I arrived in Singapore after a long flight from Auckland, NZ with an hour or so layover in Sydney, AU for an arrival at 9;45 pm, Singapore time. I sat in business next to a very nice guy, married, 2 kids, who works for the government. No exactly sure what his title was but he traveled frequently to India to monitor some processes that were required. He was either an auditor or perhaps military police. He was also about 6'7'. He was glad to be traveling Int'l as he has to fly coach/economy on domestic flights. He had not been to India and had the very thick travel book and read thru it during the flight. He would occasionally elbow me (interrupting my in-flight movie viewing) to read a section of interest. We will be learning to use squat toilets...Yippee.
I watched several movies while flying and on this trip I watched "Black Swan" I will not spoil the movie for anyone, however it is definitely the the ugly/psychotic side of being a lead dancer in ballet. This one does not end well. It is a suspense thriller and when you are trapped on a plane at 38k feet, the last movie I should have been watching was the Ballet version of 'Snakes on a Plane". Anyway I survived to snooze briefly in the business class reclined position (Love that!) until mother nature once again decided to have her way with the jumbo jet that I was traversing thru space aboard. This plane also had the upper deck however this time business class was on the same level as Coach with First Class on the upper level. I also re watched Julia's "Eat, Pray, Love" again as a reminder why I am doing this amazing adventure. Gotta tell you that after the world around you changes like it did for Christchurch, NZ you begin to give everyday an appropriate amount of focus so that I don't loose track of time flying by and not ensure that I have done, seen, eaten, talked, listened, explored, gotten lost, observed, given thanks and shared what an extremely wonderful time I am having.
The arrival into Singapore was non dramatic. I somehow thought I would feel extremely uncomfortable as I was not sure what to expect of the culture, language, ease of getting around...all the things I panic about on my travel days. Once I am sequestered into my lodging for the first night I almost have calm come over me that all will be all right. I know that I have a roof over my head for the night and can endure the following days search for on-going lodging and well meal; sightseeing; meeting people seems to be easy. When you are traveling alone; which many people find almost as fascinating as I do, believe me I am still the last person to believe that this is happening to me; you get what you put out there. I have yet to just hole up in my room and just sit there wondering what there is to do. Everyday I am up and have either my breakfast; groceries from the store or fortunately the last 3 days at Hotel 1929, the breakfast and WiFi is free/included. Nothing makes a traveler happier than free food and Wifi. Back to my arrival in Singapore...Once I went thru customs which was seamless, nonconfrontational and speedy as my bags seem to always come off the conveyor belt first??? Not sure if that is coincidental or if that BIG PINK Business Class luggage label is actually recognized by the baggage handlers. I'm just glad the bag continues to show up. It is nighttime and the flew in over the Singaporean border is spectacular. The city which isn't really that large is lit up like a Christmas tree or as Vegas or my neighbor in Dallas's patio (he has decorations for every occasion). It is like another Disney theme park just awaiting you to explore. (Disclaimer: I do not , have not, will not be affiliated to the real Disney, just a figure of speech so that you know it is almost theme park over the top decorated so that all those but the blind; no offense or those really old people that walk with their heads down and I always wonder how they keep from running into the wall, street signs or out in front of traffic; I can say this as I with head up and eyes wide open seem to find myself briefly straddling sign posts, falling gracefully off the second step after just barely managing to drop onto the first step that I totally missed as I was staring at the skyline for the only landmark that I may have remembered during my adventure hikes totally preventing myself from the free fall potential of the other 36 steps into the lower underground shopping mall. but you get the visual)
