Asian Adventure 14 :: 12-16 Feb '10 :: Bohol

Twelve hours after rising from our beds, we were unpacking our bags in paradise. On the way, we enjoyed a few hours layover in the Krisflyer Lounge at Manila airport before boarding Philippine Airlines for a trip accompanied by 'greaseless peanuts' and a candid camera show, thankfully on 'silent'.

Touching down at Tagbilaran Airport we were astounded by the proximity of huts to the runway. People who are against the expansion of Heathrow need to visit The Philippines to get some perspective.

Another remarkable element of this trip was the prevalence of English and religion. Not only were all signs in English, but the standard of spoken English from the locals we met far surpassed what we have experienced in Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia. Added to that, on the back of each motor-tricycle is a religious sentiment: "God is good"; "Be honest"; or "Do your best and God will do the rest" to name a few examples. Thanks to the Spanish, a surprising 95% of inhabitants of The Philippines are Christian believers, with 80% of those belonging to the Roman Catholic Church.


We sped along the surprisingly well-surfaced roads past half-finished huts; a man taking his goat for a walk; school girls in bright pink uniform and the odd grazing cow. Finally, we took a sharp left passed the sign stating: "Gun Free Zone: Please deposit your firearms" and entered our oasis, at Alona Beach, Panglao.

One thing's for sure, we were quite shocked at the sheer number of beach bars and restaurants that were brimming with life all the way down the Alona strip. The smokey scent of charcoal hung in the air as fires were being stoked for the evening's tasty seafood BBQ dinners. A word of warning: avoid the beachside 'buffets' at all costs and stick with items selected for the BBQ. The buffet we tried turned out to be a couple of plastic tables sagging under the weight of a myriad of plates of tasteless vegetables, fatty meat and overcooked fish. The one amusing element of that evening was that we were surrounded by not one, not two, but three visible handguns. For some odd reason in The Philippines, security guards also double as restaurant waiters, a phenomenon that we would also observe back in Manila. Taking 'moonlighting' to the extreme.



Our two day's diving with SeaQuest was excellent for aficionados of wall diving. Three white-tipped sharks in a cave, schooling jack fish, and a giant hawksbill turtle were highlights of our trips. The fact that our room was a mere fifteen paces to the dive centre also made up for the early starts.

To ensure that we had ticked off all the tourist spots in Bohol, we opted for a day's tour around the mainland. Our driver was clearly a Filipino version of Colin McRae. We enjoyed speeding dangerously on every stretch of straight road and were only mildly perturbed by the technique of 'beep and immediately overtake'.


Chocolate Hills - they turn brown in 'winter'.


One of our tarsier friends.

We treated ourselves to a chocolate ice cream whilst viewing the Chocolate Hills; spotted four out of the ten tarsiers in the Sanctuary; clung on for dear life to the Hanging Bridge; held a butterfly by it's wings and endured another mildly disappointing meal on a cruise down the Loboc River. The highlight of the cruise was certainly the stop-off at the Ati tribe, a Disney-esque take on traditional tribal living. The only difference was that small children who should probably have been in school were also part of the 'act'. All in all, it was an enjoyable day out away from the beach, and worth doing if you're one of those people who gets bored stiff just roasting your skin in the sun.


The Ati tribe.

Overall, our experience made us want to explore other islands in The Philippines. There are 7,107 of them, so plenty to get on with! To secure the future of their tourism industry, they simply need to to send a Filipino envoy to Thailand to learn about beach lighting (billowing material lampshades hung from the trees vs. rope lighting wrapped around trees) and the art of cuisine (even the Valentine's Day meal at upmarket Alona Palm Beach was heavy on the salt). At the same time, the Filipinos can teach the Thais a little about service: with a smile, attentive, and how not to screw up your patrons' orders.

