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Published: June 29th 2010
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Landing in Kuala Lumpur again for the umpteenth time using it as a hub to fly budget with AirAsia, only one plane arrived around our time so immigration was a breeze, took the bus to Bukit Bintang area where I took a taxi for Pasurakyat bus terminal, I went to Radius hotel and ask the bellboy to get me a taxi, he was very kind and told me how much to pay, he talked to the driver as well. Transtar is my bus and for 105 ringgits, is not exactly cheap but I just want to get a move on Singapore awaits, the bus is with only 3 people really cool and high tech, they have a massage chair! a personal movie screen, you can play games etc, just like a plane, and you get delicious dinner as well and tea! Took us about 4 hours to get to the border, Malaysia was easy, then Singapore we need to get off with all our things, queue up immigration then off to customs but no one opened my stuff it just went to the x ray machine, the immigration officer was nice about it when I asked if she could try stamping
an already used page as I am saving visa pages for future travels, she then gave me arrival cards as a souvenir to hand over to friends!! i left it in the bus for other people to use.
Arriving in the city in less than an hour from the border i was dropped off at Lavender St. I then walked around following the directions on the website for Hostel Amigos, I found it with ease but reception shuts at 10pm, but I was given instructions on how to get in, they left the key in the mail box plus a note but I can't reach it, it's padlocked! So I called Stan the owner through Fragrance hotel next door, the reception there was nice enough to call Stan for me, I have no phone, and Stan answered thank god he told me the lock code he gave me was for the padlock so it is actually a combination! ok problem solved an I went back and got the key, I found my room and just crashed, I had a good sleep so very tired.
The next morning I went to the Shell station across to get some noodles
for breakfast and get money from the ATM, then I checked in officially at the reception, I met Stan very nice guy talks quite fast and one of his staff Iman, very nice girl i love this hostel they are very accommodating and Stan explained to me how to walk the city and not using the tourist buses. great tips from both of them. I took an MRT to the city hall and from there walked around getting lost most of the time and drizzling every now and then so i have to shelter in the buildings, really tall buildings! They have some old ones too nice architectures really cool city but very muggy. I found the Singapore river by accident, walked around it and found myself in Chinatown where i had lunch then strolled around and accidentally found the Tooth relic temple this one is more modern high tech than the ones in Kandy, Sri Lanka. fake flowers etc, they probably don't want the mess and cleaning it up later, it's all artificial to me though, i like the delicious smell of jasmine and lotus flowers, oh well.
Back at the hostel I met Mari a really cute
Japanese girl here to study English at a language school I asked her why not come to the Philippines, it will be cheaper and probably better, she retorted her friend told her it's dangerous there! The next morning I asked her if she wants to go sight seeing with me and she agreed and we took the MRT to the Quay to find the Malion which I have not seen yet, we got lost and it's so hot we walked slowly and asked around, it's Sunday, not as busy and the foreign workers are out on full force relaxing by the river or anywhere it's shady, we found the Malion next to the harbor and there's tons of buildings here being built, one notable is the 3 skyscrapers topped with a surf board looking thing, really odd and there are coconut trees atop it. The durian dome was cool we went inside to cool off, performances are held there, we tried to find Chinatown to have a meal, we eventually got there, my feet are aching already after hours of walking in the heat, we found a thai restaurant and we had lunch, Mari ordered a way too spicy food
and she screamed at one point fanning her mouth, quite funny!
On the way back we went to the Indian quarters because Mari needed to find a hostel from the 12th of the month because Hostel amigos is fully booked then, we had a hard time finding all she listed except for one, footprints hostel and it was quite expensive about $18 I think, Amigos hostel is still better, and staff very friendly and helpful plus great a/c only thing wifi is sometimes a fickle it suddenly goes, Stan needs to fix that. We bought my dinner for later at the airport, then went back to the hostel and chill, the dude next to me, an English lad lost his padlock key and we suggested him different ways to undo it, finally he picked the lock before he attempted to break the whole locker! I heard new people talking, they're Filipinos but I did not have time to chat as I was about to get to the airport, last train is at 11:20pm from Lavender stop, my flight is at 6:50am and taxi is very expensive so Stan the owner of the hostel suggested I take the last train
to the airport and sleep there, he refunded me my third night and let me stay at the hostel until I am ready to leave, using all the facilities as usual,nice guy!
The train was crowded headed towards the airport and we have to get off and change to another one at some point, the voice over reminded us when we arrived at that station i can't remember the name, then arriving at the Changi airport I have to take the free shuttle bus to the "Budget terminal" for Tiger Airways. the terminal is simple but clean and free wifi though no power point until you reach the departure lounge so cant really watch a movie on my laptop, battery is low, another long journey ahead of me and sleeping at the airport is becoming a common occurrence to me now.
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TinNiE
" Half the fun of the travel is the esthetic of lostness "
The Merlion
Funny I got lost looking for the Merlion too.haha