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Published: August 24th 2009
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Singapore
one of the only pictures we took...just to prove we went! A big Singapore hello to everyone reading! Singapore doesn't have its own language as it has so many different nationalities living there so the common language is English!
We figured we would do a short blog to tell you about our two days in Singapore and to say goodbye to Asia, all in preparation for our fresh start in Australia where we will be traveling for the next 8 weeks.
First off Singapore...so the good news is that we managed to block Ami up enough to get her on our free flight courtesy of Air Asia (they gave us vouchers when they delayed one of our previous flights), and we finally arrived in Singapore after yet another night of sleeping in the airport, on the floor this time!
We quickly got ourselves onto the metro and began heading into the centre when Ami started to fell very unwell again....All the time we were thinking a fine was imminent, after all they fine you for eating on the metro so what would they do if Ami poo'ed all over the place! (Singapore has a random fining system - one of my favorites is 'failing to flush a public toilet!") Ami kept gagging like she was about to be sick and this as you can imagine attracted alot of attention from the health conscious singaporions, all suspecting she had swine flu! Noticing the attention she was getting I tried to tell her to stop it as I feared she would be dragged away by men in white suits! This didn't go down to well as it wasn't exactly a voluntary thing!
We made it without any mess, but I had to leave Ami by the road side whilst I went on the hunt of cheap accommodation!...soon realising that this doesn't exist in Singapore and now starting to feel unwell myself we splashed out on a room which was just short of 60 pounds! By far the most expensive of our tour to date! But hey, we really did need our own toilet this time!
After some resting/ toilet time we decided that enough was enough so we visited the doctor, feeling terrible off we went, and after walking around in the general direction we were shown the way by a lovely little lady. The doctor was good, strangely enough his brother lives in Norwich! After an injection in the bum each and enough tablets to treat the whole of Great Yarmouth, we left, being told to go home and rest!
This is what we did for the next two days, visiting the doctors the next day to change Ami's medication which didn't seem to be working. We managed to go out for a couple of small walks but we really didn't get to see Singapore at all, such a shame!
We did see the famous Raffles hotel, but didn't manage to go for tea, it did look slightly out of our league anyway! Singapore is a very clean city, full of high rise buildings and orderly people all waiting patiently for the green man to flash in order to cross the road (another fine for jay walking!), but unfortunately that's all we can really tell you about!
So the time has come for us to say goodbye to Asia! We have spent 7 months here and feel quite sad about leaving but excited at the same time. As our next destination is Australia we realise we will be in for a bit of a shock budget wise, but mentally we have been preparing so hopefully this will help.
We are looking forward to FOOD! Strange as it sounds but rice and noodles for 7 months really does become a bit tiresome! We can't wait to go to the supermarket and actually be able to buy the ingredients to make a proper meal - anything we want!!! So excited! Most of all we are both craving Cheese....the strong.. crumbly... mature cheddar type! The only thing we have been able to get hold of in Asia is plastic cheese! Yuk!
Whilst in Asia we have developed a new language, and vocabulary! We found ourselves speaking slower, using our hands and simplifying sentences... So we thought we would share with you some of our favorite and most used sentences...
"IS THAT YOUR BEST PRICE MY FRIEND?"
"I WANT LOCAL PRICE, NOT TOURIST PRICE"
"SAME SAME BUT DIFFERENT" - Asia's top prize in popularity!
"I MAYBE WHITE BUT I AM NOT STUPID"
Seller says "COME ON I GIVE YOU GOOD PRICE SISTER, BEST PRICE" we say "NOT A GOOD PRICE WHEN YOU DON'T WANT IT IN THE FIRST PLACE MY FRIEND"
When constantly being offered something you really don't want and saying No simply does not work, say slowly "DO YOU KNOW WHAT..EVEN IF YOU GAVE IT TO ME FOR FREE..THEN I WILL STILL GIVE IT YOU BACK, I DON'T WANT IT!!!!!!!"
So we have to get used to the price actually being the price, no bartering to be done in Australia, not if we want to be accepted into society that is!
We have to get used to sitting on a toilet....putting the tissue down it...and flushing it using a handle instead of a bucket of water!
We have to stop our compulsion to steal Toilet roll as they will supply it everywhere!
We have to stop calling strangers 'my friend', its 'mate' all the way now!
We have to get used to not seeing a full farmyard of animals on each and every bus ride we get on.
We also have to get used to not being the only Whites in the village.
It may be obvious but we really enjoyed our time in Asia, we feel like we have both experienced things that only Asia has to offer, it has been a real eye opener...and we have loved every minute!
As im sure you all know but we have actually already arrived in Australia, and have been here over a week already. Everything is going great and we have seen and done so much already, which we will tell you all about it in the next blog .... That is if we actually get some comments to show that people are reading this, after all it does only take two minutes to comment and means the world to us (don't worry to the two people who bothered to comment on the last, and every one, we will make sure we keep you posted!)
So that's all for now folks! Miss you all, love to everyone xxx
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Caroline (Shamed)
non-member comment
I'm sorry...again.
Hi Ruth and Ami, what can i say, i have been taking full advantage of your blog and not commenting, i am ashamed. Full apologies. I hope you are both feeling much better now. You were so brave to be travelling whilst ill, i just couldn't do it. After all, i am the girl who has to be at home in her own bed when i have a mere headache....vomiting and bottom troubles in public are a nighmare i can only say sends me near to panic attack status. What a shame you didn't see and do more in Singapore. Do you think you may re-visit it at some point? Love your 'commonly used sentences'. I look forward to the Oz ones mate. I will send you a private email boring you with our update. Take care, Caroline x x