A fun day with people

Meeting different people is one of the best aspects of this trip, and apart from Hong Kong where it was difficult, I have met a huge number of people. I have put into practice many of the things I used to teach budding networkers (see BNI - Business Network International), and it has had a profound impact on my trip. In Hong Kong I was about to start playing a networking game where I throw a dice to give me a number ( eg. 3) and then another to give me a colour (eg. blue), then talk to say the first '3' people I meet with a 'blue' shirt... but opening conversations in restaurants and on the train bought me in contact with some great people even there.

BNI ND's Sim & Mervin

Backpacking and staying in lodges means it is even easier to chat to people, as they provide a hub for like minded individuals from around the globe. What is really great is that everyone is on the same level, there is no competition for pecking order, or other halves. Male or female, colour, creed or nationality everyone is the same. It is like being with a whole bunch of temporary mates. There are no hang ups if you go somewhere on your own, but likewise if you say you are going somewhere and others ask if they can tag along, that's cool too.

My favourite building

It was a great pleasure to meet up with two of my previous work colleagues Sim and Mervin, joint National Directors for BNI in Singapore. Both are doing well, and looking forward to Dr. Ivan Misner's visit next month at their annual conference, and we enjoyed a great lunch at one of their local restaurants and caught up on some gossip. For desert I was treated to one of Singapore's national fruits, a Durian; prickly and hard on the outside which opens to reveal soft and spongy large segments, I didn't mind the smell which for many westerners is apparently quite repugnant, and I managed one segment, but in all honesty if I had had another I would have reached - I didn't like it!

Old friends

The BNI offices are located near China Town, so having had lunch and been shown a few of the local sites I said my goodbyes and headed for the market stalls in search of gifts for my kids.

One of the best places to stop is at a juice bar - there are hundreds dotted all over the place, I guess a sign of the Singapore health addiction. Make sure you find one with plenty and a wide variety of fresh fruit on display and then go and order an iced drink; they are truly delicious.

I was lucky enough to came across Blue Ice, a local jazz bar behind the Quays, and spent a little while listening to a local group having fun. It was nice when a they let a few foreign guests including a Scott, drop in and jam with them.

The Quays at night

On one side of the quays amongst yet more bars and restaurants you can find The Ministry of Sound - I think it is the largest outside of Europe, and a little further along is a reverse bungee jump contraption. It was fun to watch the expressions of the hapless soles strapped in at the point of lift off - shame the queue was so long as I would have loved to have been hurled at 300 miles an hours vertically while waiting for my guts to catch me up!!

My stay in Singapore could not have gone by without a visit to the Long Bar in the famous Raffles Hotel for a Singapore sling or two. The original bar is no more but the 1st floor replica is fabulous, complete with ceiling fans and window shutters. In a city that will fine you for sneezing without a mask on, it was amazing that the original tradition of throwing your discarded peanut husks on the floor was still tolerated - and as for the slings - wow...keep them rolling!

The Raffles Hotel