Singapore slung.

You ever get somewhere and find it exactly not what you thought it would be? Turns out Kuala Lumpur is that. but first... the trials of getting here.

I left Louisville on a dark and rainy night, boarding a 767n bound for Anchorage. Normally I try and catch one of the bigger planes, since they come with a bunk bed. However, everyone else had the same thought and the only open seat left was going to be the ironing board like fold out on an MD-11 or a comparatively spacious and comfortable reclining fold out on the 767. Lucky for me, the other jumpseaters booked on my plane were no shows, so I had extra space and extra food.

Once in the great white (and freakin frigid) north, sat around for a couple hours nd made my Hotel res for Singapore, the final destination for the day. The next leg was and MD-11 to Taipei. Luckily, it being a day flight the crew really had no use for sleeping and I was able to sequester myself in the coffin like bunk for most the flight. Oh yeah, and eat. We were double catered (due to a potential broken oven) so there was hot meals and salads for twice the number of people on board.

Taipei found me being greated with a order form for the next flight to Singapore that left in about 6 hours. I'm pretty much over airplane food at this point but I can never say no to tuna fish sandwiches, I'm making a survey of them worldwide. So far, HNL to SYD about 10 years ago ranks as the best. The ground people there took me over to the terminal to hang out for a few hours and get some food (ironically I was still hungry) and found an airport cafe with Dim Sum and tea. After a brief nap on some airport chairs (woo) I was fetched and met up with the crew. After talking to the captain,, turns out I had worked an emergency landing with him in the past. He didn't complain or kick me off so yay.

Finally, about 29 hours later I landed in Singapore. When I got to my hotel is when the fun started. Singapore is ridiculously expensive. When I got there all I wanted was a hot shower, a cool room, and a soft bed. The hotel had neither. The hotel didn't have my reservation paperwork, and the only rooms available had no AC due to a maintenance problem. Exhausted, I resigned myself to taking whatever there was to be had. The gentleman working the night was helpful, digging out a fan and told me the aircon would be fixed tomorrow. Meanwhile... the room, which wasn't horrible hot, would have to do. Typical of Asia beds, it was slightly less firm than a slab of granite. The shower seemed unwilling to provide hot water (just was well as the cool shower helped with the room temperature). Finally, i crashed... hard. A good drooling sleep.

I woke up the next morning, still warm but not sweaty, yet. Due to the mix up the night before, I had to check with the day staff to sort it out. The night watchmen I think just took pity on me and found me a room with out checking me in. The next morning, they wanted to move me (since I wa sin a standard room but had booked a superior), I told them I would rather stay where I was if the aircon was going to be fixed. She suggested I have breakfast complimentary) while she sorted things out. I was going to complain about the lack of hot water, but that moring I had found the water heater switch (which is conveniently not in the bathroom).

The day was spent out and meandering around Singapore. I obtained my HRC pins from both locations, mastered the MRT (subway), and walked till my feet could walk no more. I even located a bar the pilot recommended for it's cover band, located in the building unofficially known as "Four Floors of Whores". The Lonely Planet guidebook even referred to it by that title. Being early in the day, there were no whores nor band to be found. I was too worn out that night to attempt a return trip. And didn't need the hassle. Lunch was found in a "hawker stall" in china town and was very tasty. After returning to my room, now with working aircon, I took a hot shower and then found a Molly Malone's Irish pub a block from the hotel to continue my Irish Pub tour of the World. I had a couple local favorites from a brew pub next door before heading back to sleep. Beer is prohibitively expensive there, at S$12-15 a pint ($1=S$1.25)

The next morning I was off on a train to KL. I like train travel as you get to see more scenery and there's less hassle than flying. 7 hours later we pulled into KL Sentral.

KL I expected to be more like Bangkok, but it's closer to say Singapore in feeling. Though no where as expensive. I spent the days doing tourist stuff and the nights down the street from my guesthouse boozing it up. Still, the beer is not cheap enough, at about $5 for a tiger, but that's better than Singapore. KL seems to be a confluence of cultures, there's a lot of traditional Muslim mixed with an sort of Chinese vibe. Through in a healthy dose of India and you got it.

Today I'm flying up to Ko Samui. It's island time. No train due to schedule problems and by the time I paid the ticket, and a hotel along the way the plane ticket was cheaper. and saves me 2 days. That's it for now, time for doing nothing and hopefully cheaper beer.