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Published: September 13th 2012
We have arrived in India! Well, Little India.
After a quick and relaxing 4 hour bus ride we arrived in Kuala Lumpar, we had arranged to stay in Little India as it was a 5 minute walk from the train station, which we would be using to head to Singapore in 2 days time. Our hotel was actually really nice and even though the Bollywood music blaring from most shopfronts prevented any conversation on the street all was quiet indoors.
In a town in which we were only spending one full day it was important to fully take advantage of it by pre-booking a fully guided tour. This meant no excuses of laziness – we had to do it. The tour was a free walk around significant sites around Chinatown. Our guide was informative and we learnt some very interesting facts. ‘Kuala Lumpur’ translates as the meeting of two muddy rivers, and so, there we were – In Chinatown standing at the point of two muddy, dirty, creek-like rivers choked in rubbish.
We made our way back to the hotel for the afternoon to rest up before we headed out to see the Twin Towers. This didn’t happen. The resting-up happened. Not the Twin Towers.
We still had a day or so to make up for it on our return. We packed ourselves up and were ready to leave again the following morning.... Singapore here we come.
7 Hours on a train and we arrived at immigration and were let through with no trouble at all. Right in the north of Singapore and we realise we have no local currency and no real idea of how to get to the area we were staying. We found an ATM and a bus that would drop us to the nearest MRT train station and suddenly everything was falling into place.
We arrived at our hotel and it was awarded with 3 records from our 4 month trip so far –
1. Smallest room at 9m²
2. Smallest bathroom with the shower literally hanging over the toilet. No, seriously
3. Most expensive room @ $80/night
We purchased a 3 day tourist pass for the MRT. This pass proved to be priceless and paid for itself over & over. We spent our first day exploring the world renowned Botanic Gardens with 74 hectares of lush tropical gardens and over 1000 species
in the orchard garden.
The gardens were nothing short of amazing and after a long couple of hours strolling around in 35 degree heat and 100% humidity we found our way back to our room to get ready for the nights activity, a Night Safari at the Singapore Zoo.
2 trains and a bus and we arrived to explore the world’s first night wildlife park, where over 1000 nocturnal animals come to life...apart from the lions, tigers, hippos and rhinos – The owls and bats on the other hand were in full swing. One of the highlights was meant to be the leopard trail; funnily enough the leopard enclosure was closed for construction.
Day 2 in Singapore took us to the island of Sentosa (Asia’s favourite playground). The 4km² island is like a giant theme park, including universal studios, a casino, an underwater world and 4D IMAX. We did none of this and chose the backpackers version and got our thrills from browsing the Hershey’s and M&M’s chocolate stores and taking photos from the casino entrance.
Our night was filled with a trip to check out Marina Bay Sands, standing 200 metres high and home to
250 trees and 500 plants it is large enough to fill 3 football fields, and its 150m pool is set on the world’s largest cantilevered platform which overhangs the north tower by 67 metres – doesn’t Singapore just keep delivering?
Whilst we were in a rich man’s paradise we may as well make the most of it...right? Our final day in Singapore we set out to the Art Science Museum at the base of the Marina Bay Sands to visit an Andy Warhol exhibition showcasing his work and life through the decades including of course the famous Campbell’s Soup Cans. Fascinating for Bree as she studied this in school 11 years ago. We made the most of it while we were at the Sand’s complex and window-shopped past places such as Versace, Gucci & Giorgio Armani.
You cannot go to Singapore without going to the Raffles Long Bar for the world famous Singapore Sling. Raffles was the first modern building in this country with electricity in 1899 and named after Singapore’s founder Sir Stamford Raffles. Raffles was reputedly where the sole surviving wild Tiger in Singapore was shot & made extinct.
Anyway enough facts we were here
to drink a cocktail and throw peanut shells on the ground. The bill for 2 cocktails came to a total of $61.20 in Singapore currency, $48 AUS for anyone playing at home or in our case 1 day’s budget.
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nancic123
Nanci and David Curry
Love this Blog
Love your pics, as well, so much so that I've nominated you as Blogger of the Week! Take care and keep blogging! Nanci