Friday 29^th November 2002
Up at 0545 (aagh!). Finish packing. Check out: phone bill 10.80RM (sigh of relief). Breakfast and taxi to station. Everything runs smoothly. Interesting train journey (7 hours). Glyn is adopted by Indian woman who asks for our address. Comfortable 2nd class accommodation. Glyn has proper loo, Pete has elevated "hole in the ground" - bit tricky with train rocking. Try to spend remaining Ringgit in buffet car but despite buying sandwiches, rolls, cake, teas, bottled water, fizzy orange, we still have money left. We are steadily collecting small quantities of currency as it is impossible to judge needs. Scenery from the train gives insight to equatorial life. Large areas planted with palms we believe for palm oil production. See some monkeys in trees. Have to leave train at Woodlands (on Singapore side of causeway) for immigration and customs and then reboard for last leg to Singapore station. Speak to Malaccan woman who amongst other things tells us that she doesn't like Singapore and that we could have stayed at a nice hotel for less than we are paying. This happened in KL also, but without inside knowledge I don't think we were likely to find such places. Also the cheaper hotels seem to be away from the centre.

Get Singapore dollars from ATM at station then taxi to hotel. Driver doesn't know it - not a good sign - but when we arrive he says it is a good hotel. From the outside it is exactly as expected and the receptionist is very pleasant and is expecting us. The room is not exactly small, it is just that we have to take turns to move around! On inspection of the brochure picture you can see how it was achieved. The shower and loo are in a single space - we'll find out how practical soon!

Spend rest of afternoon and early evening doing Chinatown walking excursion. Fairly up-market Chinatown, some very pretty old shophouses. City money has obviously been spent restoring the area. We look at food courts with some interest and much more confidence since education in KL. As before lots of food outlets, shops, and sprinkling of Hindu temples and Moslem mosques. Oh, and whippy ice cream in Macdonalds. Early night.

Saturday 30^th November 2002
Hotel provides complimentary help yourself breakfast of toast and instant hot drinks. Talk to fellow guests about their travels and team up with girl from Ireland (Katie) to make our first trip on the MRT (Mass Rapid Transport) underground. Walk to Outram Park station and suss out ticket machines. Obtain plastic card charged with fare to City Hall (.80c + $1 deposit). After trying to feed into barrier discover that just need to place on detector on top. Platform is separated from track by glass wall with automatic doors that line up with train doors (to stop people inadvertently ending up on track for whatever reason). All works well - very new, very efficient. More stations/lines to be opened soon. If travelling light would be a good way to get to airport on Sunday, but we'll take taxi with all our gear.

Straight to Raffles hotel. Unlike Ant & Julie we're not stopping. Looks splendid and spend some time wandering through shopping arcade, and grounds. Visit museum, glimpse Long Bar, famous Billiard Room (below which last tiger in Singapore was shot), and Tiffin Room before leaving past main entrance. Reminds us of Tamarind Village as an oasis within the city.

Follow walking tour to St Andrew's Cathedral, City Hall, and Supreme Court where there is an Open Day. Take some lunch and then tour the courtrooms and exhibition showing design for new courts by Norman Foster. Never been in law court before.
Pass on to Victoria Memorial Hall, statue of founder of Singapore, Stamford Raffles, and Empress Place. Down to river and decide to take river trip. Half an hour in a "bumboat", some history of the development of Singapore from Raffle's first landing, good views of old and new. Very striking juxtaposition of the restored old shophouses with sparkling skyscrapers behind.



Very hot - a rare cloudless day. Seek shade in a food court on Clarke's Quay. Play cards over two glasses of Tiger Beer - loser has to buy the Honey Dew Sago. The dessert consists of bowl of crushed ice with coconut milk and sago poured over and green and red melon balls. Very refreshing. Alcoholic drinks here, as in Malaysia, probably more expensive than UK. We believe this is due to high taxation possibly influenced by religious issues. Beer in Thailand was cheap but wine expensive. Glyn discovers from Travel Guide that the import and sale of chewing gum is banned in Singapore, but had to remove some from shoe in Raffles!

Walk back to hotel via MRT station to refund deposit on railcards. Dinner in Smith Street, last Chinese in Asia, excellent. Arrange early morning call (0550), pack again.

Thoughts on Singapore:
Chinatown Hotel - Pro: good location for Chinatown, reasonable price for Singapore, friendly reception; Con: small room, no extras.
Singapore pleasant and attractive. Not as expensive as anticipated. Friendly people.