Simgapore Sling

It’s been over five years since my return from the European cycling trip and time to put myself out of my comfort zone again. So why not experience a totally non-western space for a few months although I would expect the big cities throughout ASIA will feel like parts of the large cities of Australia. I expect the regional areas should be the real voyage of discovery. So after a 2:30am boarding an Arab Emirates flight I found myself wide awake and excited about the journey ahead. I pushed for a window seat as I love to see from up high and even managed to get the exit section with no one in front of me. An early morning snack was given out which I thought quite unusual - a chicken wrap literally enclosed in loose-fitting glad wrap - duh? Breakfast was an improvement with a typical cooked breakfast, sausage left for the seagulls, a muffin and bottled water so morning tea in Singapore was catered for.

The ‘Fitzroy’ of Singapore

After arriving at Singapore Changi Airport, working my way through customs/immigration processes I purchased a SIM Singtel card for about $10 Aus to last me the week with no way of consuming the 100G data included but great for all those YouTube travel videos and Google mapping my way around. How did we manage before these digital assistants appeared to help reduce the logistical distractions of planning and organising holidays especially in unfamiliar cultures and places? Despite Singapore being one of the most expensive cities in the world I still managed to find reasonably-priced hotel spots not that far from the downtown area. Anyway Singapore has a very impressive rail transport network called the MRT. Most journeys cost a whopping 70c in Singapore currency which is close to ours and the trains arrive in unnatural punctuality - only three minutes apart! I refuse to use a taxi when I can easily commute by the MRT train from Changhi International Airport all the way to one stop from my hotel for less than $2 Singaporean dollars. Yes, I’m such a scrooge.

Ouch! A good thing Vegemite was available at Australian prices

It’s the wet season now but the humidity and high temperature does not faze me as long as I have plenty of bottled water to replace what the climate takes out of me. I’m told by a local that Singapore has the second loudest thunder in the world so who’s first? What’s on second? (Sorry just a comedic diversion to a famous Abbot & Costello segment - check in it out on YouTube). I knew I was in for a cultural/cuisine experience when I mapped out spaces like Little India, Chinatown and the Malay/Colonial districts. With currency, Apple devices, Powerbank, umbrella for the afternoon thunder storms, water and Rosie’s Lonely Planet guide I headed for the Little India district. You can’t miss these places - just follow the population and I mean population. Don’t even think about how you are travelling - just go with the flow or you’ll be run over. Think of your experience of public transport commuting during peak rush hours in Melbourne or Sydney and spread that from morning till late at night and you will appreciate why the population lives ‘upstairs’

My first streetfood venture out