Singapore Sling

I know I haven't updated you for a while so this one will not be particularly long!! Sorry if you lose interest, I'll keep it as short as possible!!

Day 24 - Chinese Lunar New Year's Day - This was a bit of a bust. There was nothing scheduled as such for today, just a day off for most people. The Shops were open and I sent all of you an e-mail and that was about it. I decided to go to Hong Kong Island the following day as I had had enough of being hassled in the street by Indian Tailors wanting to make me a suit, and people pestering me for charity.

Day 25 - In the morning I went across to Hong Kong Island by the ferry. It was quite surprising that the Hong Kong waters are very choppy, but I got a beautiful view of the cityscape. I got to my hostel, and got a single bedroom with a shared bathroom. It seemed that in the living area meant for myself and the people next door was being used, in the main, by the maids of the place. We didn't mind as they were very nice and extremely good at their job.

The first thing I had to do on Hong Kong Island was to go to the "Peak Tram". This is one of the tourist "highlights" of Hong Kong. Basically, it's a tram that goes up a hill with quite a steep incline. But, from the top of this hill, you can get some beautiful panoramic views and take a walk or two around Hong Kong's less populated and green hill areas. There was a huge queue for the tram, and as with everything here, they tried to flog other things to become a package (in this case Madame Tussauds with David Beckham and Jackie Chan; or the freak show museum). I declined the offer and just went for the tram. The tram in fact was more like the longest ride to the top of a rollercoaster, on a wooden seat, with some wonky floor so that people could stand without falling or slipping. Once at the top, there were cafe's, bar's and shops. The observation decks didn't have very good views, so I decided to do the 2.5km tree walk. This was very pleasant, and did provide me with some good views, but most views were obscured by the haze from the city. On the way back down the hill, I had to stand. I wasn't very comfortable standing as I had some woman pointing her ass into the bottom of my back meaning that I couldn't stand properly. Fat assed cow!! Oh yeah, I thought this tram wasn't very far away from my hostel so I walked. After te time it took me to do that, I thought I would get the tram back.

After getting back to the hostel, it was time for a shower and a wander down to the harbor to see the fireworks. In the end they were just fireworks, nothing too impressive and nothing memorable to tell you about them. Boom..................Boooooooom. That's about it.

Day 26 - Today I did very little. I met the people who were staying next door. They were a couple of girls from New Zealand. They were very friendly and we traded some stories about friends etc.. So as I was about to leave to do some things I set out to do for the day, they arranged to meet me back at the hotel to go out for the evening. Sounds good to me, I hadn't had a social night out in a while. Anyway, more about that later. I set off to go and see Singapore Airlines about confirming my flight to Singapore in a few days. Got that done, had a look around some shops, and I went back to my room for a little siesta. I back up with the girls at 6pm who promptly told me that their friend (who's 17 and shagging her 31 year old hockey coach) would be joining us for the evenings festivities. First off we had a few beers in the room and all got to know each other a bit better, then off in to town. We started off in an irish bar, had a little food and some drinks. Then on to this, I think it was a mexican theme, bar where we had a few more drinks. It was quite funny, every time particular songs came on the bar maids had to get on the bar and dance, there was a Shakira impersonator (who we thought was miming, but she wasn't), and they were giving free "lay backs" (just pouring tequila and lime cordial straight into your mouth) at the bar. We then went to a club where we met up with some New Zealand, Australian and Samoan Rugby players. The majority of which were huge, but could barely put two sentences together. Anyway, we stayed there and eventually got in at about 5am.

Day 27 - Suffering from a bit of a hangover, I woke at 11. I went to go and see the Bronze Buddha on Lantau Island. I had to get a long underground train followed by a small bus packed with eager tourists (probably not sporting a supreme hangover). I have to admit, it was a let down, and off I went wondering why I bothered. Back to the hotel, I had a little nap, then it was time for me to go and get some food and maybe be a little more constructive with my time. So, I found a supermarket where they sold Marmite and Salt and vinegar crisps among other things. Sweet!! After having some food, I went and booked my tour going from Thailand to Laos to Cambodia back to Thailand in time for my flight to Australia. After that, I just chilled with the Girls.

Day 28 - I spent most of today looking around shops, as it was my last day in Hong Kong there was little else to do. I did go to the cinema to see "Meet the Fockers", which I quite enjoyed. I just generally was thinking about what I was going to do next in the rest of Asia. Anyway, I packed up my stuff so that I'd be ready to rock bright and early.

Day 29 - This is how you should be able to get to an Airport. Underground to a central station, central station straight to Airport via express train. All done in about 30 mins. I checked my stuff in, and the woman at the counter commented on the fact that I had so many tickets. I got given a thorough search, as always due to my steel toecap boots. I was hungry, I hadn't eaten in a while, so I saw something I hadn't seen since heathrow.........Burger King. "I think I'll have large whopper meal please"........mmmmmmmmmm. Anyway, I then had a quick look around duty free and boarded my plane. I tell you, if I can afford it after this trip, I think I'll only ever fly singapore airlines. They couldn't do enough. The in-flight meal (of which I had choice of 3) was delicious. Chicken and Pasta, fish with vegetables and some ice cream for desert. I only had the chance to watch one film on the plane, which was "Sideways". Very funny, with some iconic comedy moments. The airport in singapore has its own Cinema, swimming pools and god know what else. That's all I noticed.

