Singapore

Today we are leaving Singapore, bound for Malaka! Malaka is a 5 1/2 hour (air conditioned) bus ride north of the border into Malaysia...

I know we have said this about everywhere we have been, BUT, Singapore is amazing and we could live here!!

Most guide books and people we have met along the way, suggested just a couple of days here. We genuinely could have stayed for a week but 4 days was a happy medium.

This small city state is so multicultural! Within a day, you can easily walk between China Town, Little India, Arab Street, and the many western-influenced restaurants at the marina...and we did!

Did I say walk? I mean catch the amazingly efficient MRT (underground). Not only was this a nice air conditioned escape from the 80% humidity, but also really cheap!

In fact everything is really cheap here and we have been assured that this is the most expensive place we will travel to in S.E.A. Yes!!

La Pau Sat was our favourite of many food markets. The only problem being, not having enough time to try everything! Food has accounted for a large portion of our budget, and on our last night we treated ourselves to 'the best restaurant in Singapore' according to Claudia (a friend from uni, who has been living here, who we met up with). Still, this was very affordable and the butter prawns were amahhzing!

Out in the sticks, to the east are the East Cost Beaches. These are about a 10 mile round cycle (we used a quad-shaw milk float type bike) which is really relaxing and surreal with the high rise city behind, and the 'Ghost fleet of the recession' in front. This is a fleet of cargo ships larger than the US/UK Navies combined that have gone widely unused since the global recession. Crazy!

Back in the city, on our second night we went to the well renowned and very colonial Raffles Hotel. Drinks were very expensive, but If we couldn't enjoy a Singapore Sling then, when could we?? At this stage we had spent more money on two cocktails, than food and travel combined. This seemingly alcoholic proportion of our budget increased further the next night as we sipped cocktails on the Boathouse Rooftop Bar while watching the Marina Bay Lights Show (free every night!).

Anyway, thank you Singapore for being SO clean, efficient, and tasty....AND for having English plug sockets!