Stylish, Sweltering, Singapore.

After our time in Bali had come to an end we jetted off to the modern bright lights of Singapore. After an early rise and a 9am flight we arrived in the city state ready to see the sights. The smooth ride on the city’s outstanding subway system carried us straight into the heart of Chinatown and after a quick stop by the hostel we found ourselves in the heart of the city staring up at the beautiful Marina Bay Sands Resort. The rest of the day passed by in a haze of excruciating heat and gorgeous architecture. Once we got back that night we went down the road to the Maxwell Hawker center to see if we could get some cheap food for dinner (in the world’s most expensive city) and low and behold we bumped into Tian tian Chicken and Rice, a little stand who’s chef recently beat Gordon Ramsey.

The day after a lovely introduction to Singapore we visited the stunning Gardens by the Bay and their Greenhouses. With our headsets equipped we went into the myriad of gardens and learnt about every type of plant there was. After a fascinating morning we took the MRT along in the air con to Orchard, the shopping district of Singapore. The bliss of the posh malls helped us overcome the heat of the city and window shop our way through Gucci, Prada, and Louis Vuitton. Via Little India we came back and shot off to the Raffles Long Bar for some Singapore Slings that was legitimately the nicest alcoholic beverage I have ever had.

The next day we indulged in some world class entertainment at Universal Studios Singapore. Despite having only a few big rides we had a great day and for someone who started off the day hating Rollercoasters I was officially converted.

On our final day we woke early and went across the road deep into the heart of Chinatown where we joined a walking tour. The guide was brilliant and took us through the changing demographics of Singapore and the culture that sprouted up in the neighborhoods we passed. After getting another delicious meal at a brilliant hawker stand we went to the Masjid Sultan Mosque, a building straight from the pages of Arabian Nights, and the onwards to the Clarke Quay pier for a river cruise. The cruise was quite relaxing and gave a new perspective on the Marina Bay hub. After having a few nice drinks on next to the river afterwards we went back to Chinatown and got lost in the MRT station. When we finally made it out we emerged it was like we had ascended into a food heaven. We grabbed a table and feasted on a massive grilled fish, with rice, pak choi , and a Chinese beer. A perfect end to a perfect time in Singapore.