$ingapore

(Note the dollar sign)
It is expensive here... really expensive. To give you a hint, when I first got here I took SD$200 out of the ATM to get myself started. I got some Burger King for the first time in 7 months then I was off to find my 'hostel'. For my cramped little dorm bed it is SD$40 for the night, a bit steep. I was fine to pay the price though since the place is right downtown and in very nice shape. I must admit that I felt a bit like a homeless person in my sleeveless tank and big travellers pack but I swallowed the embarrassment then paid up. Just out of curiosity I checked the exchange rate on SD to RMB (Chinese yaun). It is five to one. FIVE TO ONE. That means that the S$200 I took out was RMB$1000. Now I have accepted that I probably won't be drinking a sip of alcohol here but even with that it is feesible that I will spend all S$200 in a 36 hour period. Let me explain to you what I would have to do to spend this much money in the same amount of time in China. First I would start by taking my closest friends and I to the nicest Western restaurant in Changsha. Next we would go to SOHO and order a bottle of Jack Daniels, and then we would drink it. After that I could buy a bottle of Grey Goose vodka, and we would drink that too. As a nightcap I would take myself to the nicest hotel in the city and sleep in the deluxe sweet there (not a crappy little dorm bed). That's why I'm calling it $ingapore.

[Craig takes a deep breath] OK, maybe this is not a fair first assesment. A fair assesment would have to note that the 'homeless backpaper' is not exactly Singapore's target demographic. More like the Real Housewives of Orange County. Singapore is, frankly, a destination for those who can't handle 'Asia'. (I swear this is my positive piece). I'm really not exagerating though, there are Mercedes meter taxis here. The city is drop dead gorgeous, just like every other woman that I walk past, and is immaculately clean. I've never been anywhere so clean. I tried to go 'slumming' in Chinatown but was instead confronted with the most organized Chinese community I have ever seen. The streets are broad, the restaraunts clean, the people quiet and polite... it is all thoroughly disapointing. I accidentally bumped into a Chinese man (OK, it was on purpose but I had to test it) and he apologized to me... so frustrating. Then I saw a group of old Chinese men. Naturally they were all smoking (a good sign), but they were doing so huddled around an ashtray and they were even dutifully ashing their cancer sticks into the receptical. Worse, not a single one of them was spitting. I actually shed a tear when I relized that. I accidentally walked in front of a car and not only did he not hit me, but he also waved me along in front of him. That was the last straw, I thought I had had enough at that point.

My sanity was saved, however, when I noticed a night market down a narrow side street. Here we go. While it wasn't nearly as crowded, or as hot, or as smelly as I would have liked it was a legitimate attempt at Chinese culture. hehehe. The housewives were pale with fear. I'd love to see them on BuShing Jia in Changsha. So yes, I am happy to be here. It is beautiful, it will be a great way to spend a day and a half. Most importantly, Singapore is reputed to have some of the best museums in all of Asia. Who cares if it costs the same as it will for my campground for the entirety of next week, I'm gonna go grab a beer.
C. Johnson

P.S. Clerical notice: CAMBODIA IS OUT. I am sad to admit it but my mind may have been to big for my legs on this trip. After spending two weeks in Malaysia I am desperately yearning for more time here. Considering that I only scheduled one week in Cambodia later this month, I have to believe this feeling will only be compounded. In liou of Cambodia I will do some camping on Phuket and then will make my way slowly up to Bangkok. I'm sorry to any of you who were excited to hear about Angkor Wat (here I am primarily addressing my professors at Elon). It will make much more sense to limit my trip this year to Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand, and to schedule an over land from Siem Reap to Hanoi for next year's spring fest... but I regress.

P.P.S. Clerical notice: Several of you have been emailing me comments for my blog to my gmail account. Being that I am not in China, I now have full access to blogger so please feel free to post your comments here so that everyone can enjoy them! Thanks for reading!