Thirteenth month, sail away

Now that the year anniversary has passed and all of the associated excitement has died down, this month, we have mostly been:

- Applying for PR. After waiting for no less than two months for an appointment to submit my passport, originals of my birth certificate and university transcripts; evidence of salary for the last six months; and a completed Form 4, I finally applied for permanent residence in Singapore. Sadly, the much-anticipated 'interview' (and endless goadings from my colleagues that I would be asked to sing the National Anthem or interpret some Singlish phrases, like "Mee Mare Mew" = "Big Mac Meal"), turned out to be a damp squib; the appointment was over in less than ten minutes. I handed over my documents to the robotron who duly ticked off my items from the checklist and informed me that it would take three months to process. No handshake, no free cup of Milo, not even a sticker. I exited the building feeling distinctly anticlimactic.



Still perfecting the words to this one.


The Godfather (of Techno).

- Seeing Sven Väth at Zouk. Revered by many as 'The Godfather of Techno', Mr Väth kept us on our techno toes for a couple of hours before the enormous quantities of alcohol consumed started to soak into our lower limbs, making them heavy and not fit for the purpose of throwing shapes. I have begun to wonder, though, whether I really enjoy going out clubbing in Singapore full stop. Zouk tends to pull in a veritably young crowd; there are distinctly more older clubbers in London. In addition, there is a certain 'je ne sais quoi' lacking in the atmosphere. With so many of the 'see and be seen' crowd out in full force, one has to wonder what percentage of people are really there for the music. When there are twice as many girls in the toilets applying make-up and re-touching their locks than there relieving themselves, something tells me these ladies are not getting down and dirty to the twitchy clicks and thumping bass. Ravers these ain't.

- Being amazed at Thaipusam. Now, I am no sadist, especially not during the weekdays. However, the last Saturday of January was the perfect time to enjoy watching a seemingly endless procession of skewered Hindus parade before our eyes on Serangoon Road. Aside from the multi-coloured cages carried by the older members of the procession, my favourite adornments were the milk bottles and large limes. I find it's always good to have a metal skewer through the tongue too, and even better if it's connected by chains to one's ears. Awesomely gruesome.



Well and truly skewered.


Anyone got any limes?

- Becoming catamoronic. There is nothing I like better than to do things in Singapore that we would never do in London. Grab eighteen of your booze guzzling friends and spend the afternoon on a luxury catamaran - docking on a quiet part of St. John's Island, lining your stomachs with a BBQ cooked on board, whacking up the volume on the iPod and messing about on the water. Ultimate bliss, followed by utter carnage, via the port of sunburn. Supreme.

- Joining The Line. By far and away the winner when it comes to the art of the buffet. The Line has an abundant spread covering every corner of the world. Notable items for me included: oysters shucked before your eyes; sashimi sliced on the spot; the satay station; the dim sum tower; the ice cream teppanyaki and of course, the Veuve Clicquot. Yes, it's expensive; No, I wouldn't go there every weekend. But, if you're after delectable world cuisine on tap, you would be foolhardy to miss this spread. Proponents of putting an end to world hunger need not apply.

- Feeling 'cultured' for once. Exhibition gatherings are something I particularly miss about living in London. Gone are the days when a Thursday evening means swinging by a local East End gallery, grabbing a free beer, taking a look at some art and perhaps meeting a handful of like-minded people. Thankfully, Give Art Gallery came to our rescue with the launch party for Florence Notté's book, Urban Reflects. The book comprises of forty pages of photographs taken from Florence's condominium window of the reflections in the opposite tower's windows, somewhat inspired by David Hockey's famous swimming pool paintings from the 1960's. A little break from the norm. More of this, please, Singapore!

- Celebrating Valentine's Day and Chinese New Year in The Philippines!

Next up is yet another boat party, more house parties, pot luck dinners and hanging in our 'hood. Tiong Bahru life has been progressively getting better and better. Now that we have a central space to chill out, look at sculptures, read books, and enjoy stimulating conversations, we are feeling very 'at home' indeed.

Tiong Bahru :: The Hollywood of Singapore

Despite being so central, Tiong Bahru remains little-known in expat circles, despite previously being known as the Hollywood of Singapore and being built by the British in the 1930s. Here is a round-up of answers to the most important of questions when considering where to base yourself in Singapore:

Where, hor? [Where is it located?]

Tiong Bahru is situated in District 3, two MRT stops west of Tanjong Pagar on the western edge of the central business district, where CapitaLand, Google, eBay, and PayPal (to name but a few) have their head offices.