I remember reading that the Singapore Airport was a massive architectural achievement in it's own right. I have to say at night it is massive but at night it is also dark and when you get in at 9:45pm local time and it is really 1:30am per your body clock still on Auckland, NZ time, you really don't care. maybe when I leave in 18 days I will remember to look up so I don't miss it or the step. Once outside of customs; I remembered no banana, green apple or countryside dirt on your shoes, I just asked the Information desk for the cheapest/easiest way to my fantabulous Hotel 1929. Get ready because her it comes....ready....set...Go; Where you from?, What is your accent?, How long you stay here?, Where you go next?, Are you on holiday or work?, How you can stay gone for 1 whole year? and my obvious favorite....You Rich? I gotta tell you for an information desk or travel desk employee I guess I appear to be quite the spectacle. Have a I mentioned that I know have roller luggage the size of a refrigerator, a backpack that appears to have gone over seas to war and returned with several prosthetics and I am not being in any way demeaning anyone, anything, anywhere; it is just my own personal way of being descriptive so that anyone following along is educated and entertained and for myself not only documenting this saga but also later when I may need to further embellish the true reality of this experience I can trigger vivid visuals so that no one, myself included; isn't aware of how life changing I am finding this journey. No offense to anyone but it is both painful and rewarding in some of the silliest ways imaginable. My Backpack which previously was stuffed to the gills so that I could make my weight limitations on the domestic flights in New Zealand has a strap that is loose at the bottom of the bag that is rather jerririgged so that the important stuff like my computer doesn't just drop out on the ground. I have so many pertinent items that are now no longer in my backpack but hanging onto it like a teen aged girls book bad just so that I don't loose it or can find it easily, ball caps, water bottles, miscellaneous locks needed for luggage storage, There is an array of rubber bands, a good sized chain of paper clips and the always handy flashlight which is called a torch over here in backpacker/tramping land. Amazing the stuff you need when there are multiple roommates already asleep in your room and you seem to be the last one in weather from travel or a night out on the town. Do these people know there is also a nightlife that needs to be explored?
The Travel desk has as they always do advised me that there is a diverse level of travel options to get em to my lodging. Of course there is always the solid gold Rolls Royce at the high end of transportation...They think i am rich, silly, silly, travel desk employees. down to the always available Taxi, coach, similar to Super Shuttle back in Big "D" or the lowly but so reasonably priced city transportation (bus). Due to the hour and my body although rested from my prone business class nap, I do have the refrigerator sized roller luggage and handicapped backpack to consider. I decided on the super shuttle as it could be had for the Singaporean price of S$9, US conversion $7 for to the door delivery. Try to get your roller refrigerator delivered to your door for $7. This only gets better as I am on the bus with a Swedish girl finishing her 6 month of tramping in Australia, who is only in Singapore for 2 nights before her final return home. She is ready as she misses her family and friends but she also has a really cool guitar with her that I rescued from being smashed as it was thrown across the bus on a rather hair raising left turn made by our bus driver that I am sure sent a bus of German tourist into a ditch. I refused to turn around to access the damage as the Swiss girl was thanking me profusely for the miraculous save of her guitars demise this close to the end of her travels. The dramatic left was to enter and I'm not sure we had the right of way let alone were going the right way into another terminal to pick up a military guy in full military dress and an older gentleman that I think could have been the Prime Minister himself...budget cuts.
Once all the luggage was stowed we were off and these coaches did have seat belts and I was not afraid to use them. The only thing is that there was not anything to hold onto as I was in the first seat (single) at the side door entry and the lane changes and horns blaring left me nothing but a prayer in my head and idle conversation with the Prime minister. I'm not sure what the travel desk clerk told the driver about me but low and behold I was the first bus evacuee delivered to my Hotel 1929 alive and well. I do not know if my fellow death ride passengers survived to be delivered to their lodging locations but they surly were impressed with where they'd dropped me off. It was amazing. The area is of course Chinatown. Which are celebrating their Chinese New Year which kicked off in February and is a year long celebration of the "rabbit". I enjoyed the celebration in Sydney Australia, but like some celebrants that we all know and love who keep their Christmas decorations up all year, the Chinese love their Rabbit. They also have an affinity for RED little hangy things. I dare say i am not an aficionado on the Chinese culture and I'm sure when I actually get to China I will have someone explain the finer points of the Chinese bling. But for me it was like Saturday night down at the Oaklawn strip. Busy, bustling, party like it's 1929....or something like that.
