Singapore (Air) Rocks

Here I am at the airport and there is free internet so it would have been wrong not to take advantage of it with a quick post. I arrived in Singapore yesterday morning into disgusting heat. It was weird to be back in Asia and yet not be in Korea. I found my way to the hostel I had booked at via the MRT (subway) and felt kinda pleased with myself. Never mind that everything was in English and very clear indeed, I made it there. Happy with myself I walked into the hostel and found that they had no record of my booking or the 10% that I had already paid. So rather than a 10 bed dorm I ended up in a 28 bed room. I spoke to the manager on the phone and he was very rude to me and shouted at me. I am afraid that the tears started.

But stopped pretty quickly once I realised that I had a bed to lie down in. The flight over was great. I had three seats to myself so was able to lie down and get some rest (though some bugger stole my third pillow while I was in the loo!). And when I wasn't sleeping I was kept busy with my own tv screen and movies and telly on demand. I demanded some movies and then found the built in gameboy so played Mario Bros for a while. I did all the quizzes too.

But sleeping on three seats isn't the same as a proper bed. Even if it was in a room with 27 other people in it- it had air con and that was all that mattered. I had a sleep and went out for a shower and out for a walk.

Let's face it, I was looking for skyscrapers and there they were just around the corner. Nice. I walked around in the sauna that is Singapore for a while and had something to eat at a restaurant next to the river. It was all very quiet and the guy at the restaurant told me that there would be people out at night. Seemed as good an excuse as any to go back to the hostel for another sleep and wait for the night.

I chatted to a guy in the dorm who was on his way to Korea and told him to go to Gangneung! Not sure if he will. Had a nap and went out again. This time I headed away from Boat Quay and into Chinatown. Now this is what I am talking about- lovely lovely shopping and mosques and temples. It was great. Though I didn't buy anything! Respect me! Well, it was only my first night and I had been pretty pleased the day before when my pack only weighed 12.6kg. Today it weighs 15kg including the plastic tray that it was sitting in, as I have put my jeans into it. Why I brought them I will never know.

I thoroughly enjoyed walking around Chinatown and all the stalls there. If I had had Sam with me we would have made an unstoppable shopping team. As it was, I just soaked up the atomosphere and headed back to Boat Quay where, as promised, there was now a lot of people. I watched the little tourist boats scoot around the quay with the reflections of their red lanterns mixing with those of the skyscrapers behind them, and got hit on by an Nigerian guy who left when he realised that I wouldn't be able to help him with a UK visa.

I slept very well last night and was up early to get to the airport. The guy on the desk at the hostel gave me a free night as his boss had been so mean to me, so you can imagine how guilty I felt when I discovered the hostel locker key in my pocket about ten minutes ago! I have posted it back with a quick sorry note.

In an hour I will be on my way to Ho Chin Minh City, where I am sure that it will be just as hot. Let's hope that this hotel has a record of my booking as they are supposed to be picking me up from the airport.

No photos yet but I am sure that they will come later. And if you don't think that this is a quick post then you have never seen me typing!