Singapore Slinging

March 3 to 5, 2007

So the adventure begins. After spending my last night (for now) in the Philippines with my dear Lola (grandma) in Luboa, Panpanga province, I hopped on a plane and headed strait to Singapore.
A strange city country with spotless streets and $500 fines for possession of durian fruit, Singapore was a nice, but EXPENSIVE, way to start my seven week journey. Meeting up with a former student from Herstmonceux on exchange at National University of Singapore (NUS) I was able to score a vacant bed in her residence for the two nights I was there.
The first night we went to a posh, but hardly impressive, club at the Swiss Hotel (cover was $25) on the 71st floor. The view was amazing but the crowd and music were lacking. The next day I spent pinching my leftover pennies and single handedly navigating my way around Singapore (I estimate that I walked approximately 1000 km... That's just approximation) visiting China Town, Little India, Clarks Quay, and Orchard Street. My last stop of the day was Singapore's very own man made beach (made with imported sand, ofcourse) at Sentosa, where I was able to see Singapore's weird lion/mermaid (appropriately named the 'Merlion') mascot and, more importantly, finally drink a 'Singapore Sling' in Singapore*. And of course take a picture of me doing so, because that's what tourists do!
Today I took the long train ride to Kuala Lumpur and am stopped here for the night. Tomorrow I'll explore the city a little before I take the even longer train ride to Thailand tomorrow night.

*Apparently, I should have had my Sling at 'Raffles Hotel' because that's where the Singapore Sling was invented. But I didn't find that out until afterwards, and YOU probably would never have known that either if I hadn't of told you right now.

View from the New Asia Club

China TownClark's Quay
(Travelling alone makes one an expert in self portraiture)

Singapore's spotless subway - not a Durian fruit in sight
The Merlion at SentosaSentosa