While passing the bridge that connects Malaysia with Singapore yesterday, the culture shock slowly started to settle in. Ever since I started to move more south through Thailand, Malaysia and now Singapore the world around me got more and more western. Yesterday the shock was complete BUT I'm quit comfortable with it (for the moment). I met up with Chris (ex-ABN AMRO collegue) who is in Singapore for a couple of weeks for a Lotus Notes project. I will be staying with him for the next couple of days - get away from the Dorms for a couple of days before going into Australia.

At the moment I'm at Jaimz' place. He's another collegue I worked with closely during my ABN AMRO period. He took the day of to show me around Singapore - pretty cool! Tonight we'll have some dinner with Chris and Rosie, all ex-ABN AMRO so this will be a true reunion. Don't know yet what we'll do the afternoon but I'm sure it'll be good (it's HOT though down here!) Talk again soon, although the 3 1/2 months Asia trip is definately drawing to its and (all good things end, only to change 'm for a new period of good times!) Floris

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This is a pretty nice internet cafe - probably the nicest I've been in in the last couple of months (not to mention definately the quickest). I'm sitting right in the center of Singapore, just of Clarke Quay at the Singapore River. This is the busiest nightlife, bar & restaurant district in Singapore. The sun outside if hot - real hot. You don't have to worry about that too much though as virtually every place apart from the streets is airconditioned in Singapore.

The Raffles Hotel
Spent last night having a couple of drinks in the famous Long Bar in the Raffles hotel (see last photo on this page) together with Chris. Of course we tried the (famous) Singapore Sling cocktail (only 18 guilders... my god I lived on that money for a day in Lao and Cambodia). Chris (ex-ABN AMRO collegue)invited me to stay at his place here in Singapore. This was great; having a real bed, a clean shower, a TV and even a kitchen with fridge where I could keep my milk fresh for longer than the usual 5 minutes. It was also a bit of a culture shock though, coming into all this luxury after 3 months on the road in hostels and all.

So what did I do when I wasn't drinking cocktails at some bar (....). First of all, take it easy at the hotel room. I probably didn't get out untill around 12 each day. Went to the largest, most expensive shopping street in Singapore, Orchard Road. Shopping mall after shopping mall. Nothing for me really so I quickly went on the the Botanic Gardens of Singapore to relax. Yesterday I went to see the Singapore zoo - pretty amazing animals.

That's enough Singapore though. I'm going back to the hotel, grap my backpack and hop onto a bus to the Airport. I'll arrive in Darwin tomorrow morning (friday)at 02:30AM (not the best of times but the ticket was cheap). See you all down under. Floris