View from above - Singapore Flyer |
Singapore’s CBD is a little like Vegas. Tall buildings,
manicured everything and a little bit unreal. My hostel was in a great location
and easily allowed me to explore without a map. Whenever I felt like I might
not know my way all of the buildings reminded me of where I was.
First views of Singapore: Boat Quay |
I spent four short days in Singapore. It was a strategic entry point for two reasons, the flight was the cheapest and I had heard it was clean and modern. I thought it would be a good place to recover from the flight, although some would say a sunny island with beaches might be a better choice than an island with high rises. I also figured it would be a lot more laid back than Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur as a first stop. I was right. No one bothered me at all or barely even gave me a second glance in Singapore. There is every kind of everyone there, no one is too out of place. You have people from all over South East Asia, India, Pakistan, South America, Europe and the US.
A recent picture so you know a bot is not writing these posts :) Picture: Skybridge - Petronas Towers, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia |
I usually do a solid inventory for most places I go but this is just a thought list. It is in no particular order and includes a little bit of everything. Let's call this a - What's up with me externally, right now - post.
Miles traveled on leg 2 since leaving Massachusetts in
November – approximately 14,000 miles.
Number of selfies - too many to count, sometimes I get lucky though and have someone take my picture (see above)
I can’t find moisturizer without whitener in it. At first I
thought some of these were toothpaste but as it turns out they are face and
body creams. They either have a whitener in it or an absurdly high SPF. This
makes me sad.
My main pair of shoes now have two holes in the left shoe.
Cliffwalk at Capilano Suspension Bridge - Vancouver, Canada (2011). This cliffwalk hangs hundreds of feet over the side of a cliff. I'm not afraid of heights but... (read on to see if I made it.) |
Before I left for this venture and when I was home this
autumn, I received a lot of comments about bravery and generally not being
afraid. People project the most
interesting things when confronted with something that is uncomfortable for
them. They immediately put themselves in your situation and assume you feel the
same way as they do. I don’t fault this, I think it is how we can most easily
relate to other humans but it always shines a light on some interesting
perspectives.
I don't take taxis often but when I do I always chat up the driver. For an introvert this is pretty unusual. I do this because they are a wealth of local information and they usually have something interesting or hilarious to say. I also remember my Dad doing this a child and being kind of uncomfortable with it but he always found out uncommon things. I guess I picked it up along the way. These short interactions serve as amusement and little open moments in time when you and the taxi driver seem to speak freely. I have decided to catalog some of these and share. If you don't chat up taxi drivers, you should, you never know what you might find out.
View of the Old Town from above. |
A sleepy, seaside, UNESCO world heritage town, Melaka, Malaysia, is a good stop over on the way to KL (Kuala Lumpur). You can easily stay for a day or two and feel like you saw the town. I had never heard of Melaka until I was in Singapore. I was having a little trouble figuring out my general route. Melaka appeared as an opportunity for a stop over on the way to KL. I had always wanted to go to KL and see the Petronas Towers, so I figured why not. It was only a short bus ride away.
I’m inspired.
After a stroll down touristy Jonker Street, I came to the
end and saw this woman. She was missing one arm completely and had only a partial as the other. Instead of begging, instead of wallowing, instead of sitting at
home, instead of hiding herself, she created art. With a paintbrush lodged in a
sweatband on her arm, she paints names and a poem, all for a donation.
She does not suggest an amount. The sign just says donations thank you. She paints many different
sizes, very large scrolls to mini bookmarks. This woman had people gathered
around the table watching her with a line. This woman was creating. This woman
inspired me.
Selfie - Weymouth, UK 2013 |
I love traveling alone. It is exhilarating, empowering and enlightening. I wouldn't change it for anything. However, there are a few downsides to solo travel which I have accepted but don't always like. I mean, sometimes you just want someone to watch your stuff while you pee.
About Me
Sawrah
I travel for the love of it. The beauty, the smell, the food, the people, the sunsets. I blog when I can and like to offer detailed information that I wished I had had at the time. I teach yoga and enjoy photography, reading and exploring.