***GUEST BLOG FROM SAM - HOT OFF THE PRESS***

Review of Singapore - Written 4th sept, auckland, New Zealand

Currently listening to: http://hypem.com/track/1014812/MSTRKRFT+-+Heartbreaker+ft+John+Legend+Wolfgang+Gartner+remix+

Sophia has done such a great job of updating the blog for the last 4 months we thought it was finally time i did some work, so here's my little run down of our time in Singapore.

After staying at my cousins house in Kuala Lumpur for around a month it was a bit strange to get up early, with our rucksacks on and actually leave our comfy beds, pool and fun times with family behind. But Singapore was calling before our flight out of Asia and it didn't disappoint.

After so many crappy train and bus journeys we really lucked out and got great seats for the train to Singapore. So much leg room and a table; my cousin clare also packed us a massive lunch - it was basically travelers first class all the way! Customs was ultra smooth and we pulled into Singapore train station at around 5pm. We traveled up to little india intent on staying at this hostel we had read about but as we were walking to it we spotted a hostel called The Prince of Wales, with cheaper dorm rooms and a cool little bar downstairs we didnt need much persuading to stay. It turned out to be a great decision as we met a couple of german girls who had had bed bugs at the other hostel. We've had enough of those already thanks!

We then decided to go check out the legendary malls of Singapore - ok so we don't have much money to go shopping but when theres a whole road with malls lining the way for miles its hard not to go in a couple for a browse. They are the most efficient and clean places i think i've ever seen; and anything you could imagine is for sale. It's a shoppers paradise and with toilets that are better than those at the Ritz (no, seriously) its easy to get lost and sucked in to spending everything you've got. We resisted temptation however and went for another trip to the cinema. With frozen strawberry yoghurt in hand we went to see Grown Ups. I think I can safely say is one of the worst films we have even seen. We felt a bit self conscious as every other person in the cinema was roaring with laughter but I promise you never watch that film, don't even rent it or download it - its time in our lives we'll never get back. The frozen yoghurt was good though!

The next day we decided to walk up to the botanical gardens. On the way it started to rain so we dashed into another mall to wait it out, and upon realising we had a 2 for 1 voucher at Swensens the icecream buffet was just calling to us. With over 50 different types of icecream, waffles, pancakes, 8 different cakes, made to order sundaes, a chocolate fountain and all the toppings you can ever think of it would have been wrong not to! So an hour later and feeling suitable stuffed with a variety of things not helping the waist line we left for the botantical gardens. As with everything in Singapore it was neat, well laid out and every detail was immacuately conceived and implemented. Gardens have never been so interesting. A definite highlight was walking around a massive lake when sophia noticed 2 swans swimming after this large ripple in the water, then without warning a 5 foot monitor lizard jumped out and ran into the bushes about 20feet in front of us. Now thats not something you see every day. We then went to the orchid gardens which had some of the craziest plants you've ever seen. Sophia was in her element taking hundreds of photos and it was only the threat of another storm that sent us back to the hostel.

Later that day we went to Raffles for the almost compulsory Singapore Sling - well sophia had that and i picked the strongest drink they had, a Long Island iced tea. Delicious. With the cocktails costing a fortune we didn't feel guilty working through the complimentary monkey nuts and i think every one else felt the same as every square inch of the floor was covered with spent shells. Our pockets a little lighter we ventured down to the harbour quays to take in the Singapore night life. Wandering down the waterside we didn't fancy paying almost $14 dollars for noodles when a couple of miles across the border they cost no more than a couple of quid but we did find mugs of beer for a pound!! When a pint in a pub can cost $15+ this was a real find and a few cold beers over looking the river was a great way to end a really long day.

The next day we were up early to go to the zoo. We had heard a lot of good things about this place and we definitely weren't disappointed. With monkeys allowed to roam free in the tree tops and all the animals in open air enclosures with either just a fence or moat sepearting you (except some of the wild cats such as jaguars and lepards - they have a tenacy to climb and escape!) you really felt close to the animals. Sophia even managed to feed her favourite animal, giraffes. It was like watching a small child get exactly what they wanted for christmas; and seeing her hand get slobbered by and over zealous giraffe was highly amusing. We wandered around for hours with particular highlights being the monkeys, giraffes and feeding time at the juguars and white tigers. If anyone ever gets to visit Singapore i highly reconmend you go visit the zoo. They also have a night safari, bird park and soon a water safari, think Noahs ark but less fire and brimestone / sin / guys with beards!

That night we saw an offer at the Mandarin Oriental for halfprice cocktails and free steak sandwiches. When traveling on a tiny budget the words half price and free are like magnets, you just can't resist them, so off we went. I did have to wear jeans and shoes for the first time in 4 months so i was smart enough to be allowed in and it felt all kids of weird but it was definitely worth it. Sophia went for the apple martini while i had a classic vodka martini and it was definitely up there with one of the tastiest cocktails we've ever had. Just after we had gotten over how nice the surroundings were and the quality of the cocktails, fresh steak sandwiches were handed round. After 2 hours, 2 cocktails and about $50 of free steak sandwiches we left feeling very satisfied - who said you can't travel in style on a small budget. It was a great way to mark out last night in Asia, completely different to the time we had cheese sandwiches and water for every meal for 5 days but I wouldnt change a thing.

The next day i ate as many curry puffs and roti (my two favourite foods in Asia) as our remaing dollars would allow and headed to the airport for our flight to Nz. Singapore was a great way to finish off Asia but after all the sites we've seen and the great people we've met, im pretty certain we'll be back touring Asia the next chance we get.