It's bloody hot! (Days 1&2)

So I arrived!!

Obviously things didn't quite go to plan. It turns out I couldn't ship all my stuff out to NZ so had to pack it and check it in on the plane. Just as we were packing up the car, my suitcase broke so I had to use Mom and Dad's giant one - I am not joking when I say I could get in this case (well rescued though Mom and Dad!)!! So much for travelling light!!

DAY 1
I went straight from the airport in Singapore onto the wonderfully air conditioned MRT (tube) and headed off to town. You wouldn't believe how clean everything is. The floor of the station and airport sparkled - a far cry from the joys of New Street and the Underground!! So far so good.

I got out the tube and was hit by this unbelievable heatwave. The sun had gone down but it was still roasting and the humidity was unreal. I started off on the '8 minute' walk to the hostel (which I forgot to print the directions to - oops!) with my monster (heavy) suitcase and backpack still wearing my jeans as it was cold when we left London. BIG MISTAKE. About 10 steps later I was reduced to a sweltering wreck and needed a rest! This 10 steps and rest pattern continued for about half an hour until I arrived, ruined, at the hostel. So much for a glamourous entrance!!!

The hostel is fab. Clean and friendly with free internet access, security coded doors and lockers (safety check for parents! ;-) ). It was a bit weird when I arrived - everyone seemed to know each other already so I headed off for a walk on my own. The hostel is in Little India and it is currently he festival of Deepavali so all the streets are decorated with flowers and lights and there are loads of food stands and market stalls everywhere. Fab! All the houses and shops are painted different colours and the signs are all so brightly coloured you need sunglasses to walk down the street at night!

I got back to the hostel feeling a little out of place not knowing anyone and not knowing what to do but got talking to 2 lads - Damian (from Dublin but lives in Sydney) and Martin (from Norway) who had both arrived that afternoon too. We went off to Chinatown for food and for a couple of drinks in the bar next door to the hostel. Result!

Day 2

Up at about half 8 - pretty good lie in for a hostel apparently - and milled around the hostel for a while. The breakfast here is free so loaded up for a day's walking.

Damian and I headed down to the river to join one of the cruises and learn a bit more about Singapore. I great time spent lazing in the heat on the river. The river used to be the sewage outlet for Singapore and it took them 10 full years to clean it up properly. We must have walked for about 5 hours today, stating in Fort Canning Park. This place is amazing. It's beautifully kept, and like everything else here, absolutley spotless. We have seen so many people out cleaning today it's insane. I think it is all anyone does! The parrk has a theatre in the middle and loads of Chinese style buildings. The have concerts there (Ash are playing tonight) but these are nothing like the gigs we know. Ash are going to be in this massive carpeted marquee with loads of high chrome stools and tables like in a wine bar and really posh outdoor bars. They sell beer by the (mini) keg as there is just never any trouble - can you imagine that at home? It'd be trashed in minutes!

Headed back through Chinatown and found a great place off the beaten track for lunch. The food here is great and I have fallen in love with Chinese food all over again! On the way out we came across a buddist temple and followed everyone in. I had to don a sarong and shawl as I was inappropriately dressed in shorts and a vest top!! Unfortunately we couldn't take photos inside but it was amazing. So beautiful. There was a roof terrace with 10,000 buddas (this was outside so photos to follow) each sponsored by businesses and individuals to bring them luck and prosperity. At S$68 (25 quid - where is the pound sign on these keyboards?!) the temple were doing ok out of it too! They really weren't stupid in there and were definitely wise to tourists. There was a plain little wooden bracelet (imagine rosary beads the size of peas on a piece of elastic) that was S$400 (#150+). Unbelievable. Mind you, any tourist who spends that deserves exactly what they get!! Lol!

I am back in the hostel now and ready to sleep (it's only 18.00) - This heat is riddiulous! I'm off for a lie down before heading off to the raffles hotel for a Singapore Sling if I can bring myself to spend S$26
(#10). I've become so stingy in the last couple of days!! Followed by a night on the town.

I'm off to Bali tomorrow morning and will be online (MSN/ Facebook - not sure about skype yet) at 06.00 local time. I think the time difference is actually 7 hours at the moment and not 8 as originally thought. I'll see you online if you are around and will try and give you a bit more notice next time!!

Love and kisses to everyone.

xxx

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