Singapore

Pictures are; me in chinatown, me outside raffles hotel, self portrait by clarke quay, the buddha tooth museum, katie and I on the waterfront.

Hey everyone

After saying goodbye (tearfully) to Laura and Rich at Melbourne I flew to Singapore airport. I was delayed by a few hours so late arrival drinks with my friend Katie who is studying in singapore were cancelled in favour of sleep!

I stayed at a really nice hotel called the Grand Mercure Roxy hotel for a few days which has a shuttle bus to and fro the airport. I had booked it prior to leaving the UK as one less thing to worry about. It was a lovely hotel, with a fitness room and swimming pool, and very convenient for the airport, but a little bit out of town.

Luckily the local metro and bus system is very easy to navigate and taxis are cheap and very safe. In fact the whole of Singapore is very safe and very very friendly. I have never had so many random people strike up conversations with me. My favourite has been the elderly chinese lady outside the Buddha tooth museum who explained that she loved my 'golden hair and blue eyes' (I dont have either...), that her son in law was also from London (with 'golden hair and blue eyes'), that in her next life she hoped to come back with (guess it) 'golden hair and blue eyes'. As we said our goodbyes she explained that she really missed 'your princess diana'. She was a lovely lady and seemed to really like the British, which is always nice.

On Monday I moved to a hostel which I feel slightly more used to and is in my normal price range (about 8 pound a night). The hostel is called 'footprints hostel' and is in the middle of Little India, so much more close to the centre of town. It is a friendly hostel with great staff and hot showers (a bonus). It is a bit odd being in a 10 bed dorm, but I am getting used to it.

Ok, highlights of singapore (in no particular order).

- Hanging out with Katie.

Katie has been looking after me - lending me guide books, recommending where to go, and taking me out for food and drinks in the evening. It has been cool to see her and to meet more of her MBA course friends (who are all very friendly).

- Rooftop bars and Food

We have been to a couple of roof top bars which are wicked cos of the great views, lovely cocktails and cool breeze in the heat of singapore city. Downside? Drinks are really expensive here!

On the other hand, there is a massive range of really good food here, from all over the world, and they have very clean and safe 'hawker centres' which offer cheap and tasty food. I have eaten thai, turkish, and indian so far at both restaurants and little stalls and enjoyed them all.

- Chinatown and Little India

It is currently the run up to Chinese new year and Chinatown is bustling - full of red chinese lanterns, food, clothes and generally lots and lots of people and stalls. The oddest thing we have seen for sale is 'cod jerky' - lovely! I also enjoyed the buddha tooth museum (a tooth of the buddha guarded by monks in a room of gold) and the chinese heritage centre.

I am staying in Little india and really enjoy the ambience. It is not full of the 'postcard' sights like the colonial district but is a great place to wander round and pretend you are in India. Close by is the Arab quarter which is cool - particularly all the independent shops. I loved going in, but the sizes were really built for smaller frames than me!

- Colonial district

I have spent lots of time here - wandering round the classic buildings (and having a drink in raffles hotel), enjoying the waterfront, seeing the museums and going to the Fort Canning park. Singapore is a green place and fort canning park is bang in the centre of town but feels very quiet. There is also a little museum there called the 'battle box' which was where the decision to surrender Singapore to the Japanese was made by the Uk and allied forces on 15 Feb 1942. It is a great little experience but kinda odd as they try to inject the atmosphere of the time with bomb noises going off in this claustrophopic bunker.

- Shopping, shopping and more shopping,...

There is so much for sale at so many different venues across singapore. I have been tempted many times but have held off buying anything as I have way too much luggage already that still has to go to cambodia and thailand. The only thing I have bought is a maxi dress from a street stall as it will roll up very small, and I needed something to wear to all these rooftop bars! Still, i have enjoyed window shopping! If I came here again, I would bring a spare empty suitcase.

After an all too short sojourn in Singapore, I am meeting Alice in Cambodia tomorrow. I don't know how easy it will be to access the web but I will try to keep in touch.

Love to everyone and see you all soon,

Nina xx