THROUGH INDOCHINE
Chapter 1 - Singapore

T arrived in Singapore around midnight, tired but excited about the beginning of the trip. He has never been to South East Asia before, and this is his second time taking 2 weeks off work holiday. It's a big thing.

My personal take on Singapore is not very interesting. I think the place is sterile, with very little character. However, there is comfort in how accessible everything is, how regulated things are, and how clean the place is. And how cheap,... and plentiful good food is.

The day started with lunch at a chicken rice place, recommended by a friend. S$ 3 a plate, we had one of the best lunch ever on the trip. T said that he could eat this every day (... and as much as I think it's an overstatement, it sums the delicious meal pretty well). After that, where else to go to get the real feel of Singapore but to head to Orchard Rd? The heart of consumerism at its best, ready to serve your every desire and empty your pockets while you're not looking.

I had forgotten how charming being in a place for the first time could be, until I saw how T lighted up every time he saw something he had never seen before. Imagine a little boy opening his presents on Christmas morning. I knew Singapore a little better, which made me somewhat like a tour guide you get on a cheap tour bus (for knowing only a little bit of everything). We walked from one end of Orchard Rd to the other, went into almost every shopping mall when the rain caught the best of us and forced us onto a sheltered bar to have our early evening alcoholic concoction, no other than a glass of Singapore Sling!

We watched big tropical rain with its fat drops swipe Orchard Rd clean, whilst thinking of our next Singapore delicacies for dinner. The Newton Hawker centre was our next stop. I was surprised at how much facelift the place received; somehow it made it less authentic to visit. But the stingray was still as good as before, the king prawn as yummy and the beer as cheap. I was happy. We needed a good meal before heading back for our early morning flight into Siem Reap.