Curry or Chinese?

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Welcome readers... we aint to sure where January went to... hmmmm.

So after our trip down the east coast of Australia, its nice to get somewhere a little more culturaly different. Arrived in Singapore after an easy 9 hour flight, caught the MRT (tube) to our rather bizarre hostel called 'Hawaii Hostel'. Strange place, no hot water, full of chinese and Asian families who all seemed to share on room. Asian ladies in full Sari type outfits happily sitting chatting on the stairs, and topless old fat chinese men watching tv... not quite what we had become used to in Oz, but we fun all the same. Basic room, with the coldest aircon on earth... opened the fridge to warm the place up.

First day in Singapore, we decided we should bite the bullet and buy our second digital camera of the trip (after the first one broke at Xmas). Annoying but better than the alternative of having no pictures from 2 months of our trip to look back on. So we plummed for a fairly cheap entry level Samsung one, which we hope will last the pace until we get back to Blighty!! Also splashed out on an iPod Nano for Karen, so she can listen to Kylie or something, whilst I am playing air guitar to Jimi Hendrix or Dire Straits or something...

We then took a walk to Little India, which as you might imagine, is an area populated by an Indian/Asia demographic. Which can only mean one thing... cheap curry. I quite happily got stuck into a 'Mutton Set Meal' at a random restaurant whilst Karen had something like Butter Chicken. At about 1.2quid each you can't go wrong. Especially when the set meal was a 3 course affair consisting of soup, curry, rice, random sauces, and a riced pudding style desert. Winner!!

Went to the famous Raffles Hotel (posh 5 star affair), for the obligatory Singapore Sling. Not convinced there was too much alcohol in it for the price, so we made things a little more equal by nabbing some Raffles matches from the bar, and eating our weight in free nibbles... dried peas coated with mustard. Nicer than it sounds...

Went to an area called Clarke Quay, which is a cool, developed bar and eating area, which is home to Ministry of Sound - Singapore, and comically, Hooters. Had a bit of a turn after the large quantity of mustard peas eaten so went home...

Next day, did some more wandering around. Went to ChinaTown, which is the Chinese sector of the city... which can only mean one thing... yep, you guessed it... cheap Chinese food!!! Had some rice, chicken and fish for about the same price as the Curry. After 2 months of almost UK priced food, its nice to be eating cheaply again!!!

Wandered around in the evening, eating another cheapo meal for tea... before venturing to Singapore's greatest attraction (we thought)... the night safari at Singapore Zoo. Quality entertainment. We had completely gone off zoo's after a poor show in Buenos Aires, but this made up for it. All the animals are surrounded by moats, instead of cages, and look relatively happy to be there. Great lighting, and a fantastic tram ride looking at the animals made for the latest night we have had in a while!

Final day in Singapore, we had to wait around for a while for our train up through to Malaysia (Kuala Kumpur), so went to the cinema to see Babel... good film, bit pointless, and had another cheap curry tea...

Got on the overnight sleeper train to Kuala Lumpur... looked like a moving hospital ward, but was clean and cheap. See you in Kuala Lumpur!!!!!!!

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Photos

Raffles Hotel
Singapore Sling. We are such tourists

Little India
Quality Curry!!

China Town
Felt abit like Gulliver here, as no one came up any higher than my bellybutton.

Overnight Train to Kuala Lumpur
Karen getting comfy

Comments

[Mike M]

Snacks
Mustard covered dried peas...? Sounds right up there with bacon Weeto's on toast covered in gravy.

[Ben and Casey]

Re. snacks
Mike, you know wheat crunchies and gravy is class. Jim and Karen, finally got round to reading all this - looks wicked, dead jealous, keep having a great time.