Review: Singapore

        This is the first of my reviews of every country and major city I have visited on my travels. I want to do this to refresh my memory of the amazing 134 days of travelling that I did, and to give an insight for others who also want to travel the world. I will try and give an open and honest review of each place I went to. I will break the review into sections, starting with an introduction, accommodation, food, things to do, the people, and then my conclusion. 

 

The hostel from outside

        My first city to arrive to was Singapore. I chose this country as it was a good starting block for me in Asia. It also is located near the equator, so the weather is guaranteed to be hot and humid all year round, although it can rain like a monsoon on occasions!! There were direct flights here from London Heathrow. I left England via British Airways on 26th Feb at 20:30, and landed in Singapore Changi International Airport 12.5 hours later around 17:05. I arrived nearly a day later because of the eight hours’ time difference in Sinagpore.

Very modern looking reception

      To get to the hostel I was staying at, I took a shuttle bus costing around 9 Singaporean Dollars, which at the time was £4.57. I went to the Ground Transport Desk to buy my ticket. It took around 30 minutes to arrive at my hostel. The place I went to stay for all my time in Singapore was called 'Wink Hostel - Indulgence on a Budget'.

Futuristic pods!!

       It was an amazing hostel to stay at, almost futuristic in its presentation!!! The building was very modern, and as you enter, the reception is to your left. It cost me around $40 (£20) for each nigh.

Hot and powerful showers

        You sleep in a pod, which is separated by sound-proofed walls, but it does not stop the sound of snorers!! There are also power sockets and a locker, which are always handy. There was also free breakfast in the mornings, which is nice. The bathrooms were very clean and modern looking, with the showers being hot and powerful. Everyone was very friendly at the hostel, and even one of the staff took on a tour of the city with friend. I had a lot of fun that day!! Thanks Roxanne!! I would recommend the hostel to anyone staying in Singapore, as it offers a good base to explore the city and because of the good amenities it provides. It definitely lives up to its title, 'Indulgence on a Budget'.

Delicious chicken rice with ice tea. (Ice Kachang is the background)

     Singaporean food is quite different from Western food, as it mainly contains rice and noodles, and as it is a mix of many cultures. I was a bit apprehensive at first when eating the food, because I did not want to become ill. I actually ate McDonalds a few times whilst I was there. In this country they have many 'hawkers', which are places where people go to eat. At these locations, they have many different food counters where people can choose to eat different food from Malaysia, India, China, and so on.

Spicy kried kuay twow

         Whilst there, Roxanne and her friend showed me the traditional food of Singapore: golden durian puffs, mackerel otah, chicken rice, popiah and ice kachang. I tried all of them, and I liked the different tastes. The chicken rice was a bit like having a Chinese back home, but without all the sauces and other crap!! I am not a fan of ice tea, but I was not complaining about the food. And the mackerel otah tasted a bit like fish, but was very tasty. The ice kachang was like having a sweet dessert, and I wish I could have more of it as I am home now!! The golden durian puffs were sweet and creamy, so they were nice to eat. It is difficult to remember what they all tasted like, and I am struggling with the popiah (the fresh spring roll)

Kueh tutu (dessert)

     Also Chuck, an American guy I had met in my dorm, took me to this lovely food outlet where I tasted traditional food. He bought me kueh tutu, which is a traditional Singaporean delicacy made primarily from rice flour containing peanut or sugar with some coconut shredding. It was a definitely a unique taste; a little bit sweet, but nice. He recommended the kuay twow, which I ate at a hawker in the city. It was a bit spicy, but tasty. 

Downtown

           With the regards to things to do in the former British colony, there are many interesting areas to go because of the various cultures which amalgamate here. You see a lot of temples around the city, with Hindu and Buddist places of worship spread out among the place. It was fascinating to see the difference in the architecture, and look at the many types of religious ornaments used. If you want a glimpse of what India might have to offer, Little India is a nice little stop with nice architecture and the funky-looking vehicles riding around, although I only walked through the area, taking some photos outside the SriVeerama-Kaliamman temple. There is also the touristic Sentosa Island with Universal Studios and beaches. Furthermore, there is Marina Bay Sands if you want to experience the high life!!!
 

