Singapore - Don't Forget Your Jumper

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Singapore: In one of the sweatiest places on Earth, don't forget your jumper - by George

Dreading a budget hammering 3 days in Sir Stamford Raffles' former stomping ground I had convinced Kate that a 3-day/2-night stay would be sufficient. Despite the immigration official's refusal to stamp my travel diary, first impressions were good. Everything was clean, modern and efficient. In fact everything was Singaporean.


Our home for this leg of the journey was "Sleepy Sam's" a rather trendy backpackers hangout in the centre of the Arab Quarter. I'd recommend the place if only for the breakfasts. One caviat to this being don't let them near your washing. They snappe a pair of Kate's pants, put a hole in one of her T-Shirts and replaced a T-Shirt and two pairs of my white pants with identical pink versions.


We treated our time in the former British colony like a city break, taking in Chinatown, Little India, a boat trip and a visit to the Asian Civilisations Museum. Why is it that our favourite part of every museum is always the one aimed at children?


We managed not to chew gum, spit or j-walk for three days. Bolstered by our success in avoiding a lengthy prison term we celebrated in style with a couple of "Slings" at Raffles.


On leaving Singapore I reflected on whether or not it was perfect, an architects dream of a city. Sadly or at least as far as I'm concerned, it's missing something. Nothing broken. No edginess. No passion. Just a city of the future as seen through a corporate eye.

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Photos

Botanical Gardens
Kate outside the Botanical Gardens, a nice place to while away an afternoon

Room with a view
The view from our room in Sleepy Sam´s

Nuts
They don´t allow littering unless it´s monkey nut shells, in which case it´s positively encouraged!

Skyline
A view of the business district by night

Raffles
Two slings and a few nuts

And off again
A bit like the littlest Hobo, except we come as a pair