Jesse Rivest's Blog
This blog is old and is now sealed off for historical preservation. As a result, neither new posts nor new comments are possible.
Saturday, December 31, 2005
Go to Singapore!
It's not difficult - Singapore has its own airline! How many island cities in this world are also a country? I didn't fly to Singapore, I took the KTM Ekspress train from Kuala Lumpur and I am currently on the return train now. It's a seven-hour adventure that includes many stops, and reversing to allow oncoming trains to pass, as well as on-and-offs to visit customs and immigration. If you like squatters in the men's room, you'll love how these ones openly drain onto the rail tracks! Be sure to bring your own food and water, and gaze out the window occasionally to see the towns and plantations fight for their spots in the jungle bush.
I spent 100 Singapura dollars in two nights and two days - my 100 Australian-dollar traveller's cheque bought me 117 Singapura dollars. If you stay at Betelbox Backpackers, Tony will ensure you are informed of where to eat and what to see - for under $20 per night. Breakfasts were roti with fried egg and curry, at the intersection of Crane and Onan streets. Lunches were wherever-you-get-sucked-in in Chinatown, which is a taxi ride of under $10 each way. My first dinner included chilli-soaked green beans and stingray, frog in rice porridge, and satay chicken, lamb, and beef. This all at a food market near the hostel; split between four people, I spent about $10. The next dinner was classic - a curry house in a long line of restaurants along the boat quay on the Singapore River. Four of us split a bill of $125, and I recommend you do this for at least one night. The river has been cleaned up - it's not full of merchant boats and pollution as it appears in 30 year-old photographs - but there are still bumboats touring from quay to quay, and the city lights and atmosphere are attractive. The food I ate during my time in Singapore was delicious - although I focused on Indian, there are many asian flavours available!
While you are in this area of the Singapore River, I suggest that you pay the $8 admission fee to the Asian Civilizations Museum, especially if you are intrigued by variations across the east, southeast, south, and west asias, and their Buddhist, Hindi, and Muslim histories. The museum is well-maintained and impressive, and so overwhelming that you may want to make multiple visits. I would have liked another visit!
Singapore struck me as a modern, western city - you can see a lot colonial footprints everywhere. After only a couple days, I would jump to conclude that Singapore is a comfy place where you can shop, eat, and have fun! I might consider flying with Singapore Air in the future, for this reason.
I now have three Malaysian visas stamped in my passport (plus two departure stamps), yet I've seen next-to-none of the country. Only six hours to pass before I can start experiencing Kuala Lumpur! There is Thai food in Kuala Lumpur, yes... however I hear Malay cuisine is incredible, plus I look forward to more Indian!
Back to http://www.jesserivest.com/
I spent 100 Singapura dollars in two nights and two days - my 100 Australian-dollar traveller's cheque bought me 117 Singapura dollars. If you stay at Betelbox Backpackers, Tony will ensure you are informed of where to eat and what to see - for under $20 per night. Breakfasts were roti with fried egg and curry, at the intersection of Crane and Onan streets. Lunches were wherever-you-get-sucked-in in Chinatown, which is a taxi ride of under $10 each way. My first dinner included chilli-soaked green beans and stingray, frog in rice porridge, and satay chicken, lamb, and beef. This all at a food market near the hostel; split between four people, I spent about $10. The next dinner was classic - a curry house in a long line of restaurants along the boat quay on the Singapore River. Four of us split a bill of $125, and I recommend you do this for at least one night. The river has been cleaned up - it's not full of merchant boats and pollution as it appears in 30 year-old photographs - but there are still bumboats touring from quay to quay, and the city lights and atmosphere are attractive. The food I ate during my time in Singapore was delicious - although I focused on Indian, there are many asian flavours available!
While you are in this area of the Singapore River, I suggest that you pay the $8 admission fee to the Asian Civilizations Museum, especially if you are intrigued by variations across the east, southeast, south, and west asias, and their Buddhist, Hindi, and Muslim histories. The museum is well-maintained and impressive, and so overwhelming that you may want to make multiple visits. I would have liked another visit!
Singapore struck me as a modern, western city - you can see a lot colonial footprints everywhere. After only a couple days, I would jump to conclude that Singapore is a comfy place where you can shop, eat, and have fun! I might consider flying with Singapore Air in the future, for this reason.
I now have three Malaysian visas stamped in my passport (plus two departure stamps), yet I've seen next-to-none of the country. Only six hours to pass before I can start experiencing Kuala Lumpur! There is Thai food in Kuala Lumpur, yes... however I hear Malay cuisine is incredible, plus I look forward to more Indian!
Back to http://www.jesserivest.com/
-
At 6:23 AM, February 03, 2006,
said...
-
Frank and I played some Counterstrike in Singapore way back in 2000.
