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Published: July 25th 2006
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My trip to Hat Yai didn't quite go according to plan. The bus-ferry-minibus experience to Hat Yai went well - met some other backpackers on their way to Malesia. However, I was the only one staying on the Thai side of the border...when we arrived in Hat Yai a lady from the travel agency where we were dropped off asked whether I was continuing on to Malaysia. Now - while travelling, everyone is constantly trying to sell you stuff, and I immediately put my defences up. No, I didn't want to go to Malaysia, NO, I didn't want to go to Kuala Lumpur, NO NO NO NO NO. But foolishly, I asked her the price (extortionate).
However, on the bus down, there had been an English guy who was on his way to Singapore, he had told me about this AMAZING deal he had found from Koh Samui - Singapore, and how he was really happy with it. So I told the lady if she could give me that same price, I would go all the way down to Singapore. She agreed. So within 5 minutes I found myself on the way to Singapore!
The English guy, Andy, turned
Singapore
Recliner Seats! out to be an 18 year old on his way to Singapore to catch a flight to New Zealand. At the beginning I was entertained by his stories, but after a few hours his negativity started to get my down. He was sick of Asia, sick of travelling, and the only thing he would get excited about was some Swedish girl he had gotten with - showing her picture to anyone who so much as looked at him. I began to regret the 30 hour trip to Singapore.
BUT to my distinct advantage - the buses in Malaysia are AMAZING. They recline to almost a horizontal position, the aircon is on the verge of being TOO cold, and our driver was extremely skilled! So, for maybe the first time during my trip, I feel I had a good night's sleep on the bus! Even the border controls weren't too much of a hassle (contrary to what you might here if you bump into Andy). On the Thai-Malaysia border I had a bit of a problem with the visa I received on Koh Samui, but otherwise that border went very fast. The instant you drive into Malaysia you recognize that
Singapore
CHEWING GUM on the streets of Singapore! you are in a muslim country - women are covered and men dominate the streets. I was quite intrigued by the country, and was excited that I would have a chance to explore it a bit before heading back to Thailand!
We arrived in Singapore at around 11AM on the 23.07. We found ourselves a friendly, busy hostel (The Inn House Hostel in Little India), and took showers to revive ourselves after our long journey. At the point I was ready go to explore Singapore, and so Andy and I headed down toward the city centre. We went to eat at a very cheap chinese foodcourt ($1.80 -Singapore Dollar- for a meal, which is about 0.60p -UK). Then Andy got distracted by a cinema, and while we were walking to see what films were showing, and woman ran up from behind me and stopped me to ask whether I wanted a free haircut at 'Tony & Guy'. Turned out she was being trained and wanted models to have a one-length haircut. Seeing that I hadn't cut my hair in about a year, I loved the idea! So Andy went to see the movie alone, and I went to get
Singapore
Searching the Lonely Planet for a good hostel on arrival a free haircut!
At the salon, Sharon, the trainee, told me she wanted to cut about 4 inches off, to give my hair 'shape', and cut off all the split ends and make it look healthy. I said I didn't care about shape, that I liked it long, and she shoudn't cut more than 2 inches. She ended up washing my hair (good head massage on the side), and the cut lasted about 1.5 hrs. I was happily sitting on the chair, reading my magazine, but when she was done and I pulled my hair to my chest, I was shocked! She had cut even more than her #$!%# 4 inches!! I had been growing my hair for so long, and now I felt like I was back to the beginning. And although I realise I received a free haircut, and that I should be happy with the new 'shape' (?!?), I'm not, and I WANT MY HAIR BACK.
That's been my rant for 2 days now.
I'm done.
After the haircut I went to meet Andy, who was in a foul mood. 'Luckily' he was complaining about a headache and went back to the
Ode to my hair
My long hair that was chopped off by the over-excited 'Tony & Guy' Trainee. hostel, and I was free to walk to Orchard Road (Singapore's main shopping street) on my own. The street had all the big name stores. I don't think I entered even one of them (in my fisherman pants and stained tank top). I just walked around and took in the hussle and bussle of the city. I think Singapore is a 'safe' place to enter Asia. It would definitely not give you a culture shock, it's an East-meets-West kind of city. Very clean, flashy, and expensive, but still has a bit of that exotic Asian feel. Personally, I could easily move there, and so it didn't make the most interesting travel destination, but I'm glad I've seen it!
That evening Andy told me all he had done was go to the movies, go back to the hostel, take a nap, and chat to some other travellers. Nice. The next morning I woke up at around 9 and went to breakfast (free!). I had a chat to a Canadian guy who was waiting to catch his flight home. He had travelled through Malaysia (in SEVEN days!) but had some good recommendations. I ended up waiting for Andy to ask if
Singapore
Post-Haircut he wanted to go to Chinatown. This was a silly idea, I should have foreseen the fact that he would end up going to the cinema again (and see a movie he had already seen). What a waste of an hour. Consideration of travel companions is sometimes too much to ask, it seems.
I headed over to Chinatown. It's fascinating seeing the different areas of Singapore - Little India really feels like your smack in the middle of Mumbai - I even felt a bit underdressed in my tank top (which is acceptable attire in the rest of the city), and Little China is a whole world away! Never having been to China, I'm not sure how 'chinese' the area is, but everyone seems to be chinese and there were chinese stores and restaurants everywhere. I walked around the market and even bought a shirt ($2).
By the time I had walked through Chinatown it was about 2, and it was time for me to head back to the hostel to get by bags. I had decided to leave the expensive world of Singapore and head to Kuala Lumpur and begin my adventure through Malaysia!!
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