Ten Courts of Hell exhibit

       Another fascinating area I went to was Haw Par Villa. It is free to enter this site, and it contains various figurines depicting Chinese legend and folklore. When I went inside there were not many people, maybe because of the horrific nature of some of the statues, but it was quite an educational lesson nonetheless. There are some interesting artifacts, many depicting a funny nature to them as well!!! The most interesting area, yet somewhat mortifying at times, was the Ten Courts of Hell exhibit, which portrayed scenes of punishment and reincarnation popular to Buddhist belief. I would never believe religion would illustrate this kind of thing so vividly, but maybe it is similar to what Hell is in Christianity.

Cool artifact

     The most untraditional location I visited was Sentosa Island, which is just a very short ride from the mainland. You have to buy a $4 (£2) return ticket to get there, but with it you get to explore the site for free. If you want to enter Universal Studios, you have to pay extortionate sums of money around $72 (£36) for the day. I was not particularly impressed by the island as it has artificial beaches, dull scenery and the activities are limited as you had to pay for most of it.

Expensive Universal Studios

       However, I did have some fun at the Underwater Park and Butterfly and Insect Park with ten minutes of feel cleansing by fish for a combination fee of $38 (£19). For the price it was worth it, as you were able to see a cool dolphin and seal show, although I am sure the shows in USA would be better. I saw some cool-looking butterflies in the Butterfly and Insect Park, and even had a meeting with some new bird friends! The ten minutes fish cleansing was maybe the best experience, as the fish really make your feet feel brand new!! The sensation can feel a little strange at first, but you get used to get it quickly as you realise the fish are not going to harm you.

My new friends!

     There is also a zoo located not far from the main centre of the city. There are supposedly shuttle buses to the zoo but I did not see them. So I caught a train and a bus, which only set me back $4 (£2) so quite cheap. I was really interested in the night safari, but you were not allowed to take pictures because of the flash potentially harming the animals. It cost me $32 (£16) to enter, which was little bit expensive I thought, but it was a once in a lifetime experience. You can walk around the park or/and take a guided tram where a tour guide explains the various animals throughout the park. It was a unique experience, and worth it if you have the extra time and money.

Outside the Night Safari

      The most luxurious and best place for views of the city was the Marina Bay Sands. You can give either pay $20 (£10) to get a ticket to the top, or 'say' you are going to buy something at the restaurant. I did the latter. The drinks are ridiculously expensive, costing $12.50 (£6.25) for an apple juice!!! However, the views were out-of-this-world. It was still light when I was there, but after the sun had set, the buildings began to light up, making the view incredible. I would definitely recommend going here above all else in Singapore, if you love amazing sights!!
    

The amazing view of Singapore from Marina Bay Sands

       Singaporean people are a mix of cultures: Malaysian, Indian and Chinese. As it used to be a British colony and is now a central hub for many countries, it has been westernised, although this is mainly prominent in the central of the city. Most of the people speak English, Chinese or Malay although English is predominately spoken as a second language. You will find a lot of people who live here from abroad, because of the attraction of the construction and service industry. I was lucky to spend time with some Singaporean people, one of whom, Roxanne, I had met at the hostel. She and her friend took me on a mini tour of the city, eating traditional food and seeing various temples. 

 

Me with Roxanne, local Singaporean girl

        Singapore city with its 5 million inhabitants is a great city for a stopover. The people are friendly, although I met mostly foreigners. The weather is unpredictable at best, so be prepared for rain! There are plenty of interesting sites such as the night safari, sentosa resort (a bit dull I thought), lots of different temples, lots of shops (Bungi was awesome for cut-rate items), cheap transportation system costing me nearly $3 (£1.50) for 45 minute ride to the airport from Chinatown and low-cost food (mostly found at hawkers). One of the best sites I recommend is Marina Bay Sands, which offered panoramic views of the city, although it’s expensive if you dine there.