Singapore

My first country in Asia!

But to be honest, Singapore felt like a whole new world unto itself. With futuristic architecture and incredibly clean streets, it gives you an odd out of place sensation, not knowing where you are in place or time.

After a red eye flight from Sydney where I had a middle seat and an awkward amount of space for my legs, I arrived around 3am planning to airport chill and do some work until it was a reasonable time to arrive at my hostel. Unfortunately, the wifi had other plans and was going through maintenance. Instead, I found a quiet spot, curled up on the floor, and read.

The public transport system is incredibly easy to use and follow. I made my way to my hostel on a train then a bus, checked in, showered, and was ready to start exploring. I found a food centre only 15 minutes from the hostel and headed over. These are like food courts, with tons of options, tons of people, and a bit overwhelming. I met an Australian businessman who pointed me in the direction of his favorite stall! I started with spicy & sour pork noodles and treated myself to a bubble tea for dessert...it felt good to be in Asia!

The food was incredible. I tried chilli crab, a very Singaporean treat of a crab smothered in a sweet tomato and egg based sauce, satay skewers, amazing Indian food, and of course - bubble tea. This was only the start of my love affair with bubble tea. 

I explored Haji Lane, in the heart of Little India, full of shops and street art. My favorite afternoon was spent exploring the Gardens by the Bay. I bought tickets to see the Cloud and Flower exhibits, but the real stand out was the nightly light show. Still celebrating National Day, the show featured music from local artists rather than the typical composer. Walking towards my bus stop, I passed the casino and helix bridge, pausing to admire the city sparkling in light.

I debated going to the zoo after recently going to the Australian Zoo, but my former zookeeper expert Gary said it couldn’t be missed. After spending 6+ hours getting lost among the wandering paths, seeing white rhinos and giraffes, and watching elephants be fed, it was definitely the right decision to go. My last afternoon was spent exploring the Botanical Gardens, one of my favorite activities in any city.

The airport itself is a destination. Normally one to push my limits on least amount of time spent at the airport, this time I allowed 5 hours to explore. Incredible. The largest indoor waterfall with a fun light show. Inside the terminal, a sunflower garden and a movie Theater. I should have left more time but time to head to Taipei!