So early morning check out in Bangkok, a bus over to the airport and off I flew to Singapore. I did think about getting the bus down there but found a rather cheap flight. I'd love to come back and see Malaysia and Indonesia though. Flight was all ok etc. And at this point I was on my own. In 5 months I haven't really travelled on my own at all. Always had someone or other around, or met people to spend time with. So it felt quite a new experience to be heading somewhere and not have anyone to meet. I wasn't nervous about it. Think I would have been at the start, and maybe not even confident enough to do it but it didn't bother me at all. I was looking forward to it actually, to see how i'd get on with just a map and me.
I'd done a bit of reading on how to get to the hostel I'd booked as I didn't want to get a cab. So I got myself on to the MRT, which is like the tube. I noticed that everyone was speaking english. I knew it was a main language of Singapore, but even people of the same asian origin were speaking english. Anyway that was just an observation I had. I got to my hostel which was dark and dingy and nothing like the website, but it was just for a couple of days so I didn't mind. It was about 3pm by now and even though I wanted to go explore I couldn't keep my eyes open so decided to have a quick nap.
4 hour later I woke up! I started chatting to Ross who was in the next bunk bed from mine and we went out for some food, and then a couple of drinks in 'Jazz @ Southbridge'. I wanted to go there at some point as it was meant to be the best jazz club in town. And yes it was pretty good in there. Ended up getting a t-shirt as well haha.
The next day I took myself off round the city with my map and saw a few sights. I won't bore you with them. A cathedral, Fort canning Park, the museum, another park to meander in, and lots of roads to take to get to them all. That evening I went down to the river outside the concert hall where they show free concerts. It was some local band playing. And a popular one going by the amount of locals that were watching.
Then Saturday was beach day. I hopped on to the MRT and then jumped on to a cable car over to the beach (it's on a different island). Spent a few hours there bumping up my tan and having a wander. It's nice spending time doing stuff like that on your own. Especially as I'm used to following whoever I'm travelling with, but it wouldn't have got me far in this case. Anyway I decided to head back when I saw a big cloud looming over. Wouldn't want to get stuck in the cable car in a storm. So I got on the chair lift that takes you to the cable car and just as it started to rain and at it's highest chair lift point, it stopped. Everyone else was making noises. I couldn't believe it, peering down at the drop with my legs dangling as the rain got harder. But it was just for about 5 minutes and then we were away again.
Then I went back to the hostel and packed up my stuff for my early morning exit and jumped on to check my emails. I strange guy started talking to me and the girl next to me. Now as I've gone round so far I've come to realise that certain events happen for certain reasons. So I only noticed this girl next to me because of the weirdo trying to make small or big talk with us. She had the same reaction to him as me. Luckily I escaped and ventured out back to the concert hall area, had some dinner and went back to watch another free concert. This time some jazz. And then I randomly sat down on a vacant step and turned out that I sat next to that very girl from my hostel! So we ended up having a nice evening. She was travelling on her own too, but going the other direction to me. She only had a month left. So we swapped things to do. She told me Oz stuff and I told her Asia stuff. Didn't realise how much I knew!! And we laughed alot at that duck picture. It was on a menu, and we just thought it didn't look too appetising and the greenery was quite strategically places. So the strange man event was so that I'd recognise Manuela (the girl) and then spend the evening with her...
Then it was off to bed as I had to get up at 6am to get to the airport. I tried to be as quiet as possible as I was in a dorm with about 20 other people. Anyway in my budgeting mode I was just checking out and about to head off to the MRT where I'd have to change trains 3 times to get to the airport (but cheaper than a cab) when another traveller came to reception checking out and he was off to the airport as well, so we ended up sharing a cab so it wasn't much more than getting the tube anyway! Without meaning to sound all deep and meaningful, over the past 5 months loads of stuff like that has happened and I've felt like someone is looking out for me. Hope they continue to do so as I've felt safe all the way.
Singapore to Sydney flight was all ok. Slight delay in leaving, oh and it was incredibly hot in there, but I was happy enough with my tv screen and list of films to watch for the next 7 hours to Sydney. I was, however, quite sad to be leaving SE Asia...
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