Singapore

I gotta tell you i've been traveling around Asia for about 6 weeks now and i still can't get used to the heat.... Actually the heat can be bearable if it weren't for the humidity. I'm up to 3 showers a day now. But even then you are constantly covered in this thin film of moisture. not very attractive. luckily impressing anyone is the last thing on my mind

I just got into Kuala Lumpur about 30 minutes ago. After Bali it was off to Singapore, the Garden City. What a change from Indonesia. I went to airports that barely have runways and bamboo waiting rooms to a full on AC blasting, walkways galore, subway connected overly orderly efficient galactic Super Airport. Seriously, they have free internet, shower facilities all kinds of cool stuff. Of course the thought of getting fined for chewing gum or getting caned for chewing gum does loom over your head and put a bit of a damper on things.

I stayed at a new backpackers called the Prince of Wales in Little India... the thought of fresh masala dosas made my mouth water. The place was really great, especially because of the amount of amazing people i met. I mean you meet lots of people as you travel and have some decent conversations but within a span of 4 days in the same city at 1 hostel ended up hanging out with and making friends with atleast 10 people! There were Steve and Brian, the two Irish guys who couldn't stop telling me all the wonderful things about India - really put a smile on my face; Amy from Canada who was off to Bangladesh to work in a UN program for atleast 6 months; Ali the mayan astrologer/sound goddess/all around girl with great karma; David the italian with a great sense of humor who would have given anything to stay in asia for one more week; and Tom who couldn't wait to get out of Singapore and back into the real asia with its night markets, wondering cows, street beggars and all. And then of course there were the locals (some just expats) I got to meet, Malcolm who runs the joint Will and Mohan who work there and Alicea, Renu, and Sabrina who were kind enough to take us all out. And on top of all that I got to meet up with James aka Bugsy an old friend from my Tokyo days who is now happily married and living it up in Singapore.

I know i'm going to meet plenty of people along this trip and I promise I won't write about them all each time but I really do think there was something special about the time and place where we all showed up and turned into a family.

Singapore and Malaysia are both influenced by 2 distinct cultures and 3 religions - You have the Malay Chinese and Malay Indians (mostly south indian) and then hindus, Buddhists, muslims (as a 4th christianity). In the MRT - Singapore's underground announcements are made in chinese, tamil, and english! Signs are often in a few languages as well.

Although i enjoyed my stay in Singapore I also came to the realization that i will never stay in a 'Little India' anywhere ever again. The looks, the hassles, i get are just not worth it. Chinatown is where i'll be living. In the end its a cultural and religious influence but because of its views on women, clothing, sex, staying in places where people are of hindu/muslim/indian background doesn't benefit a single indian female traveler. The Buddhists have a better outlook on it that's for damn sure.