The best thing about Singapore
Trip Start
Jun 07, 2004
1
50
Trip End
Nov 27, 2004
Singapore,
Singapore
Tuesday, November 23, 2004
Continued from ; Shopping in Singapore
I decide to enjoy my own spot of overindulgent spending. I visit the Raffles Hotel and quaff several ' pre-mixed ' Singapore Slings in the Long Bar. Something of a tradition among visitors - and a bit of a joke really. There is no skill whatsoever in creating the so-called cocktail. In addition to dumbing down its drinks, the Raffles hotel has sold its soul by allowing franchising within its boundaries. Hence, once inside its tropical garden courtyards and opulent Victorian style walkways, you will perhaps come across a Louis Vuitton shop, or a branch of Tiffany & Co. Inside the heavy doors of the restaurant that adjoins the Long Bar, is a girl whose job it is to greet customers and show them to their table. Imagine her surprise when my ugly mug appears before hers asking for a table for one. With long hair, unkempt beard and regrettably, no tie. She giggles as if she understands the joke, I am joking aren't I ?
I am not joking. I am a little well oiled from the several big glasses of Singapore Sling and happened to see people within the Long Bar Steakhouse tucking into sumptuous meals. I would like one too since I have drank myself hungry. I am ushered in and placed at a table in the corner so as to cause the least offence. My steak is superb, they could have been a little more generous with the accompaniments. I decline an entire bottle of wine from ' the cellar ' and make do with a glass of house wine instead. The bill is about 100 Singapore dollars. As I am about to fly to Australia, I may as well get used to the idea that my budget travels are over.
I use a travel agent on Bencoolen Street who gets me a one way ticket to Darwin, including the electronically registered visitors visa for a 3 month stay. My flight leaves Changi airport at 5pm. The city's underground rail network extends out to Changi airport, like in London and Hong Kong. Unlike in Bangkok. However, Changi airport seems to have been designed around the necessity for shopping. The needs of those people actually travelling somewhere seem to be irrelevant. This must be why there are no designated smoking areas. After draining the last suds of my very expensive beer, I find a quiet spot over by the window and light a cigarette anyway.
The flight transits in Bali, Indonesia - but passengers continuing on to Darwin are not cleared through immigration, they are placed in transit instead. For us, this means we get to wander around a few shops selling tourist merchandise and spend our money in cheap café bars which stay open all the time. Both myself and an Australian drink good-value Bintang beer solidly until 1am. And at Bali airport, smoking is happily permitted. So if ever the situation comes up where I must transit in either Singapore or Bali , the choice for me is obvious.
Next - A new chapter begins.
