Singapore fling

Travelling the world on the amount of cash we have was never going to be easy. The developing world is getting expensive these days. So we figured we'd pop into Singapore to sound out the possibilities of picking up some freelance work.

The cheapest place we could find to stay was Ali's Nest in Little India (which really is, it's full of great curry houses, Hindu temples and charming little colonial-era buildings). Ali's guest house is a bit of a crap-hole, to be blunt, but it served our purpose and kept costs down.

Singapore has an unusual mix of smaller historic buildings that wouldn't look out of place in England, China, or occasionally perhaps even somewhere like Italy. These human-scale works are loomed over by vast modern blocks in assorted shapes. The odd thing is it works: two very different styles and scales combine to make a rather intriguing place. It's certainly worth a few days here if you're passing. (I was dead against a visit before we came, but was won over.)



















Our few days in the city state were a relative social whirlwind... We first met up with a Hackney friend, Mac, who has recently moved out here and happens to be in publishing. At the Apollo banana leaf restaurant on Race Course Road, he gave us some pointers on getting work and very kindly forked out for a fine meal. It was great to chat to someone from back home. Cheers, Mac.

Then we met up with Mia, the sister of a London friend, and her boyfriend Yasu. As we made our way to their address we realised they were living in a well-to-do part of town - premium residential tower blocks on the historic harbour front - but only when we arrived did we realise just how well they lived.

After we buzzed, they took us from a glitzy lobby that could just as well have been fronting some mega-corp oil company building to the 8th floor (there are over 60 levels in total). Here a large open terrace sported not one but three swimming pools, an exercise pool (yes, a pool with get-fit kit actually in the water), a Jacuzzi and two tennis courts. So this is how the rich live. Anyway, Mia and Yasu were great to chat to, and laid on loads of pizza - we brought the beer. Meanwhile our bigger boy Aron fell totally head over heels with the idea of living in a place with a variety of swimming pools. We may have to live here some time in the future, or he may not forgive us.



















A bit more wandering around town (including sitting down at the Raffles hotel bar and then bottling it at the sight of the prices and walking out again), a trip to the fine zoo in heavy monsoon rain, a bit of light to moderate shopping in lovely ice-cool mega-malls (we bought a new compact camera along with a waterproof case for diving. Yay!) and a few more fine curries later, and we were catching an evening flight to Bali, Indonesia.