Going Malaysia

So, I'm going to give this blogging thing another whirl. It didn't work out last time, but a new continent means new endeavors.

My last two weeks in Australia were spent doing a "desert safari" up through the red center, a three day diving trip on a livaboard on the Great Barrier Reef, and then a couple of days spent up in Cape Tribulation.

Busting out of OZ, I had a delightful flight to land in the great country/cit y of Singapore. My first impression was "wow, free internet in the airport - I love it!" And truly, it is an organized city.

I had been in Singapore for about 10 minutes when I made friends with this Dutch guy named Robert who was living in Bangkok. We were both heading in the same direction, so I lucked out to have someone to carry half of my bags:-) I ended up staying in Little India, which at first glance was sensory overload, but after the curry entered the bloodstream and washed down with a San Miguel, we acclimated quite nicely.

I awoke bright and early to explore Singapore, and soon realized that there were two things to do in the city: shop and eat. Since I am beginning to feel like a pack-mule, I elected not to shop, but definitely indulged in the eating. Singapore is an interesting meltingpot of culture: mostly Chinese with some indian thrown in for flavor, and it's definitely reflected in the cuisine. I spent the day wandering through little india (visiting temples and eating at the hawkers stalls) and Chinatown (visiting temples and eating at the hawkers stalls) and threw a river tour of the city and a visit to the asian cultural center in for good measure. The rest of the night was spent zipping through the stalls of the famous Borgis Street to see the wares that were being sold.

Final impressions of Singapore: a manufactured city that is welcoming to westerners, but lacks a vibe. I can't explain it, but it's a little bland. We'll see what Malaysia has to offer.