Jeffrey’s Journey

Tonight, I got to try the Singapore Sling at it’s original and famous birthplace, The Longbar, located in the Raffels Hotel. It cost a whopping 10 dollars and I ordered two drinks, but it was well worth it because it was my one and only goal when coming to Singapore. I’ve now noticed that most of my goals revolve around things I can digest. Anyway, the kind waitress gave me a card with the ingredients so I can make the very same Singapore Sling for friends when home.

After the next two days, my journal might be on temporary hold for a while, or at least I won’t be updating as much because I’ll be in Taiwan for a while before continuing my trip. So, who wants a post card from Taiwan? I’ll have loads of time to send them out. Just let me know your address if you’d like one!

http://www.worldsbestbars.com/city/singapore/long-bar-singapore.htm

As I arrived and took a look around Singapore, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I mean the place is not only clean, it’s spotless. I think for the first time, I am having mild culture shock. After traveling around Southeast Asia and all it’s grit for the last few months, going to Singapore is like jumping in cold water immediately after a nice hot bath.

Singapore is so clean, it’s unnatural. It’s like a person who took teeth whitening too far… it’s so clean and white it looks weird. Or like a person who’s had so much plastic surgery, their face is unnatural.  I feel I’m in the city that’s been described in all the science fiction movies I’ve ever seen, the city that’s supposed to be Utopia, the future, the goal of human civilization. Except I’m not sure if I like it. Part of me loves the fact that it’s so safe and clean, I can just put my bags on the floor and turn my back, without fear I’m going to get jacked, not to mention it’s unbelievable to me that the street is actually clean enough to put my bags on.  But part of me feels that this city is soulless. The people are too well behaved, it’s like the whole city is hooked up to valium. It sometimes makes me want to scream ‘Wake up mother fuckers!’ in the middle of the street. It’s weird to me to see people unwilling to cross a street just because the sign says they can’t, even when there’s no moving traffic in sight; it’s weird to me that there are many signs that warns you from doing anything and everything; it’s weird to me that seeing a piece of trash on the street is weird in itself. Even the bushes and shrubs don’t dare stray out of line. They are perfectly manicured, just like the rest of the city, always in equal intervals from one another. When I first got here, I was scared to smoke because I thought I might be fined or caned. And… AND there’s no way in hell I’m getting drunk in this city because A) It costs to much, but more importantly B) If I got tossed and decided it was a good decision to pee in public in freaken Singapore, I’d get my ass beat.

Ok, apart from all that, Singapore has it’s great points. For one, if you like to shop, you will LOVE Singapore. It’s got all the over-the-top-brands, in over-the-top malls. If you’re the type of person who’s room resembles an Ikea catalogue, you will love Singapore. If you are rich, you will love Singapore. If you are anal retentive, you will also love Singapore. For my UCI people, Singapore is like Irvine, except on steroids. And add 6 Southcoasts in the city. Then run bleach through the streets. Then add skyscrapers. Wah lah.

All that aside, Singapore really does have some of the most amazing modern architecture. I’m actually enjoying my time here, but I think right after this entry I’m going to book a ticket outta here. A few days in Singapore will be just enough.

I just arrived in Singapore. It wasn’t easy.

Hours before leaving for Singapore, I met a Allen, a DJ, who took me to lunch. Friendly guy, great note to leave Malaysia on.

After 5 or so hours, I am at the Singapore border going through immigration. It was scary as hell, since they are strict and I have about 130 pirated disks in my bag. Leave it to a numbskull like me to be the one that tries to smuggle contraband into Singapore of all countries.

Singapore is a weird place. It’s almost too clean. But it’s safe. Will write more since this keyboard feels like every key has peanut butter stuck on the bottom.

But I walked around for 2 hours and took 2 taxi rides trying to find a place to sleep, but the entire budget accommodation scene in Singapore was booked up. Carrying a backpack that weighs 30 pounds and lugging around a duffle bag that weighs 10 pounds isn’t easy, especially when you’ve been doing it for two hours. As I’m typing, I’m drenched in sweat from my inadvertent walking tour of Singapore. And tonight, I find myself sleeping on the roof of some hostel with a bunch of other people. Isn’t backpacking grand.