Lost in Singapore

Well, I arrived in Singapore on Sunday afternoon. I assumed, from reading my yellow bible, that the bus would drop me at one of two bus stations. Well, I was wrong, it dropped me at the train station. Go figure! So once I figured that bit out. I then had to work out how to get out of there and somewhere sensible... Not as easy as it seems. You ask someone where the tube station is and they point you in one direction. So just to clarify you ask someone else.. and well they point you in the exact opposite direction. Granted it didn't help that I was calling the MRT the MTR... well... its an easy mistake...

So whilst looking a little silly wandering aimlessly, I bumped into an english couple, looking just as hopeless as me (and this was their second time in Singapore - so I am not doing to bad). Together, we took the MTR by storm and worked our way to Chinatown, where their hostel was. I thought, well, that would be a good place to start to look for somewhere to stay the night. So, I got to the hostel to find it full. The guy behind the desk was nice, though and pointed me to a phone and a list of hostels, as well as pointing to a girl in the corner on the internet, suggesting she was in the same boat. So, yes, you guessed it, we teamed up, and eventually managed to find a very expensive hostel - but close to town. Hmm, gone are the days of 2 dollar rooms, I have to get used to proper prices again.

Being the end of the Chinese New Year, we spent the evening wandering through Chinatown and New Bridge Road, watching the street celebrations.



The next morning - up early - and off to Cairnhill Road to find the British airways
office and work out my tickets. Then a stroll down Orchard Road. Trying on fake glasses and drinking coffee. Then a stroll over to Little India (which I kept calling Little Italy), which I was not as impressed with, where are all the markets. Then to Arab Land, which was a very Muslem part of town. But it was lovely, lots of small street, colourful building, shops and markets. I just felt bad, i didn't have a more conservation top on. Oh well.. you live and learn. We ended the day with food in Chinatown, whilst ordering I bumped into the English couple again (Ben and Patrice).