Day 2 and slight jet leg saw a long lie in. Our windowless room not helping body clocks adjust in perpetual darkness. However we finally rose and made for a late lunch via the bus station and our tickets to Melaka on Saturday. Due to the pending Chinese New Year availability was limited, with a 7.30pm departure and midnight arrival the only option. This would have the benefit though of affording us some extra time in Singapore.
Our first foray into a proper Singaporean food court, local food for local people, was our choice for lunch. After some minor ordering confusion Em discovered even small bits of chicken appears to come habitually on the bone. Fine for fingers but tricky with chop sticks. Tasty though and a meal for two for £5 is always going to seem a bargain.
Then the heavens opened, no light drizzle here, more a pummeling, sending us to buy a cheap umbrella and test the waterproofness of Em's poncho. Needless to say the poncho struggled, proving nylon polka dots no substitute for plastic. Although Erik's umbrella held up admirably!
A soggy pair arrived at the National Museum. We opted for an audio tour of Singapore's history. Starting with the Singapore Stone, featuring an unknown language by an unknown author it illustrates a black spot in early history. Discovering the source of Singapores name, a shaky sighting of a possible lion by early hunting party of colonisers, hence Lion Island. Eventually traversing British, Dutch and Portugese colonisation, a place at the centre of great trade with the east, and of course the bloody chapters of WW2 and Japanese occupation. Ending with a colourful plastic television!
The rain had since abated enough for a walk around Little India, although in daytime and surrounded by lots of building works this was uninspiring. We retreated to a moroccan place near our hostel for a lamb shish, a beer/g&t and bed. Our original plans for the night zoo scotched by the rains.
Day 3 dawned and a normal nights sleep meant we made breakfast and a walk towards the Marina bay and Grand Prix Circuit. We took a trip round the 'Singapore Flyer', Singapore's slightly bigger, half the price and equally impressive answer to the London Eye. A sweltering stroll around the floats preparing for later New Years eve celebrations and another spot of local eating was followed by a trip to the Marina Bay gardens. These new and stunning gardens offered an educational tour of culturally relevant plants and traditions against a backdrop of whatever the great big three pillared skyscraper with a boat deck thing on top is called.
Another drenching on return to collect our bags from the hostel. A wait in the food court for our bus to Melaka, aided by some delicious satay and onwards to Malaysia. Although we are currently stuck at the border while one of our bus load appears stuck at immigration.
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