Hotel Bencoolen Singapore

... front of Gateway to India .. very nice, madam you see this album, please." And others laden with giant balloons and noisy plastic tooters insist their wares would make ideal souvenirs for friends back home.

We love that spot - so full of bright sunshine, confused tourists in khaki shorts and languid families with their tiffins of picnic goodies, all coming to catch the ferry across to a sacred island a short ...

... We had a look in a few of the malls, but didn't buy anything. I particularly liked the designer shopping mall which had everything from Prada to YSL in it.

After that we went down to the quay area and had a stroll around. Saw the war memorial which was huge and was erected in the memory of civilians who lost their lives in the Japanese occupation. Then went to see raffles which is smaller than I expected, but looks very ...

... can refill empty water bottles after the seach at the gate, we've been given the NZ arrival cards now so we don't have to do them when we are really bemused on arrival, and there's even internet access in the departure lounge. Next time must get round to visiting the Butterfly Garden on the top floor!

next despatch from south of the equator - a long way south! Photos will appear on this one when I next get on the net.

Again this morning we were adventurous at breakfast, different this time, but including the sweet coffee once more. We walked towards the well known Lau Pa Sat Market which is a traditional food mall, but it obviously came to life later in the day. The stall holders were busy "prepping". Would have liked to have returned at lunchtime but didn't manage. Next time we’re in Singapore, definitely. Maybe not to the Pig’s Organ Soup stall ...

... it will be a little more like what I am used to there!! I find the most funky hostel ever which has computer screens mounted on the walls and is as modern as modern can be and I am shown to my bunk...!!

I dump my stuff, have a shower and head out for a wander where I purchase a phone card for 5quid and stand on a street corner for an hour talking to my mum!!ha ha!! It's not everyday you stand on a street corner of a city/country and phone home is it??

... from the medicine) the value of manners and politeness. Being around countless rude people has made me firm in my belief that courtesy is undervalued here and has spurred me to ensure I don't turn into one of them. It's been an amazing three weeks and I'm sad that it's over but I'm excited at the prospect of learning in Britain again. Only a few weeks till uni, let's hope that something from this experience sticks!

My journey isn't over yet...

... in the code of an exhibit will give you audio and sometimes visual information about the display. Having done that we wanted to do something uniquely Singaporean in the evening so went and watched Harry Potter at the cinema, losers!

Day 3 and we headed to Sentosa Island, which is a kind of amusement centre. Though it did include Fort Siloso, another WW2 tourist sight. It has many authentic guns and cannons from both the British and Japanese as well as tunnel ...

... not all of which were open though, selling local goodies. It got kind of annoying having to say no/maybe to every single person who tried to shove a menu in your face, but it made a change from being offered Class A drugs. Actually, only marijuana, but, Class A sounds cooler :-D

Went for some random stall that a local guy also eating there, little did the owner know that he'd hit the jackpot, as we, well I, proceeded to order ...

Singapore is lovely! Everyone is really friendly and all the women are very elegent - in stark contrast to myself. It's so hot here!! My usual composure is out of the window. Seen lots of things - night safari, Sentosa island, eaten lots of nice food ...