Singa - OMG WE ARE - pore...

After Saigon Round 2, Jennifer and I had two layover options for our stop in the sovereign city-state of Singapore.  Since the city had been on Jennifer's "To Visit" list, we opted for the 9 hour layover instead of an absolutely mind-numbing 4 hour one, which would likely have confined us to the airport for the duration of the time.  We were going to explore Singapore for a bit, and Jennifer was thrilled. From the moment we booked our flights, I was already becoming very uneasy about our time in Singapore.  

Put yourselves in my flip flops for a moment. 

Since I arrived in South East Asia in February I have been wearing the same clothes - about three outfits in all.  I literally have brushed my hair three times since February - I do not even own a brush on the road.  I have a rather limited set of toiletry options - conditioner not being on my required list of shower items.  I have been wearing the same flip flops everyday for the past six months (with my time in snow covered Korea being the only exception), and they were a pair that I accidentally had packed in my bag after The Yacht Week - they aren't mine.

I am what many people in the Western world would probably refer to as a dirty hippie after my approximate 6 months on the road, and only with the arrival of my fashion-conscious sister have some of my comfortable hippie habits ceased - including using non-whitening toothpaste.  "Umm, I also packed some WhiteStrips you can use..."  Where would I be without her?

Streets near Clarke Quay

Well, now that you're in my stolen flip flops with me - let's talk about Singapore.  It's renown as one of the most expensive, fashion conscious, and pseudo-Western cities located in the region.  It resembles the climate of Florida and has the crime rate of a utopian society.  It really is a lovely city, and if I was a millionaire, I would likely return and spend more than 9 hours.

As a backpacker, it's a painful experience.  I've taken 15 hour train rides to avoid paying an extra $4 for a train that arrives in half the time.  I have eaten about as much rice in the past few months as most Asian restaurants probably serve in a week.  I drink beer when it's cheaper than water, and a splurge to me is a coffee that costs $1.20 USD.  Good thing I've been saving for Singapore all these weeks!

Jennifer and I started our adventure with taking the train into the city, exploring Chinatown and the surrounding area's shopping centers, and began our search for lunch.  We wanted to find some authentic cuisine, and luckily we had received a list of recommendations from her friend.

Jennifer on Clarke Quay, a street in the district her friend recommended to us

Our mission to find the hawker stands and local chili and pepper crab specialty recommended to us was unsuccessful, so instead we headed towards a restaurant recommended by Jennifer’s friend which was located on the river.  It was late afternoon, so we were able to easily find a table and begin to peruse the menu.

The Singapore dollar is only slightly less powerful than the US dollar (1 SGD is .8 USD), but regardless of the exact conversion rates the prices on the menu were startling.  The burgers were around $20 and most of the appetizers were $14...eeeek!  These prices after eating delicious, filling, $1-2 meals for the previous weeks were not welcome to our budget.

First IPA since last December - delicious!

That lunch was one of the most expensive lunches I’ve ever been a part of, and the final price is one that I'd prefer never to divulge. I didn’t help the final number when the menu said they had IPA beers on draught, either.  I don’t know Jennifer’s friend, but I’d assume she was here with her family when she visited…

After lunch we counted our remaining money (it didn’t take very long), and realized that walking around Singapore for our remaining time was about as adventurous as our wallet would allow us to be before returning to the airport to catch our evening flight to Bali. 

We explored further shopping establishments, finding ourselves window-shopping despite Jennifer’s wishes to do otherwise.  I told her she could buy whatever she could get them to discount her.  In Singapore, unlike the rest of the region, they actually stick to the prices listed on items.  Such a shame.

The city really does have a bit of everything, and I’m glad that we were able to experience a taste of Singapore before heading onto Bali.