Singapore: Revisited

A week of hols was just not enough! Urgh! Especially when an assignment dateline greeted me heads on 1st thing Monday morning and a test two days following. Another 3 pending next week. I'm on the verge of going nuts!!!

Singapore was great! Extremely different to the late 80's(duhhh la kan!). We took a morning bus from PJ to Singapore with only one pit stop at Tangkak for whomever had to visit the loo. They made it clear that the bus only allowed LIGHT USAGE of their toilet. Anything heavier, R&R baby! Toilet dia kecik gila oke, like if you were slightly on the heavy side like me, you'd have to struggle to even pull your pants down. Thank God at least, I could close the door... with me inside. Complimentary mineral drinks were given as we boarded the bus and they served yummy chicken pies on our way there and nasi goreng ayam on our way back... not bad at all.

Aeroline Bus.

The bus is a double decker bus, capable of seating a little more than 20 people on the upper deck and a lounge enough to cater about 6 people. Equipped with a TV and player set, plug points if you bring your laptops or need any cellphones charged as well as free flow of Milo, coffee or tea. It was a pleasant experience(minus the toilet je la), very comfortable seats and 5 hours didn't really seem like it. On our way back from Singapore, we conquered the lounge almost immediately before the makciks hogged it like they did on our way there.

It was about 3pm when we arrived at our long-awaited destination. Got all our stuff off and took a cab to the MRT station and headed on to Pasir Ris at Mun's datuk sedara where Mun and I bunked for the next 4 nights. I was just very impressed how clean Singapore was. I mean, really... when these people say they impose fines, they really do and it shows! Cars on the road are also sparkling clean. I guess it also rubbed off on their hygienic habits. They have schools that probably makes ours look like a run-down shack. Another thing that surprised me was that their school uniforms weren't integrated. Different schools, had different uniforms.

Pasir Ris neighbourhood.

Upon 'checking in' (heee!) and given yummy caramel pudding and cold drinks by our lovely host Aunty Bibah, we set off on our own on our first jalan-jalan cari makan quest. I tell you, I haven't been on public transports as much as I did the whole time I was in Singapore as I would in more than a year here!

Dua orang perempuan sedang melahap!

We went to the Whitesands Mall and found a stall in their food court that sold mee rebus and mee siam (sebenarnya dah belasah dulu baru teringat nak amik gambar, hihi). Yummmm! The next few days we shopped, strolled along Orchard Road and of course more makan-makan. I was initially pretty frustrated that halal food is rather scarce in Singapore. You don't see them scattered everywhere like they do here. Unless you know the right places to eat, even better if you have someone to take you, then you're good. Otherwise, quite susah la. You can't even be too sure of the halalness of their fast food joints, except for McD's and L.J Silvers.

Orchard Road kami jejaki!

That night our wonderful host and family friends took us to a nice place in Bedok serving a total fusion of everything you could possibly imagine. It's the place to be! Had fun meeting up with more of Mun's extended cousins, played cards(yes, we were a loud lot) and enjoyed ourselves. The only thing was that the week I was there, Singapore happened to be celebrating their Independence Day. Malls and everywhere else were just filled up to the brim everywhere we went. It was all about red and white-- and cows on the lawn. Someone has to explain that to me, I really don't get the red and white cows, I mean why cows? Bedah!!!

The eatery at simpang Bedok.

I'm not sure if they have this at Swensen's here, but we had dessert there and they have this mouth-watering caramel banana-crumble yang sangtlah sedap!

Swensen's banana crumble!

When it came, we were kinda disappointed coz it looked so dry and completely unappetizing. Felt like we had been cheated off by the delicious-looking picture on the menu... but when the waitress started adding more pieces of cut caramelized bananas on the sizzling plate and drizzling butterscotch cream sauce over and around the banana-crumble... the universe seemed to have been put to a halt and nothing mattered more than having this delicious thing devoured! Heaven!!!

Took a cab home after buying some stuff at HRC and had a pleasant chat with the cab driver. And then I saw...

The hospital I was born in... *chokes up*

That night we had dinner at... okay I really don't know the name of the place, I can't believe I was so ignorant but we had this yummy mee goreng basah wrapped in daun upih(yes Khayam, that's the name!!). So yea, that was indeed a Singaporean food experience.

Four of us did Sentosa Island the next day and had loadsa fun on the luge ride... twice! It's a go-kart like thingy that you go on in and set down the hill with. Pulling the handle bars towards you works as the brakes and releasing it would determine how fast you go. Best gila racing menuruni bukit! Went to Siloso Beach hoping to do the Flying Trapeze but unfortunately it was closed =(

Having a good time at Sentosa Luge & Siloso Beach.

We then headed off to Clarke Quay hoping to do the reverse bungee. Would you believe my luck? The damn thing was closed too! Urgh, I came with hope... and now crushed it is. I ended up buying 4 shoes to ease the disappointment(a-uh! no eyes rolling please!). One of them was this lovely pair that I immediately fell in love with the moment I saw it.

*falls in love all over again*

Frustration transformed her into a crazy shoe shopper.

Thursday night, Bedah brought us out and belanja us makan! Thanks Bedah! I don't normally get on the same wavelength with people I've just met... but I guess she's exceptional. I'm sure to come back oke, so don't get bored of me just yet :p I still don't get why you said I have that Singaporean look.. and you're not even the first. Maybe my being born there has that effect. Heheh.

On Friday, we took the 4.30pm bus home and arrived PJ at approximately 9.30pm, exhausted.

Ahhhh finally.... home sweet home!

P/S: By the way, for those of you who have yet to watch PGL The Musical, go! A definite must!


Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine. --Anthony J. D'Angelo, The College Blue Book