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Although a transit destination for many, we decided to stay for 5 nights in a city that mixes old Asia with 21st century technology. And although we weren't expecting much, Singapore delivered on every level......it's full of Temples (my favourite activity, although Tom still maintains he thinks its crab hunting), Malls and Hawker markets.
We stayed in Chinatown and arrived off the super clean, quick and cheap metro and very quickly got very lost during a colossal downpour, we took a guess and it turned out left was the wrong choice! After finding our way to the hostel (soaking wet but not cold - strange sensation), and after a few strange looks and photos taken of us, we locked up our bags in the 4 bed dorm (no more Aussie apartments for us) to go explore. We wandered around Chinatown Night Market, full of fake handbags, t-shirts and all the 'tat' I love such as dresses, Buddha statues and paintings. Now with rumbling bellies, we went to a nearby Hawker market (food court) that I had read about in my lonely planet guide. Stalls upon stalls lined the area with food of all variety......to be honest it was a little overwhelming. However the smells, people and noise all added to its charm. We settled for Hainaese Chicken with rice (steamed chicken - delicious) and watched the market sellers whipping up all their treats with no idea what they were making or what it was called!?
We arrived back at our hostel and met our roommates for the next few days, a mystery man from the Philippines who snored like a Walrus and a old German man called George who lived in Indonesia. They were nice, well George was as we never actually saw the other guy - George told us the man was from the Philippines. There was one moment however when I wish George hadn't been there, I woke up and rolled over at precisely the wrong moment and saw George changing his pants - the image of his saggy bum will haunt me forever!
The next day we took a trip to a place I had also read about in my guidebook (turns out its indispensible in Asia) which does traditional Kaya Toast. When we arrived, we both smiled at the lack of tourists and a sea of locals sipping hot coffee and the staff barking orders at each other in Mandarin or Cantonese or "Hibidy Dibidy" as Tom has started to call it. We sat down, pointed to the menu which only had two options and were presented with bowls of runny eggs and Kaya toast, which is coconut jam and butter sandwiched between 2 bits of crumbly toast. We added pepper and a dark sauce, which we think was soy, to the eggs as instructed by the very nice but insistent owner and dipped the toast in the eggs. This also came with the strongest coffee known to man however when sweetened with condensed milk it was amazing! And this started a breakfast ritual we would experience for the next 5 days!
The day then took a different turn as I made Tom visit the area called Little India. It happened to be Diwali when we visited and the place was rammed with people. We walked into a busy temple where we were given a coin for good luck and asked to donate one to pass it on. The Hindu temples were beautiful, Ganesh statues everywhere and the colours of the sari's and flowers were amazing. Tom, never one to be comfortable in any church, found it odd but came in which is a bonus! (Tom was a bit worried but he didn't burst into flames which he seemed sure might happen!?)
Our other activities included a visit to the Singapore Zoo, supposedly one of the best in the world. We had to take a bus there (Tom's least favourite mode of transport - he thinks every bus ride is ultimately a mystery trip with a 50% chance of getting you to your destination and a 50% chance of getting murdered in an unknown alleyway!?) and when we got on the grumpy Singaporean driver demanded the correct money and we held up the queue while he got ever more impatient with us (whoops). But the zoo was great, it had open air orang-utans which hung above your head so close you could touch them, almost! I also fed Rhino's which was a strange, but amazing experience. The zoo did have an elephant show, but after watching for 5 minutes Tom and I became uncomfortable and felt like the elephants were sad (that's right, we became experts in Elephant emotions during those five minutes). Towards the end of the day, as we were preparing to leave, the heavens opened so we ran under a shelter by the monkeys. The thunder and lightning started, and the lightning hit so close to us some of the bulbs blew (although Tom denies this but he just doesn't notice things like that) and the loudest thunder I have EVER heard produced a squeal from my mouth I have never heard before. But after a few hours this eased, and we had the horrible realisation that we had the return bus journey ahead of us (or mystery trip if you have Toms brain)!
After another morning spent at Yun Kaya Toast, we walked over to Raffles for a nose. It is beautiful, and that evening we went for a drink in the Long Bar. Now my Lonely Planet book (see, indispensible) said that Tom would need to wear trousers and shoes to the bar, as if he wore shorts and flip flops he would be "made most unwelcome". So, sweating Tom walks in to find.... everyone in flip flops and shorts (sorry Tom). We ordered the obligatory Singapore Slings and sat at the bar, eating peanuts and throwing the shells on the floor (this is allowed!?). After we took ourselves on a self guided tour of the hotel, Toms logic being that even if they do throw us out it's so posh they will do it politely and quietly......his logic for a lot of the nice places we see in Asia - he wanted to go into Bvlgari and ask them how to pronounce the name of their brand!? Crazy boy!
Overall Singapore was great, we found it easy to get around, had some great food and lots of fun activities. Thailand and Bangkok next, then some Island hopping......should be fun!
- comments
Karen What an adventure - you are getting daring! George's backside sounded delightful.... Great blog, I laughed out loud (or hibidy dibidy dodah - sounds a bit foreign Tom) Love you both xxx
Sam I so love reading what you two are up.....what an exciting time you are having...wouldn't it be great if we had bus rides that take us to such enchanting destinations! Tom survived.....which is the main thing. Can't wait to hear what you get up to in Thailand and Bangkok!!! Love as always......be safe. xxx
deb glithero great blog ,as always,always witty and to the point,very glad that Tom did'nt combust or de materialise in the house of god.What amazing /weird( back-side!!) sights you've been privvy to. keep safe and cheerful, love to you both xx mum x
Ashley Cramer Okay so i just love seeing what you guys are doing, but more importantly I love reading about the interactions between the two of you and Toms thoughts that are interjected throughout all of the blogs! For example, tom's view of bus rides hahaha. But i hope y'all are having so much fun and stay safe! xxxx