Singapore part 2

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Singapore 2: Judgement Day

Arriving back into Changi Airport, we were determined to try and have a better time in Singapore for the three days we had there before our flight to New Zealand. We lugged our bags onto the MRT and sat watching the world go by on our way back to Chinatown where'd we'd stayed previously although this time at the 'Beary Good Hostel' instead of the hostel from hell where we'd ended up previously. Of course it was expensive by asian standards- £11 each for a dorm bed instead of the £6-7 per room in Indonesia. At least the places was nice, with a big TV and much needed wifi.

Having decided that trying to shop for anything in Singapore would simply end off with stress, raised blood pressure and poverty we decided to tick to the free attractions and began with a trip to the old colonial district. Escaping chinatown proved to be a big challenge as they were opening a new Hindu temple at the bottom of the road (Hindu temple in Chinatown?!?) and it was blocked off. The same was true of the surrounding streets so in the end we escaped through a back alley and fought our way through the crowds of Indians who were there for the big event.

The colonial district was very pleasant with several older buildings (something lacking elsewhere in Singapore) and a statue where Sir Thomas Raffles began the old British colony. We headed to the infamous Raffles Hotel and were pleased to see that we could also have a look around. It is a really spectacular building with a very colonial feel several courtyard cafe serving high-tea. We then headed to the not-so-historical IT Mega Mall to buy a portable hard-disk for my laptop as linux continually insists of eating important files on the memory stick I brought along. We topped off the day with a walk to the top of a hill in a nearby park for some views of the city and dinner of roast pork and rice back at the china town complex.

The following day we caught the bus to the botanical gardens which turned out to be amazingly good. The Singaporean's love of order and cleanliness was reflected in the fantastic gardens which were spread over a huge area. They even had a 'cool house' instead of the usual hothouses you'd find in such places growing all sorts of ferns that love cool, damp climates like Britain. Unfortunately the visit was cut short as I slowly began to feel bad and then feverish. We headed back to Orchard Road to catch the train back to China Town but made the mistake of taking a look at a book shop for the Rough Guide to South America and were shocked at the price they were trying to charge. I collapsed in a chair while Stacey had a look to see if there were any cheaper alternatives but of course that wasn't to bed.

We'd had the intention of going to the nigh safari but I was in no fit state so just had to lay in bed, shivering and occasionally taking paracetamol. One sleepless night later, there was no way I was going anywhere outside the hostel so instead spent the day collapsed on the communal sofa watching DVDs until it was time to leave for the airport. Of course I looked ridiculous in long trousers and a jumper trying to keep warm while everyone else was in shorts and T-shirt in the sweltering heat. We'd worked out that it was the food in the China Town Complex that was responsible for making me feel so bad so Stacey went to get some petrol and matches to burn Chinatown to the ground and avenge me! (only joking, but the thought crossed my mind at the time :-)

I don't really remember the train ride to the airport, other than wishing that my bag was filled with pillows instead of the heavy cloths and books. We checked in for our flight and bought an overpriced airport meat pie before getting on the plane at about 11pm. I'd really tried to get on and enjoy Singapore and was doing so until it decided to poison me so concluded that I'd be better off leaving. Onwards to New Zealand!

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