X'mas Down South

WARNING: Horribly long post and gazillions of photos... I do mean GAZILLIONS of photos... Ugh, should've made the bims black instead of white...

Boarded a bus on the 23rd. Nope, I didn't want to go to the famous attraction, no Sentosa or whatever places the tourism board recommended. It's just a backpacking trip alone, minus the backpacker's lodge though. Apparently, there's been such a sweet guy letting me crash at his place for the 4 nights in Sporeland.

First day was a lost duck. I had no idea where I was heading to as there was no maps available. I told myself not to go to Orchard Road, as I wanted to be the odd one out.

Friend: Did you go to Orchard?

Me: Nope... I didn't..

Friend: No Sentosa and no Orchard? What trip was it then?

How fun it would be to tell that I have my own agenda if I ever want to go backpacking. I bore a high spirits in the hope that I would find solace walking around alone in a strange city. However, things just didn't go as planned.

For one, I didn't manage to change my Ringgit into Dollars. First few trips from JB into Sporeland was horrible, plus, without a single Sporeland currency, it got worse. I don't even want to go into the custom check place... Just plain horrible.

Met up with a nurse friend on Xmas eve. Walked around NUS, and of course NUH. And I was already wondering if I should even still have Sporeland as one of my options for housemanship. It's not that place, it's just that, at that time around, in a foreign place, I didn't feel belonged. I felt stranger. It was the feeling really...

The next day, friend's resting at home. Oooh I know, I know, for the working-all-year-round fellas, holidays are sacred. So it was me bumping my head aimlessly again. Somehow, so much for being all for Sporeland before this, I found Sporeland just a so-so after the 4 days stay. No doubt, I just loved the public transportation system they have there. It's very convenient for sure. Plus, of course, the pretty 'beings' in suits and formals. Yea, yea, now you know I was hiking around Raffles Place.

I made quick runs for the attractions. Merlion, Esplanade, Clarke Quay and the whole lots of buildings around that area, which I didn't even bother to enter anyway. *LMAO*

Of course, there's the infamous Chinatown.

And there went my Christmas day of the year 2007. It was tiring alright, but somehow, pictures are falling into places. The postcards are finally seen...

I decided to head over to the shopping places on my last day stay. So much so for being me and my agenda, Sporeland is too small and too large at the same time. Too small as in the accessible areas on short term stay didn't require 4 days, too large as in there's more to be discovered if I really wanted a backpacking experience.

I walked heading to the Ang Mo Kio Hub, taking in everything I could before I leave on the early bus on the 27th. And soon enough, I was sitting in an almost empty train all the way to Changi Airport. Tell me about it, me and my agenda....

I didn't want to stay too long at the airport. Who knows what might actually happen if I walked past those fellas in uniforms yet not checking in, I might as well be suspected as a suicide bomber! *LMAO*

Thank God though, for me and my agenda, I picked up a map in the MRT on the way to Changi. *sniggering* Why oh why wouldn't I have it the day before!? But it's not too late alright. And Bugis I went.

After Bugis, since it's the shopping place hike, I decided to head over to Suntec City. One word, *WOW*. I'd probably missed it had it not for the friend whom I met telling me I could walked over to the place from City Hall station.

As I browsed through the maps which by then were already rolled up like a baton, I passed through Marina Square and came out from the Esplanade. I headed to the 'civic walk' as how the tourism board put it. So yeap, you can expect all the historic points on the little island. Fullerton Hotel, Raffles' landing site with all those historic buildings around, St George's Cathedral, Armenian Church, Museums, The Parliament... as well as Clarke Quay by the river... Sometimes I wonder why am I not in architecture. *LOL*

I spent the remaining evening walking at Orchard after the visit into Istana Park. Yeap... me and my agenda... I didn't keep my promise, Orchard is just too much an attraction. I mean, who wouldn't agree to that? I'd love to see the lights for once, since everyone was saying how the lights were pretty... Besides that, there's also a row of old shops they mark as Peranakan Place on the map in between the giant malls...

So, there gone the anticipated holidays. It was lucky of me though it didn't rain while I was on the Island. But for the last two nights I walked back to friend's place from the MRT station, how I wished I didn't anticipate this trip. For all I know, I started to wish I wouldn't still be single, when I've already told myself and made it clear what my priority is.

It was a good trip alright. I spent less than 100SD, though I stupidly exchanged 1000RM earlier. For the remaining over 300SD, I suppsed there's a reason I'm deciding to keep it. Who knows...

Merry [Belated] Christmas and a Happy New Year everyone...