Soft landing in Singapore

---

Escape from Harborne Hall

Flew out from Heathrow to Singapore, after a brief week long return to England so we could attend a whole week long course of VSO training. Not sure the training was really designed with medics in mind, but hey, at least I will now be a dab hand with coloured pens and flip charts, to help me facilitate small groups in a participatory fasion (you had to be there - well, WE had to be there at least...)

Long flight - you always forget just how crap you will feel after 14 hours in an economy class seat, even with the wonderful Singapore Airlines crew looking after you. Made landfall in Singapore (which I (Jason) must have last visited for more than a couple of hours in transit over 15 years ago) to find little had changed. It is still incredibly organised, and everything works like clockwork - Kind of like Switzerland except warmer and cleaner.

Best Parents

We were lucky enough to have the offer of accomodation with Ian and Fran Griffiths, the parents of my best man - which I guess kind of makes them best parents. Certainly felt like it as they happily offered us a shower and a wonderfully soft bed after we got in from the plane. They also gave us a gentle introduction to SE Asia Hawker food, by taking me down to the markets (which in typical Singaporean style are highly organised into stalls and booths).

We had a days wandering around the city which included a brief introduction to orchard road for Jane (which she decided would have been much more fun if not on a budget). My personal highlight was seeing the crazy things you have to do to make your mall stand out in a place where shopping is the national sport. I was imensely amused by the decision to make a 20m long strip of ice, and offer customers the chance to try their hand at curling... See the photo's, it's all true. Also amused by the hotlines posted on the walls in underpasses or public toilets, asking you to call if there is any litter or graffitti - was left with the distict impression that if you called there would be a SWAT team like response...

Bussing and a quick game of Shoot the Frog

We then took the bus up to KL, Malaysia (fat bus, comfortable and air-conditioned) after laying out a whole ten quid for the ride (notable contrast after spending three times as much for a relatively short train trip from Birmingham back to London.) The highlight of the trip for me was a toilet break in which the urinal had a small frog painted on the back with the caption "shoot me!". If only I wasn't so dehydrated by the heat I would've played for hours... Jane tells me she did not benefit from any such amusements in the Ladies facilities. Most of the scenery on the ride was miles upon miles of palm plantations, from which the locals derive the much sought after palm oil. The motorway was in great knick, and relatively empty after having lived in the UK.

Malaysia (at least KL) was much more affluent and developed than I had expected. Very nice to walk out at night and feel safe in the city (although I guess a lot of that is your state of mind).

Next journey was the flight to Cambodia - will have to describe that in another exciting installment as have now sat here for a while.

---

Photos

Shoot the Frog
Such fun - now long bus trips will never be the same...