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Published: September 17th 2010
Alright friends, parents, workmates, kids and hangers on.
OK...still not sure if this thing works so maybe a comment or two from you guys might help? 😊
Also having never written one of these new fangled bloggy type things i'm not even sure if it will be interesting, too long, too short or what....but here goes.
Monday 13th Sept - arrived at the lovely Raddison at Manchester Airport and had a great meal and great nights sleep (on the Sunday). Little did we realise how much that sleep would come in handy! Looooong flight to Changi in Singapore with a stop in Amsterdam for a few hours. Horrible flight in cattle class (how much of a snob am i?). No room to stretch out, TV wasn't working and the hosty's were damned ugly! (not that that matters Han ....honest). Shan't be flying KLM again (apart from on the way home).
Tuesday 14th Sept - arrived in Changi mid afternoon and set about finding the hotel. Jumped on the fantastic MRT tube system (sooo clean) and easily found the hotel in the middle of the city. Hard work in 33 degrees, 90% humidity and a huge backpack but
well worth it so far. Hotel was close to Chinatown so we shook off the jetlag and went for a look around. Ate a lovely meal in a sidestreet sweatshop type thing and started to feel like a backpacker. Meal was quite cheap but the beer is S$14 a pint (about 7 quid!!!) - no chance of getting ratarsed here!
P.s. For some reason Han wants me to make a point of saying that she normally gets stagefright on the poo front but happily that problem came and went in a flush...sorry flash.
Wednesday 15th Sept - decent nights kip and lovely brekky but have decided to move to a less touristy (is that a word) location so we can feel down wid da kids man. Found a hotel in Geyling area for 11 pounds a night each and wondering what we have let ourselves in for! Took the MRT (monsoon rain outside) and found the hotel easily but as you might have guessed it's right in the middle of the red light district - result! Rooney eat your heart out.
Back into town and into the superbly futuristic Marina Bay area (weather is really sunny and
hot by now). Switched back into tourist mode and decided to go for a massage (not a massage with a happy ending Max) that included a "Fish Spa". Hopefully the pics will attach for you to see but essentially you stick your legs into a pondy type thing and Doctor fish swarm on your legs and feet and start eating your dead skin....weird feeling!! Fantastic idea though and i see a business opportunity in the UK!! The massage place was underneath the Singapore Flyer (like the London Eye but bigger) so did that with a private car, champagne and chocolates. The lovey dovey thing was great but the wheel took me right over the F1 track that was being built for next weeks race....only one winner there...sorry Han!
Did loads more that i won't bore you with including a visit to the Raffles hotel but then back to the "hotel" after another cheap chicken and lice (literally) meal.
Thursday 16th Sept - REALLY bad nights sleep due to screaming nip kid next door...grr. Not very PC of me but i'm tired. Eventually got out of bed at 12 noon and headed for the island of Sentosa. Han remembered
it fondly from a hosty trip 12 years ago so we were quite looking forward to it. Took cable car which was cool and were instantly bombarded with building works and a mini Disneyland. i think Han was taken aback and a bit gutted really. The island which started off as a leper colony and turned into an exclusive resort had been a bit ruined...oh well. Took the cable car back into the fantastic city again for a meeting with a lady called Manon who i'd contacted through www.couchsurfing.com. (noooo, it's not a swngers site Connor). Lovely French Canadian lady who shared her travelling experiences with us for an hour before suggesting we meet her husband and his work colleague for a drink...superb. MRT to Little India and a great rooftop bar called Zsafi. Met Vic (Pakistani British), Brian (Indian British), Boris (Russian American), Stefan (French) and Henry (Sinagaporean)......what a cospomolitan crowd!! Great bunch and will probably meet up again whe we finish the trip back here. Final drink in a hip (is that still a cool word?) backpackers pub called the Prince of Wales and back to the room to see what kind of sleep awaited.
Aaarrrgghh.....couldn't sleep
so Han and I went for some more chicken and lice and spoke to Elle on MSN messenger (get us!). Good to catch up properly with the ankle biter even though we've been mailing back and to regularly.
Friday 17th Sept - woke with an alarm at 11am and took a coffee made by local cockroaches (it was!!). Too much sugar. As we speak it's mid afternoon and we're killing time before the flight to Bali later this evening. Thinking of going to an island called Lombok thats been recommended to us...will sort it out when we arrive in Bali.
Both Han and I have loved Singapore. Seeing the contrast between the poorer and rich parts of the City has been great. Feel like we've seen the "real" Singapore as well as the touristy stuff. Really easy city to move around in...people are REALLY friendly....weather is warm...what more could you want??? Could definately live here for a short time!
Cheers all....will write again soon but will let Han do it as she's funnier (apparently?!) than me.
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Rozza
non-member comment
We're reading!!
Ok - so it's only me reading, but one reader doth a blog make. Or so I tell meself as a seasoned bloggee. Anyhoo my point is this - fab to have a little glimpsette into your back packing travels and it's funny that at the mo you're doing things what we did. It's nice to revisit in a virtual way :) Please keep it up if you can get to pootas and stuff. Did you have a Singapore Sling at raffles and eat some nuts?? We weren't allowed cos it was too expensive, Ade let me get a lemonade. We heard Lombok was good also - look forward to hearing what you discover there and on Bali. Tell you what, I'll judge whose the funniermost - right now it's Han - only joshing with you Dave! Love Ros xxx