Two interesting days

Since I have already finished the first book I brought with me due to sleep problems, and I again find myself with time on my hands, I have decided that this might be a good time to write about all my exciting adventures. After being almost hanged for drug smuggling, I decided to take it easy for a day. Since this didn't really happen, and you do know me, I don't know what you're getting so riled up about.

After the passport control, I went down to pick up my luggage and walked right out of the airport through the 'nothing to declare'-exit. Just like that. I don't know why Singapore has such a bad name on the subject of border controls, because I have had more trouble getting into the Netherlands. Not that I didn't appreciate it! I took a cab to the hostel (hostel snob, I know) and then walked around for about 15 minutes trying to find it. Turns out, the entrance is in the back. Insert gay joke here. Or, better yet, don't.

Once there, the owner wasn't and so I just went to bed (he had arranged everything so that I could) and woke up the next morning, after a full night's sleep, at 1.30. AM, that is. Weirdly, the owner still wasn't there, so I just started reading until I got sleepy again. Sadly, After everyone had gone to bed and the first one had woken up again, I decided to abandon this plan and just go walk around, maybe take some pictures in Chinatown, since the (nice, clean, awesome) hostel (wth an owner who knows everything, seriously, if you are looking for a cheap but clean place to stay in Singapore, go there. Since I am not sure whether I can legally put it on here, ask me the name. Thanks for staying with us through the commercials) was located right next to it. On my way back, someone rang their bicycle bell at me until i waved back because i was WHITE. Which was funny to me. When I got back, some other people had just started waking up and since they already had specific plans that included part of what I wanted to do, I tagged along. Too bad that they were sororoty girls, who, like, used, like, the word 'like', like, a LOT, and like, ended every sentence, like, with a question mark, so they were, like, a bit annoying. And before yo ask, they were not from the US, no, they were Canadian please(sorry for the inside joke, if i don't forget i will post a link at the end) and they actually said 'aboot'. They really did. Both of them. It... Was... Awesome. Plus the stuff we did there was fun too. Merlion, bridge, Chinatown Heritage Centre, world's largest aquarium and Sentosa island. The latter was not much fun, not to mention expensive: I spent over 15 euro, plus 5 euro for food and a smoothie there. Wow, at that rate... But compared to the rest of Singapore it is pretty expensive. We finally got back at 12.30, after which I couldn't sleep immediately (had to cool down first, since it was still well over 30°C at that time) and so I was awake for over 24 hours again. Yay.

So then today came. And since I know how ridiculously long the description of the first day was, we will see how this one goes. I woke up at 10, left the hostel at 11.30, went to Gardens by the Bay (with the Misty Mountain and Rivendell - hey, it actually sounds exciting when I call it that) which was fun, then went back to the hostel to get my stuff for the trip to Ipoh and the Cameron Highlands. This is where it gets exciting. Getting across the border from Singapore to Malaysia involves 4 buses, 2 passport controls and a bag check. I can't believe some people do it everyday because they work in Singapore and live in Johor Baru. Wow. It took me almost 3 hours from the hostel to the endpoint busstation. After that though, it gets fun. I was trying to find the place where I had to pick up my bus ticket. People here are incredibly friendly and willing to help, but it is very difficult to communicate since one thing is true for almost all of them: they don't speak a word of English. Like: worse than my grandmother. The best I got from someone who apparently felt really bad for not being more helpful: I sorry I not speak English. Really sweet though. So eager to help. Lovely people. Except for the guy who charged me 15 MYR for a bathroom visit. He sucks. I really had to go.

And that's where I am now. Waiting for the bus in the ACed McD. I can see the stop from here, so that's good. And i can also see the busboy mopping the floor for the 7th time since i have been here (about 2 hours). And I can see the odd white person walk by, usually with giant backpacks. And I can see people just leaving their bags on chairs to reserve the table while they go out and do whatever for decaminutes (a word I just made up that means a multiplicity of ten minutes, like 20-30 mins) and then come back fully expecting the bag to be there. Which is interesting. I am not trying it.

One difference between Singapore and Malaysia I have already mentioned. The friendliness. Another is the time: people here are not in a rush, while Singaporeans seem to always be late for something. Although even in Singapore it's not nearly as bad as it is in NL or GB. Which is nice. Well, my story is done and the bus is still not here. I guess I will think up a nice cliffhanger or wise lesson or something. Maybe something like 'If today was good, tomorrow will be legen... Wait for it...'