Singapore - Without The Rash!

There is one kilometre bridge that serves as a border between Malaysia and Singapore. The time to cross the bridge is relatively, and it’s fairly insignificant, the change in countries is so dramatic it was possible to distinguish them just by looking out of the coach window. One of first things I noticed was the cleanliness of Singapore. While Malaysia was old, dirty and over run with the combination of pollution interspersed with vegetation Singapore was the exact opposite. It was clean, tidy and generally the landscape had an air of organization about it. The ground was spotless, and rubbish seemed to present absolutely zero problems in anyway.



After a brief stop off at the border check point I began to get my first glimpses of the city that made up what most people would consider make up Singapore. Like any other city it there were buildings, traffic, people but it lacked something. There was no graffiti, no rubbish and from what I could judge at the time there was no crime. Unlike other cities I had gone to there were no teenage delinquents hanging around on the street, or homeless people sleeping on park benches. In fact I don’t recall seeing any buskers or people asking me “Do you have a spare cigarette?” or even begging me for money during the entire week I was in Singapore. It was incredibly different from what I knew I would experience in Melbourne.



When my bus arrived at the depot I had no idea where I was or how to get too the hostel Clayrene had written down for me. So I flagged down the first taxi I saw and politely asked him to take me to the hostel on Lavender Road.

1 minute and 30 seconds later we arrived.



It was a basic hostel, but it would do for the week… Actually in retrospect it was nicer then any other hostel I had stayed in so far. It had free internet and computers, breakfast supplied every morning (so much toast) and air con… This was turned on at 8pm and turned off at 7am. I found a bed, put my pack away into the locker and decided it was time for some much anticipated exploration. I found Singapore one of the safest places I have visited, and not once was I concerned about being robbed or followed like I had in most other places. That little bump of trouble that I usually felt in a dodgy situation was pretty much non-existent in this city. It was good to have a rest from that feeling of uncertainty



Except for the day when I was drugged up on medication from the doctor my time was spent outside exploring the city in the heat. On the first day I travelled to Singapore Zoo which was brilliant. Not only was it so big that most people had to catch a shuttle bus around the enclosures but it had a huge variety of animals and the holding areas they lived in were really nice. Unlike other Zoos I’ve seen this place actually treated the animals with some respect which was nice too see. I even managed to see the Elephant show which was impressive. Watch an elephant pick up a log and throw it fifteen meters is pretty awesome. I mean I could do it… I just don’t want to right now. I was disappointed that I didn’t plan better and go to the night time Safari but in all honesty I doubt I could have afforded it. Singapore cost me more then I planned from the moment I stepped off the bus.



I spent one day exploring China town and its surrounding areas. After taking off my shoes I was able to enter a temple and see a really nice ceremony take place. I even managed to get some photos with out being charged for them, and I don’t think any one really cared I was doing it. They actually seemed happy a foreigner was taking an interest in their culture. There were two men, one playing a drum and another type of flute. The sound they made was incredible, and didn’t stop to rest once. Even after I left forty-five minutes later the two men continued to play, beads of sweat cascading over their faces.



A full day was taken up by exploring Orchard road and all the shops the area had to offer. There were some good deals here and there, and had I had more room to buy things I would most certainly have done so. I enjoyed buying some doughnuts I had watched freshly made only minutes before, and washed them down with a really thick milkshake from the store next door. I spent some time in borders that afternoon and bought some new novels to keep me busy while I travelled or at night when I had little to do. I even managed to piss of a taxi driver when I absent minded stepped into a cab that was second in line for customers at a waiting point. The guy who drove me back didn’t care, he liked the fact I had chosen his taxi for two reasons. Firstly he would be getting the fare, and secondly he could practise his English with me. His English wasn’t great but his constant remarks of “F**k that other arsehole!” and “You’re a f**king aussie!” kept me amused for over half an hour. I wished I had chosen to go further with him; he would have made my days very entertaining.



I took the insanely efficient subway to a shopping centre at the edge of the harbour the next day, and then boarded a monorail to Sentosa Island – Tourist Magnet Extraordinaire! What can I say? It was busy and expensive. I used my morning in Underwater World surrounded by school kids who had picked this particular day for an excursion, and then in the afternoon I wasted my money on rides I swear I had been on at Movie World in Queensland. Ok, so it was a waste of time and well earned cash, but it was the experience that counts right? Regardless I was glad when I had taken the monorail back to the air conditioned shopping centre and could eat some nice cheap McDonalds for lunch.



On the final day before I would fly to Taiwan I took the subway down to the harbour side. I’m not sure how far I walked that day… But it was a long distance, even by my standards. First I visited Singapore’s acclaimed mascot, the Merlion. A huge statue consisting of half a lion and half a mermaid it shoots water into the harbour and attracts hundreds every day. I’m not sure of the story and origin behind it, but it was pretty unique I must say. After spending some time recovering from my walk to the Merlion along the harbour I began an arduous journey to the Singapore Eye also known as a really big Ferris wheel. Only this one had air-conditioned capsules that hold thirty people at a time and takes close to forty-five minutes to complete. It was a good way to rest and take in some great views of Singapore that you wouldn’t find anywhere else in the country, even if I did have kids keep putting their heads in front of my lens or asking “Can we listen to your English music?” It was a nice way to finish off my time in Singapore.



The next day I woke early and took a taxi driven by a well mannered man whose English was impeccable. He had travelled all over the world and was interested to hear about my year in Japan, which I was more then happy to share. He wished me the best for my time in Taiwan, which he had recently visited, and I was once again off towards a new an unknown country. This time I would meet my girlfriend at the time Ya Ling and spend an entire month travelling the country. I could hardly wait to get on the plane.