Wanderings

More Singapore

elizabeth_back — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 19:42:00 GMT

Friday - Fish Head Soup

As it happened, I was not lost. I was less than a minute away from Clarke Quay and exactly where I hoped I was. Who knew I had such navigational skills?

Said skills let me down this morning. I jumped off the bus too soon and ended up in Little India, though it took me a little while to work that out! I found an intersting smelling little market on my wanderings. By this time my stomach is making enquiries about lunch, so I investigated what the market had to offer. None of the stalls had anything written in English. This was the first time I had come across anywhere where there wasn't an English translation. The pictures on the signs above each stall, if I'm entirely honest, were of late-night kebab shop quality where everything looks the same and somehow deeply unapetising. The food itself actually looked good, I just had no idea what it was. The only discernable thing being Fish Head Soup, and I'm afraid I wasn't brave enough.

I asked a woman on the stall what some pastry looking things were. She said potato. It didn't look like a potato. I asked about something that looked vaguely like a pasty and again the woman said only potato. So I went for the first 'potato' which turned out to be a very tasty puff pastry affair with, you guessed it, a curried potato filling. Yum :)

I then went to the Peranaken Museum and learned about the mixed heritage Chinese, Malay and Indian peoples populating Singapore (though there was a strong emphasis on Chinese origin Peranakens and remarkably little about Peranakans of Indian heritage).

I went on a boat tour which was suprisingly boring, but free so I can't complain! I think I prefer my somewhat aimless wanderings which have taken me down some smaller streets and given me a sense of life here, rather than tours with pre-recorded information. Inspite of that I think I might join a walking tour later, depending on how tired I am. Early start tomorrow!

xxx

Singapore

elizabeth_back — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 19:35:00 GMT

Tuesday - The Pain of Disco

In my opinion, what any long flight needs is a full length Bollywood epic to pass away the hours, so I watched Om Shanti Om while the rest of the passengers slept like normal people do in the middle of the night.

Wednesday - My Odd Little Hotel

Over 24 hours without sleep later I arrived at my hotel at 4PM (8AM back home). I intended to have a wash and then go explore, rather than sleep, so that I'd get straight into the right time-zone...alas I spread my map of singapore out on the bed and promptly fell asleep next to it.

My room is clean and there are tea and coffee making facilities - what more could I ask? There are ashtrays everywhere and my room is a bit stifling with the smokey smell. I would open a window but the window does not open. The balconies are apparently for show. Oh well!

It is, all in all, a rather amusing little hotel. Their method of ensuring that the bathrooms stay glossy and white is to regularly paint over everything with white gloss paint. Striping off the previous paint is not an issue they worry too much about. The lists do not work unless you insert your room key card (I gather that this is to keep women who allege to be masseurs from getting to the guests rooms) but even after you've inserted your card the lift does not necessarily take you to the floor you asked for. Housekeeping seem to think that between the hours of 9:30 - 11PM is the best time to clean rooms, which is novel. There is also a blue arrow on the ceiling of my room that points to nothing and I have no idea why...

Thursday - Botanic Gardens and Chinatown

I spent my morning on various buses on my way to Singapore Botanic Gardens and National Orchid Garden. The gardens were absolutely beautiful, it was a very peaceful and pleasant way to spend my morning! It was hot and a little cloudy in the morning but at about lunchtime and massive black cloud rattling with thunder descended upon the city and Botanic Gardens and it wasn't long after that that the rain followed. The few people I have had any communication with have been varied. The bus drivers are quite brusque but a very friendly woman on the first bus of the day gave me change for a $10 note as buses don't give change here, and another woman at a crossing offered for me to stand under her umbrella with her and walked holding it over both of us until our paths separated. I went to see Sri Mariamman Temple which is an amazing colourful Hindu temple, and walked through Chinatown Night Market and generally had a bit of an explore.

I might currently be lost, but thus far my vague sense of direction hasn't let me down and I think I'm near Clarke Quay. Fingers crossed, eh?

xxx

...Wales?!

elizabeth_back — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 06:27:00 GMT

How often are you supposed to write in these things? Probably not until you have left the country one would presume. I have been in Wales if that counts. Twice.

Photos: Red Sea Diving

elizabeth_back — Thu, 4 Mar 2010 23:58:00 GMT

Dahab - May 2009

Photos: Malaysia Diving

elizabeth_back — Thu, 4 Mar 2010 23:47:00 GMT

Photos from my 1st diving adventure

Photos: Profile Pictures

elizabeth_back — Thu, 4 Mar 2010 23:37:00 GMT

A beginning

elizabeth_back — Thu, 4 Mar 2010 11:06:00 GMT

Hello dearest friends,

As you are all I am sure aware, I have left Southampton for a change of air. After a truly epic and claustrophobic road trip to Bristol with my Dad and a day of train hopping in glorious sunshine I made it to my Mum's in Shrewsbury where I am currently relaxing, drinking too much tea, walking my dogs and generally catching up with the family.

My grandma's operation was a success (hurrah!), I have found two tutors willing to write me academic references for the course I want to apply for, March-June is Whale Shark season in Western Australia and everything is looking magnificently up.

I shall try to keep this journal up-to-date so you can all have an idea of what I am up to and where I am.

Next stop Singapore!

Love to you all,

Elizabeth xxx