6th January - Singapore - Tasmania

Monday 6^th January

When we were in Singapore – however long ago that was - we had a most lovely view from our tiny hotel balcony. 

This way and that…

Our room was tiny, with the bed wedged between two cupboard walls.  But it didn’t matter; we were in the heart of Chinatown, in the heart of Singapore.

Our only issue was…the smell, when we sat on our dear little balcony with a soothing G & T.  STINKY!!  We were a bit surprised. Singapore is SO clean.  No rubbish, no sewerage in open gutters.  What could it be??  Just a bit of exploration round the corner gave us the answer – a large stall devoted to the sale of durian…the world’s stinkiest fruit!  

Stinky, heavy and very dangerous – if one of these falls on your head, from a high tree – well what could possibly NOT go wrong??

A common sign on public transport

We ate at a restaurant right on the street – yellow plastic chairs, speedy, delicious food, all very efficient.  The first night I left Pete sitting happily on his yellow chair and darted into a camera shop just opposite.  I wanted something very small…a power point adaptor, maybe $5 worth of item…

But I came back to get Pete and left the shop some $400 poorer… I had bought a bigger better stronger battery and a thwacking great memory stick for camera, and a longer life battery for his videocam.  And we were lucky to get out without me spending a further $400-odd on a fabulous big FABULOUS newfangled lens which would have improved my life no end.  Apparently…

Why this?  Well…Jon Yeong, the shop owner, was so very knowledgeable, and such a good salesman.

He didn’t want to sell us anything, he said, earnestly, he just wanted to SHOW us this and that bit of equipment.  For our own information, for our own good…

Deeply sceptical Tasmanians...but we did buy up big...and my new bigger stronger battery is a good thing...

Meanwhile, here in Tasmania – it is chilly and a bit damp, and very beautiful.  And…I have had an intensely concentrated time with some of my wonderful friends…(Yes there are photos but they are staying firmly INSIDE my iPhone…)