenge. The locals of Chinatown arent unfriendly, but they are aloof.
We went out about 9pm and took the plunge and sat in a local outdoor eatery. As soon as we sat down we were treated very nicely and people asked us questions. Basically, lots of westerners shuffle in and scuttle out, but once you sit down, it's almost like you've shown them you've got the bottle to sit it out and more importantly, spend some money there.
- comments
Jaynelove It’s funny how spitting is allowed when chewing gum is not!... The trains on the internet look like the Indian version of the Orient Express, " quite plush I thought... Take care xxxxx Hope you enjoy !
Andrea I hope Jayne is right and you get a good train journey. They are going to start fines in this country if you are caught spitting quite right to.
Clive Sounds like life’s a little more comfortable for you boys at the moment...... gangsters apart! Just sat here in the Black with Jimbo, just read your card from Istambul........ It’s only taken 2 weeks to arrive!!!!! Big news from Aberaeron, is that Jimbo has moved his chair half a foot to the left of the bar, I think it made the Teifi Times!!! He says come home soon,as since you boys haven’t been down the Black had officially gone into negative growth,another period of the same will tip it into recession !!! Enjoy your next rail journey!
Big Steve Scuttle, now theres a word I’ve not used or heard for a while!!.
Rhidian Morgan So I down the pub last a little lashed up ........ watching my team the Dragons getting dicked by the Ospreys. My mate professor John and to me ......... Yes he is actually a prof ........ So I tell him about your travels as I’m getting displeased with the rugby. There’s wifi down the Coach ........ Yes technology has reached Caerwent ........ So I decide to share with him this latest instalment. As you know I am dyslexic ........ Bloody hard word to spell for us with special needs........ So we are trying to read it together and all I am seeing is stuff like washing pants and buying train tickets. Therefore I decide to abandon the read as prof John hasn’t seen the big picture. He is unaware of the claustrophobia .... Rats .... Dubai airports ..... Gateaux for breakfast ...... A guided tour of Bari ...... Horrid Russians ..... Helen and Rhid lording it up ....... Greek politics .... Dodgy train stations ..... Dodgy trains . The list is endless. Maybe it was my dyslexic paranoia. .... Not sure. Anyway probably prof John won’t be searching the internet for the next instalment but I most certainly will. I have now caught up with all that I had not read and I have loved every word. Lloyd .... you are doing such a lovely thing for Grant and it is testament to the dad you are. As a good friend I was concerned to read some of your Indian experiences. At some points it must have been terrifying. However reading Jaynes comments afterwards made me laugh out loud ....... The loving concerned wife ........ Nah !!! ... So so funny. Anyway it look like you guys can relax a bit now. Enjoy as you both deserve it. Love and kind regards Rhid