Where got good drink, hor? [Where can I relax with a good glass of wine?]

Three hotels and one wine bar compete for your liquid dollars in Tiong Bahru, all of which have opened in the last 18 months.

Halo at Wangz Hotel (+65 6595 1388 / 5 pm - midnight daily). A large metallic beer barrel landed in Tiong Bahru this year to the bemusement of some residents. This urban sculpture of gleaming aluminium cladding and asymmetrically-placed windows houses Tiong Bahru's best rooftop bar (Yes! it's not the only one. See below...). Complete with funky water features, a barman who knows his Sauvignon from his Semillon and an un-paralleled view of Tanjong Pagar, this is our firm favourite for a post-work wind down. Glass of house wine: $8.50. Highs: The view; the trendy styling. Lows: Only one choice of house white and it's a simple Chardonnay.

Cafe Potion at Hotel Nostalgia (+65 6808 1818 / 7 am - midnight daily). An alfresco dining and drinking spot offering occasional soft live music to accompany your selected beverage. Thought has gone into crafting a decent wine list and offering things that remain unique to the area: a weekend brunch and a 52 inch plasma sports TV. Glass of house wine: $9.00. Highs: Well-priced, decent wine; delicious food (albeit portions are slightly small). Lows: The setting right next to busy bustling Tiong Bahru Road can be a distraction when the buses roar past. A poolside terrace bar is opening soon, so if they can replicate their good work down below, this should be a roaring success.

Breeze Beer Garden at The Link (+65 6622 8585 / 5 pm – midnight daily). A long and thin rooftop bar without a view provides some solace from the busy road below. Simple drinks abound; our barman was a bit blur like sotong when it came to ordering anything more complex than a wine or beer. Glass of house wine: $9.00. Highs: The simplicity. Lows: The simplicity.

Wine Wise at 57 Eng Hoon Street #01-86 (+65 6227 2118 / 11 am – 2 pm, 6 pm – 10 pm). Despite the charm of drinking "straight from the barrel", it will take more than a squint of the eyes to imagine yourself in a rustic French vineyard. Here, wines are served tasting not of oak, but plain old wood with just a hint of chipboard. Accompany what has been to date the worst fermented grape juice ever to pass my Eurasian lips with hard seating and (when we were there) psy-trance, one has to wonder whether this really is a drinking establishment or if it's just for "show". Highs: The offer for me to 'create my own bottle' by mixing wines from the barrels and designing my own label - a sure winner of a gift... for someone you despise. Lows: Please see above.

Where got makan shiok shiok? [Where can I eat delicious food?]


People travel from all over Singapore in their droves to attend the famous Tiong Bahru market and its surrounding standalone eateries. Just don't forget to chope your seats.

Stall name/Unit Address

Breakfast
Tiong Bahru Teochew Kueh / #02-02 (Get your chwee kueh here and ask for chilli - by default, ang mo's get none.)
Jian Bo Shui Kueh / #02-05 (Sticky rice with a variety of fillings. Go for a meaty one unless you like bean paste.)
Tiong Bahru Hwa Yuen Porridge / #02-74 (Delicious shredded chicken with century egg or meaty pork porridge.)
Kampong Carrot Cake / #02-53 (No, not carrot cake with icing, the choice here is dark or light soy. Just try it.)
Teck Seng Soya Bean Milk / #02-69 (The queue is always long and they run out by around 11 am every day. If you can bear the queue, do it. It is certainly the best.)
Tiong Bahru Pau / #02-18 (Siew mai, sticky rice, char siu sow, char siu pau - just point and say "having here" for a plate of meaty, gooey goodness.)

Lunch
Tiong Bahru Boneless Chicken Rice / #02-82 (By far the best chicken rice in the market - comes with a side of preserved vegetable. Go upsize. You know it's worth it.)
Koh Brother Pig’s Organ Soup / #02-29 (Only for those who have an intense love of innards. The peppery soup is just divine. Have it with some rice and enjoy the special chilli.)
Tiong Bahru Roasted Pig Specialist / #02-38 (For all your meat on rice needs, try out this stall. There's a man who works there who sometimes wears large red Japanese clogs. He's a complete nutbag, but he's also one of the friendliest men alive.)
Lor Mee 178 / #02-58 (Shark-lovers of the world would unite and campaign outside this stall for Greenpeace. Thankfully, they haven't heard about it yet, so the only option is "extra, Shark Bites please".)
Yuan Ji Fishball Noodle /#02-72 (Okay, so this husband and wife team may be one of the slowest servers in the market, but this is still definitely the best offering for this most simple of dishes that is known to cure any ang mo hangover. Tried and tested, too many times to mention.)

