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Published: August 3rd 2011
Marina Sands
Just out of our budget!!!We arrived in Singapore at 8am local time after a 1hour boat ride, 1 hour taxi ride, 3 hour wait at a shady coach station and finally the 12 hour coach ride, so it was safe to say we arrived knackered. We planned to spend our 4 days in Singapore staying with friends who had recently relocated from London to a plush apartment in the heart of Singapore city, so we jumped into a taxi and headed to their home. The taxi was our first taster of how 'Western' Singapore feels, a far cry from some of the taxis we had taken in Asia. This taxi was on the meter no questions about it, it went directly to our destination without taking neither the long way nor the wrong way, and even showed off with it's internal chip and pin device. Smart.
On our first day in Singapore we had lunch in Little India with Claire, it was authentic Indian cuisine yet we could eat actually the tasty meat dishes without worrying about the consequences for our/Toms stomach! The evening was spent on her balcony overlooking one of the five, yes 5 swimming pools they have to choose from in
The famous MerLion
and infamous Emilie the complex, drinking nice wine and eating antipasti and cheese. Just what the doctor ordered!
The next day Tom and I explored the city a bit more, mostly wishing we could stay a night in the cities swankiest hotel most recognizable by the pool delicately resting upon the top of the hotels 3 towers. The city is incredibly clean, modern and full of very poilte and well behaved people. We mooched in down town Sing, China town, the harbour, visited a monument which claims to hold one of Budda's (the actual Budda) teeth and finally had a few snaps next to the famous(ly dissapointing) Merlion, its meaning is fab yet it's SO small! Allthough we are still in Asia where everything seems to be that bit smaller.
Over our last couple of days in Singapore we went bowling with Claire and Little Sophia, we'd not bowled in years yet it was great fun (bit dissapointed they don't have barriers there as I never managed to hit many). More good cheese, pate and wine was consumed whilst shopping in the lovely airconditioned malls. We had a night of bar crawling in town with Claire (extra succesful night as we
stumbled along a night clothes market and got a few bargain dresses) drank the renowned Singapore Sling, ate Laksa at a street stall (yummy national dish) and went to the local Karaoke bar which was absolutely hilarious and liberating, I have rediscovered my talent to shatter glass. Finally we said a goodbye and a thank you to Singapore and to Claire with Tom making his world famous Green Thai Curry, since improved by our Thai cooking class.
We really liked Singapore, if only it wasn't SO ridiculously expensive it makes London look cheap! Waiting in Singapore airport for our flight to Cairns we reminisce over our Asian adventures. After Singapore's prices surely the rumors aren't true... it can't be more expensive, our budget will not last!
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Liz
non-member comment
The balls are good luck, you know;) I had to vie with a bus-load of Chinese tourists in New York to get close enough for a proper snapshot!