Went straight to my hostel called "The Inncrowd" in the little India area of singapore. I went in the wrong direction initially and in the stifling heat with a large rucksack, it wasn't too clever. They were very friendly in there and all staff remembered my name throughout my stay. I got given te last bed and a dress to take part in the drag competition (It was a spiffing tight black evening dress). I needed a shower, then to get ready. By the time I got there (with my dress in my bag), the contest was already underway. Gutted (not!!), I just decided to watch and have a few beers. All the guys and girls there really took to it (probably because of the booze) and we all talked together and had a laugh in to the early hours.

Day 30 - I had to get a bed move, due to the fact I took the last bed the night before, and the bed I had was meant for two people. I put some Laundry in to be done and went to go on a tour to the Singapore Island of Santosa. I got a cable car from the mainland to the island (it stopped half way across), then met the tour guide and the other people who were going to join our group. First we went to the butterfly place, where I took some splendid photos of all things, butterflies. I think I got bitten to hell in this place!! I don't think I missed a calling as a wildlife photographer however. We then went to "Underwater world". This is exactly what it says, one of those places with a tunnel with tanks all around full of fish. Some of the tropical fish were beautiful (I was surprised how well, now, finding Nemo was done), but the piranhas at the place weren't eating anything. Boring!! We had quite a while to spend in there (too long), so I ventured outside to have a look at some of the beaches. Oh my god, immaculate (like everything in singapore), stunning. Anyway, the bus turned up and it was time to go see the pink dolphin show. It was quite funny, a bit over the top for my tastes. A dolphin doing loads of tricks is just shit really. I should get to see some naturally in Thailand. The last part of my tour of the Island was "Cinemania", an interactive cinema experience. All it was, was a car you sat in and it reproduced the moves of what was happening on screen. Quite violent movements though!! I then walked around the beaches and later on got the cable car back.

Day 31 - I picked up my Laundry and had to kill time until I had to go the the night safari. So, I went to the Singapore Science centre. No where near as good as the one in Hong Kong, but alright all the same, a bit too child oriented!! The fee did include an IMAX film called mystic india. This film was basically an advert for the indian tourist board, and had a lot of bad acting, a poorly written narrative and almost cliché image of what india is. In the pamphlet that came along with the film, it says that it cost a fortune to make. It bugged me, a 40 minute advert that was meant to be about a great spiritual leader in India. I can't spell his name however, as I'm not sure of the correct way, it sounded as if it had a highly offensive swear word in it. Put it that way.
After this, it was on the night safari. I saw some lions, tigers, hyenas, rhino's, big bastard bats, tree leaping leopards, flying squirrels etc.. The oddest thing I saw were these big rodent things that are found in South American. They almost looked like hamsters, but about the size of a pig. Scary stuff indeed. It was a strange deal. You could pay to take the ride around the park and do one optional walk, or you could do half the ride and walk the rest, or walk it all. I walked half, most people seemed to be scared. They didn't seem to realise that the walkways were totally safe. There was a disclaimer on the ticket though.

Day 32 - I ventured to the train station to enquire about a train ticket to Kuala Lumpur. I couldn't believe the railway station was in such a crap state or area. There was no subway near, and no sign posts going to it. Maybe no one really uses it. air flights being so cheap. So I looked at the price, and made note of the times. I then went to send some books and shit I picked up along the way back home. Quite expensive if I do so so. Anyway, I then went to have a look at some shops. What kind of stuff do you buy when you are abroad, designer stuff, leather, silk. Not me, I went to a top man and bought myself four new plain t-shirts, and went to a book shops and bough a book on Serial Killers. After hours of walking around, I went back to the hostel. I started speaking with these people from wales and one of them gave me his book on south east asia, which I needed and wasn't willing to buy. After that, some people whom I had introduced myself to earlier came in and invited me out with them later. Cool. I went and got some food and then we went out. Had a good laugh, it was one of their's birthday. A londoner, an Irish fella and a canadian all joined in the fun!! Twas a good laugh!!

Day 33 - Today was a rest day. Had some food and plenty of liquids. I wandered around some of the shops in the Little India district, and got myself a big dragon henna tattoo on my forearm. Sorted out plane ticket for following day, no frills airline 9 quid!

Day 34 - Kuala Lumpur airport then straight to the hotel I had booked a few days ago. The crown princess hotel. There seemed to be some qualifying match for the cricket world cup coming up and one of the teams are staying in the hotel. I think it may my the kenyan cricket team, but I don't recognise any of them.

Day 35 - Went to some of the shops close by. I went to the twin towers of Kuala Lumpur which are now the tallest of their kind in the world, due to 9/11. Loads of shop and restaurants, almost too much choice. Don't know what to look at. That have some odd and quite funky shops here, but most are just chains. The food courts here are awesome, any kind of food you want, I mean it. I went out had a couple of beers while watching the football in a bar near the hotel. Crap match, then again, what do you expect, it was tottenham.

Day 36 - That brings me to today, may actually do some sightseeing today. Not sure yet, I haven't done anything today and it's already lunch time!! Got to go!!