Snacks
7 Original Tiong Bahru Fishball / #02-20 (Craving fish balls or sotong balls on a stick? How about fish cakes shaped like actual fish? This stall has it all and more and the guy serving it has a whisker as long as my index finger. That means he's been around for a while and so has this stall. Rocking.

Outside of the market, there are a number of excellent eateries offering delicious dishes served in air-conditioned surroundings:

Le Le Pot at Blk 58 Seng Poh Road #01-23 (+65 6222 9442). Our favourite place for a constantly sumptuous and affordable steamboat feast. The price gets you a buffet selection from the a la carte menu, which is comfortingly always the same. Added to this, we have never had any gastronomic illnesses from eating there (unlike our experience at Tin Yi Gang Shi Huo, a few doors down on Seng Poh Road) and the owner is a former TV extra, so the place is adorned with photographs of him dressed in various amusing costumes. If you're lucky, when you go up to pay your bill, you might just meet him!

Por Kee Eating House at Blk 69 Seng Poh Lane (+65 6221 0582). Open since 1996, this eatery offers both alfresco and air-con dining, serving up live seafood from its wall of tanks next to the car park. Enjoy the achar appetiser whilst you peruse the enormous menu. No one in the area offers better meaty spare ribs ("Champagne Pork Ribs - short") which come coated in a sticky blackened sauce to die for. Order their live prawns (with your choice of sauce) and get stuck in with a side of spicy kang kong. Finger bowl essential.

Ting Heng Seafood Restaurant at #01-03, Blk 82 Tiong Poh Road (+65 6323 6093). No frills, alfresco steamboat haven for those hungry enough to tackle its large menu. Open until 4 am, you might find some of the waitresses get a little lost in translation. This is nothing that a little pointing won't fix.

Loo's Hainanese Curry Rice at 57 Eng Hoon Street #01-88 (+65 6225 3762). Curry that takes three days to cook puts Jamie Oliver's slow-roasted lamb recipe to shame. Arrive early. Chope seats. Queue. Get barked at by one of the aunties. Quickly select your chosen dishes that will be served with boiled rice. Four dishes will easily feed two hungry brunchers. Roadside seating, delicious home-cooked dishes. An institution.

Sin Hoi Sai Seafood Restaurant at 55 Tiong Bahru Road (opposite The Link) (+65 6223 0810). Famous for Chilli Crab, it has a wide selection of crabs from different part of the world as well as the opportunity for you to try geoduck, by far the weirdest sea creature I have ever had the mild-pleasure to ingest.

Where to do marketing? [Where can I go to the market or shops to buy food?]

Tiong Bahru Market - #01-134 - the best place to buy fish and seafood. Run by a husband and wife team, if you frequent them long enough, answer their searching questions (they know my job, my ethnic background, where I live, but have yet to ask my name), you will get good discounts on their excellent selection.

Tiong Bahru Market - #01-171 - Stanley's Fresh Chicken & Duck Suppliers (+65 8161 2178). By far and away the best kampong (read: free-range) chicken money can buy. Aunties, Japanese expat wives and me queue up every weekend to grab Stanley's poultry served with a cheeky grin and a witty quip before it all runs out. He is usually cleaning up his stall by 11 am. The early marketer catches the bird.

If it's dessert you're after, look no further than Centre PS, at 78 Guan Chuan Street #01-43, for exquisitely delicious French macaroons, crumbly biscotti, delicately designed cupcakes and melt-in-the-mouth cheesecakes of varying flavours. Perfect presents to take over to your favourite friend's dinner party for something to wow the palette during the coffee course.

There are a host of stalls on the outside sections of the wet market that sell virtually everything else you need for your weekly shop (bar fresh cow's milk that you can get from the 7-11 opposite). If you're in doubt, buy something from Stanley and ask him what you're after. His wife will show you where to get it.

