Hot in the city

Verdict on Singapore - like it! It's a funny wee place - it has loads of ethnic quarters which are lovely, all next to the colonial old school bits. It's kind of like an Asian theme park, with Little India, Chinatown etc, but you just don't get hassled by loads of annoying touts. It's ever so nice. We did get stalked by one rickshaw driver for a couple of hours yesterday, but other than that we have been unscathed. Bought a couple of nice things (could have bought several hundred more nice things to be honest) so feeling very fulfilled by our trip.

We were feeling pretty perky the afternoon we arrived due to our high class travelling style, so we went to Little India for a bit of a scoot around and some tea. We spied a pub called the Prince of Wales (not particularly authentic) and stopped off for our inaugural Singapore beers. Then we pottered round a bit, and went for a bloody fantastic ring stinging curry eaten off banana leaves. It was fab. Curry for 2 with about 6 different dishes - about £4. 2 Beers - about £6. First Singapore lesson learnt - food cheap, beer expensive. Back to hotel and bed.

Yesterday was a bit of a full on walk around sight seeing day. Did a walk from our wee guide book called the Arabic Amble round the (you guessed it) Arabic quarter, which was really nice. If a little warm. The onto Raffles Hotel for the obligatory Singapore Slings and throwing peanut shells on the floor. We met a couple of very nice ladies there who were wierdly enough from Brisbane and gave us loads of tips. Small world.

Stu then dragged us on to look at some cricket ground (yawn) and then we wandered on into Chinatown for a bit of a potter. Got offered the chance to have about a million suits made for us, but resisted. We were so knackered after all this that we couldn't rightly be arsed to do anything particularly authentic for tea so ate in the hotel and got a bit tiddly. Second lesson of Singapore - food cheap, wine expensive.

Away to Brisbane this evening, arrive at about 6 tomorrow morning which is particularly unfortunate since we can't check into our apartment thingies til 2. Pants. Going to a museum today, will report later as Stu is hassling me to help him pack.

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