Singapore

So I made it to Singapore. Almost at the equator now and just as humid as before - but I should stop complaining about the weather as I'm sure is horrid back home.

The hostel was really nice, very modern and clean, with free internet etc - not at all what I was expecting from my experiences in Europe, and the States, of hostels. But that's Singapore all over. Very squeaky clean with Ronan Keating playing on the radio all the time. Half of me loved it and prefers it to the other cities I've been to so far (its very British after all), and half of me yearns for the real feel of Bangkok. You can be a bit too orderly before it starts to feel slightly futuristic and freedom free....

Anyway, back to my travels. I firstly went out to explore. The centre is quite small and walkable - so long as there's shade! I went to the fort and saw a reconstruction of the surrender of the City state by the British in WWII. The strange talking waxworks were quite compelling, having come from Thailand and knowing the history of 'what happened next' (ie allied troops sent to the death railway in Thailand by the Japanese, Bridge over the River Kwai etc.) Then I headed down to China town, and around the colonial \old centre. I finished up at the Raffles hotel and had a Singapore sling on the terrace. It was very disappointing, as they had themed glasses (every other tourist must do the same) and very disdainful staff, took the fun right out of it.

Then back for a shower and change. More Internet (you guys don't half mail a lot!) and out to the night safari. Why no one else has done this is beyond me, it was great. An entire zoo open just 7pm - 12.00. You see all the nocturnal animals in their natural state and actually alive, not just sitting there looking bored. It was all moats and cattle grids - not really any cages at all. There are a couple of areas you can walk around and get flown at by flying foxes and fruit bats (both quite large by the way). The highlight has to be the leopards though. I saw them in Kenya from afar, in a tree, but this time they were only separated by a piece of glass. Literally. I couldn't see them so went up to the glass to see better, only for the leopard to get up, it was just at my feet pressed up against the glass too.... gave me the shock of my life, but will never get that close again. (Oh and I loved the hippos too). One for the boy... best zoo by far I've ever seen, all in the jungle and you can't distinguish the compounds from the paths most of the time. They have also bread over 30 Malayan tigers in just 10 yrs, amongst other endangered species. I was impressed. Oh and they had fire eating aboriginal dudes from Borneo too, photos to come.

The next day I went down to Little India and then the Arab quarter. All much like China town but with temples/mosques and different spice smells. Then over to Orchard Road for shopping. Pants. It was all just UK shops and more expensive than back home. So I interneted (getting a theme here) and headed back for the hostel.

Straight to the airport - where I am now. Very tired (comfy beds aren't enough when you are sharing a dorm with giggling Japanese schoolgirls) and off to Aus. Hen night tomorrow, or later today - or something, totally confused with time zones now. So will mail again in a few days.