I want to off the TV and go out after midnight. Where got party? [Is there a good nightspot?]

Zouk is but fifteen minutes' walk away (OK, twenty if you're half cut and walking the squiggly way home). Famed as being one of Singapore's longest standing and best quality nightclubs, the crew have worked tirelessly to put Little Red Dot Clubbing on the map, attracting top names approximately once a month. Dig your own rave.

Ai-yo! So bored. Is there something to look, look, see, see? [Is there anything cultural to see or do?]

White Canvas Gallery is just a few months old and, when it fully launches, promises to enhance the local cultural offering. Tiong Bahru is not just about beautiful architecture any more. Enrico Furlan, the owner, has kitted out the gallery space with some highly unusual but rather special items: vases made of multi-coloured silicone, golden tortoises, over-sized pulled plastic flower sculptures and animals made of metal sheets and wires are the current exhibition. Highs: Exuberant surroundings, intriguing artwork and a wonderfully tranquil atmosphere. Lows: Why can't I live there?

Wahlau! So many info oreddy. More got, where? [Where can I read more about Tiong Bahru?]

Alvin Yeo (Estate Agent for Tiong Bahru) maintains a regular blog full of local tidbits to keep you amused. It's well written, often witty, and a superb insight into life in this golden village. If Tiong Bahru's for you, he's your man.

Singapore life where got fun? Bonne Anniversaire Singapur

After one year on this tiny isle, has Sin City surpassed expectations or has it just been one big Singa-bore?

Highs:

Gastronomic wonderland - When they are not eating, they are talking (or, at the very least, thinking) about food. It is little wonder. Singapore has it all - from the tasty $2 noodle stall to the ultra fine dining experience. It has yet to become a Michelin star state, but with the arrival this year of Joel Robuchon, that is likely to change. With as many concentrations of nationalities as there are matching food outlets, there exists a spectacular melting pot of gastronomic delights. Chefs beware, though, NTUC Fairprice should only be your first port of call if you're whipping up some local cuisine. If you're cooking anything vaguely Western, head to Cold Storage or Carrefour instead.

Roaming South East Asia - Uniquely positioned on the globe, Singapore has long benefited from it's location as a gateway to South East Asia. With the advent of the low cost carrier industry, residents and visitors can now take advantage of cheap and regular travel to neighbouring countries: Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and The Philippines are all on the doorstep along with countries growing as tourist destinations such as Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Burma and China. In the space of just one year, we have enjoyed no less than thirteen Asian Adventures, a "personal best" in terms of foreign travel, which would be impossible in the UK for those without over-sized wallets. The opportunity to explore this region with its myriad of different cultures and experiences has been nothing short of amazing. Apparently, the novelty of saying, "I spent last weekend in Jakarta, next is in Krabi, after that, it's Siem Reap and then after that, I might stay in Singapore or I might pop to Rawa" wears off after a while. Not yet, is all I can say.

People galore - It's not the place, it's the people. Wherever you are in the world, the people around you are what make your experience truly unique. We have been unbelievably lucky to have met the people we now call our friends. Of course, as expats, we have naturally gravitated to others in a similar position, so our circle is still predominantly foreign rather than local. In London, we would hang out in our 'clique' semi-cautious of "new people" (not out of fear, more out of a lack of time or energy to devote to the cementing of new friendships). Our first year here has been like being back at university - tons of new places to explore and a whole bunch of similarly-aged people to hang out with. The difference is that it is the rule rather than the exception that they are from other parts of the globe. Dinner parties are cosmopolitan experiences where you can share and learn about life from a different corner of the world. Added to that, I have never met such a great concentration of mixed race people - those that can understand my childhood identity woes and together feel smug about how 'globally trendy' it has made us. The only drawback is that Singapore is a fairly transient place. Many stay just two years and if you make it past four, it's likely you will be here for another four. Nevertheless, the excellent times you spend together, however short, ensure that you will always hold your Sin City chums in special regard. I have never been blissing out in Rawa, clubbing in Jakarta or diving in Ko Lanta with any of my friends 'back home'. But then again, you could say we are 'missing out' on good times in London. Right now, the party is East side. Period.