The Hotel 1929 is a small boutique hotel with a really small lobby and attached restaurant. The night staff comprised of the night bellman/resevationist/housekeeper...He was very nice and managed after my bleary eyes focused that although my middle name was Timothy, I was not the Timothy from Ireland that had previously stayed at the hotel. I appreciated being welcomed back in such a nice fashion however unless this Timothy was going to pay for my stay I suggested that we complete my reservation form correctly which he assured my he would take care of. I was on the top floor (4th) of the Hotel 1929 of which there are only 4 rooms per floor, gotta love that for noise control. I was delighted with the accommodations. (I Skyped my folks and was actually able to provide the room tour on my computer). You just have to love a bathroom where the toilet is in the sower enclosure and that it is just a wee bit too high so that your feel don't actually touch the ground. i know what you evil, to put it nicely bitches are thinking but even if you are 6'4 or better you almost would have to climb up and let your feel dangle. It was quite the experience. I Love Boutique Hotels because they have Boutique bathroom accessories. Lovely jasmine shower gel and shampoo/conditioner in one. Needless to say they replaced mine every day as I now have lovely travel size bath products. I rolled my refrigerator under the bed, because unlike Japan and sleeping onto the floor, my bed is on a pedestal that accommodated a rolling refrigerator stored underneath. I flop back on the bed and decide....I'm wired for sound and can't possibly go to sleep. I pop downstairs and decide to just walk around the block. OK picture this..Me, in a strange city, in Chinatown, rater busy on the street, NO ENGLISH being spoken and my mind runs amuck. I flashback to all the Bruce Lee movies (I've only seen one) and the one Matrix like (Bowling Tiger or something) and think to my self as I stop in my tracks....I wonder if this is in gang Chinatown or if they have muggers, or lions or bears oh my....lurking in the foliage along the street. Then of course is my disorientation with having not really looked left or right or even at the front of my building other than getting gout of the coach right at the door. I wonder how many sliding glass doors there are in the Chinatown hospitality world? I'm in big trouble and only about 10 steps outside my fabulously lit Hotel 1929. What to do...panic to backtrack....I chose the 10 steps back and greeted my night savior with a very simple..."Is it safe to walk in this neighborhood at night?" After he stopped laughing...it took a few minuted and I waited patiently, He assured me that Chinatown was a very safe neighborhood for pedestrians, tourists and even young children although I found none. He advised that food stalls were to the right and nightclubs were to the left. A very popular gay club was just around the corner. Ok... So maybe my panic showed just a little on my reentry into the lobby, but did he just say gay nightclub was just around the corner. Holy Moly and all things Singaporean...My Hotel 1929 is smack dab in the middle of Gay Singapore. Who know that the Chinese were so gracious and inviting, liberal and undisturbed by the fact that there are literally a full street of bars catering to gay clientele one block and i mean a full 20 steps if you turn left and turn left again outside my Hotel's door. Just for fun I decided at now 12 midnight to check it out. Remember that this is a Tuesday night in Singapore.
My Hotel 1929 recreational advisor assured me with a wink that the clubs stayed open till 3 with a brisk business until closing. Well let me tell you about the gay nightlife in Singapore. It is still illegal to be gay but it is so acceptable that no one bats an eye other than to acknowledge themselves to one another. They are real hung up on Madonna and Britney and well all their videos are from the 80's Disco era. I could actually sing along and new all the words. Not bragging but hey it has been at least 20 years since I hung out in a bar and to still hear ballads that I grew up with, originals not remix was actually hilarious. I planted myself on a bar stool against the wall, I did not intend to drink just chill until I was ready to collapse into bed. Well, I guess that the lone tourist sticks out like a sore thumb in the Singaporean gay nightclub scene. The bartender sent a shot over to welcome me to Singapore....how do they know; am I that obvious, rhetorical only, but I guess the smile on my face of observing the fun everyone was having gets you noticed. I met a friend named Ben Sim. He will from this day forward be referred to as the "Mayor" of Singapore. He also brought over a beer and welcomed me to Singapore. He said no one who is new in the bar is allowed to sit alone, someone (a local) will always buy them their first drink as a way to invite them to the city. It was hilarious. In less that 15 minutes of being afraid to walk out the front door of my hotel I am now being greeted by the gay Singaporean welcome wagon.
I was introduced by my new friend Ben to almost 20 bar patron that were in for an evening nightcap and we had a great time visiting and sharing stories. Singapore is a bit like the UN of Expats. There were actually working US, English, Malaysians, Aussies and New Zealanders in the group that I was introduced to. May were in the airline or restaurant or customer service industries. There were also IT and project managers represented. Needless to say this was an evening ritual promoted by Ben that we al meet the next night for a drink. And we all did.
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