Mmmh, adventures.: Singapore, the Sequel

Dear readers (all you millions), I am sure you’d like to know more about Palembang but I’ll have to take you through the second day in Singapore first. So be patient, I’ll get there.

So, another day in the city that took my Asia-virginity. On day 2, I was told to meet a semi-shady guy underneath an umbrella at some McDonald’s who held office hours there between 9 and 11 to get my visa. My colleagues and DoS (Director of Studies) reassured me this was all too normal and even though it sounds a little like a drug deal, it really was nothing that exciting.

Next to him were some other EF teachers from other Indonesian cities who were there for the same reason I was. We talked for a while and one of them, Kate from New Zealand, and I decided to visit the Botanical Gardens which were as huge as they were beautiful (see pics). We literally walked there for hours and it was really hot and sunny. Kate is like this mega-experienced traveller and you know me, I’m a rookie, so I took to interrogating her. Then we had lunch in this mall from the future called Ion and walked to a quiet little side street that had some architecturally-responsible houses. I daresay Kate and I had a great day.

We headed back to the visa guy at 4, picked up our visas and then Kate, Tom (another EF’er) and I went to Little India, wandered around a bit and stopped at some beer garden, had a drink and then Kate had to get back to the airport to catch her flight. Not all EF’ers were as lucky as I was to spend 2 nights in that wonderful city. After Kate left, we were joined by an Indian guy nicknamed Elly (we told him it was a girl’s name but he didn’t mind so we didn’t either) and drank some more (actually, Tom and Elly drank some more – I am just too responsible). Elly was nice because he smiled all the time and he told us about his life (he’s in the import-export business so that’s always good), we told him about ours and just generally had a good time. Two white guys in the middle of Little India – which, quite unexpectedly, is filled with Indians – making friends with Elly was quite the sight I suppose because everybody was looking at us.

Tom and I then went to get some food around the corner, we tried to make new friends there as well but failed because two pretty girls were too busy with the wedding they had to go through later that night (not their own, Tom and I are not THAT horrible). Tom the Brit needed some more beer but I had to pack because I was leaving early the next day so we said our goodbyes, I headed back to the hotel and waited for my 6 o’clock alarm to go off.

Singapore, I'll be back.