Extraordinary pursuits - From condominium crashing to jungle trekking; from diving the deep blue sea to learning Singlish, from partying on yachts and helipads, we have done a lot of things this year that we would never have done living in the UK. The constant climate means that so much more of our lives is spent outdoors and plans for picnics and BBQs are not weather dependent. Sure, some residents miss the seasons, which help to mark the passing of time, but personally, I would trade seasons any day over the long, grey, cold, wet and windy winters of the isle of Great Britain.

Lows:

Kiasu - This pervades every facet of Singaporean life. Here, the attitude is not 'work hard, play hard', it's 'work hard, get ahead, work harder'. Singaporeans shuffle to the front of a busy train approaching a station using the catchphrase "eskew" in fear of not getting off. More than a handful of times have I had to inform the space intruder that I am also alighting. They join queues for free newspapers for fear of not getting one. They chope seats for fear of not finding one. These types of behaviour could be forgiven if the risk of losing out was real. Although Singapore is the world's second most populated country (after Monaco), the worry associated with there 'not being enough to go round' is ill-founded. Singaporeans appear to forget that they live in a highly developed society where trains don't just pull out with passengers hanging on (as in India), where free newspapers don't run out (as in London) and where there are enough seats for everyone.

Edge - The lack of it. "Low crime doesn't mean no crime" is the line imprinted on the minds of locals amongst whom fear-mongering is rife. Sadly, because many Singaporeans are afraid to leave the shores of this tiny island (even Malaysia is "dangerous"), they will never really know just how lucky they are. Of course, literally, "it's a jungle out there" but to concentrate so much on the idiomatic meaning is surely idiotic. From an outsider's point of view, life is so accessible, effortless, smooth, straightforward, uncomplicated (how many other words can I find in my thesaurus for "easy"?) here, that it's almost as if everyone has an imaginary shroud of cotton wool wrapped around them (standard government issue, of course). As one local famously stated: "Singapore is like a warm bath. You sink in, slit your wrists, your lifeblood floats away, but hey, it's warm." Having said that, things are changing: the proliferation of independent art galleries and bookshops, the growing relaxation of censorship at the cinema and the greater interest in independent fashion and design labels signify a small step towards a culture of "cool". It may yet be a little red dot in the distance, but it's there and only time will make it bigger.

Questions that remain as yet unanswered:

- Why are there so many French people in Singapore? We currently have more French friends and there are more French expat bloggers in Singapore than any other nationality.
- Why do some Singaporeans believe that changing the spelling of their name will be 'auspicious'? (Notable examples: Audrey - Alldri; Serene - Surryn)
- Why do so many Singaporean women wearing high heels walk as if they just got off a horse on a long ride into town?
- Why are flip flops called 'slippers'?

To celebrate our one year anniversary (and the large number of French friends that we had made), we journeyed out to Les Bouchons for a slap up meal of enormous steaks and unlimited fries washed down with a bottle of Bourgogne Rouge. Recommended.

In summary, it's been a blast. A whirlwind of a year, complete with awesome people, amazing experiences and a whole lot of fun, smiles and laughter. We were searching for 'a life less ordinary' when we left the shores of Great Britain. We found it and then some. Thank you, Sin City and all your cotton wool wrapped people. For now, we will continue to enjoy your warmth.

Asian Adventure 13 :: 31 Dec '09-3 Jan '10 :: Ko Lanta

New Year's Eve began in Singapore and ended in Thailand this year. After a short hop to Phuket, we embarked on a four hour long journey by road and boat to Kantiang Bay at the southernmost end of Ko Lanta Yai. We arrived in time for a late lunch which would be the beginning of a string of excellent meals, Thai style.

Our companions had arrived a day earlier, so had scoped out Lanta Miami as a good place for a seafood BBQ on Klong Nin beach, a short cab ride from our hotel, Anda Lanta Resort.


Bliss

Cocktails whilst watching our first sunset preceded our journey up and down the dusty track leading away from our hotel towards the (arguably) posher paved parts of the southern beach roads. As we rocked out in our cab to Michael Jackson, little did we know that we would be taking bus number 11 (a.k.a. w.a.l.k.i.n.g) all the way back to base in the wee hours of New Year's Day.

Following our seafood session, we were ideally positioned to take up a pew at the delightfully named Mong Bar, complete with a menu advertising tickets to the moon. Perfect. Four, please! Klong Nin turned out to be an excellent spot for bars with a range of tunes to suit many tastes including reggae, Thai cultural and house music to make your ears bleed. Included in the experience were fire dances performed by the bar staff; wild rocket launchers masquerading as fireworks; snake tequila shots and, of course, the ubiquitous (but you have to do it or you feel left out) paper lanterns.


Fire-bar-man


It just tasted like "mouldy tequila"

After grabbing two motorcycle taxis complete with sidecars to take us back to our hotel, we were treated to a most hair-raising ride to the edge of the paved road whereupon the drivers decided that their vehicles wouldn't survive the dusty track. Despite willing them to go on, inside all of us were the immediate memories of having to shift weight by re-positioning intermittently to ensure we didn't keel over into the Thai jungle, so we didn't protest too much. Thankfully, due to the brilliance of the moon that evening, our journey on foot was well-lit and passed without incidence of being attacked by monkeys, monitor lizards or just plain old falling over on the uneven road.


Thank you, Moon Shine

To congratulate ourselves on having made it back to our hotel alive, we skipped across the inlet to the neighbouring beach bar, complete with hammocks, good cocktails and a man called Sea who would become our favourite barman on the trip.

Bed at 4 a.m. on New Year's Day and breakfast at 9 a.m. was no mean feat, but well worth it. When else is it not sinful to have chicken stir-fry, fried rice, spaghetti bolognese and crinkle cut fries as your first meal of the day?


All food groups covered!

Some poolside lazying was essential before picking up our scooters for a day of exploring the island. With little traffic, we managed to cross to Lanta Old Town in half an hour, an experience marred only by the fact that the last stretch of road was more dusty than the back of a radiator, leaving us all caked in a fine layer of mud. Nevertheless, it was an enjoyable road trip and we passed many family shacks that gave us an idea of what it was like pre-resorts.

We visited the Drunken Sailors for an excellent lunch of green chicken curry and burgers with a side of "French fried" before heading back for more sunset action and cocktails. Spot a pattern emerging? We were thoroughly exhausted and opted for dinner at our hotel, which was superbly tasty (even if, like many places in Ko Lanta, the service was a little slow at times) followed by drinks in our favourite hammocks next door.

The second day of 2010 had been set aside for diving and massages. So, in that order, we were picked up early doors by Scubafish for a well-organised trip out to Ko Haa. Over our two dives, we saw plenty of fish but missed out on any turtles, which had always been a feature of previous dives. On arrival back at basecamp, we decided to enter virgin territory and indulge in a sixty minute Thai massage. I can't say that I will be rushing to be pushed, pummeled and body-slammed during any future massages so may stick with something Swedish next time. Our evening was rounded off by a delicious meal at Same Same But Different, where we toasted a superb start to the year.

All in all, we thought Ko Lanta was an excellent place for a relaxing New Year, different from the raucous psy-trance raves that you might find on other islands with the same prefix. We were surprised and heartened (given the length of the journey from Krabi alone - 2 hours by road and speedboat) by the number of holidaying families complete with very miniature people and we all agreed it would be a lovely place to return with children. Our over-arching piece of advice: order the bill when you order your last drink. You won't live to regret it.

Eleventh month, 'tis the season to be rainy, tra la la la la la la la la

This month, we have mostly been:

- Enjoying the advent of Christmas in Tiong Bahru.



Please note the complete absence of any season's greetings. The only signs around the base of the tree read: Danger - HIGH VOLTAGE. Nothing like a good bit of Christmas cheer!

- Experiencing life in deepest darkest China.

- Learning about an architectural wonder planned for 2010: Marina Bay Sands - two thousand five hundred rooms spread across three fifty-five storey towers topped by a magnificent 1.2 hectare Sky Park, employing more than ten thousand people and setting its sights as one of Asia's most iconic, spectacular, original and breathtaking venues. It is hoped the hotel will throw open its doors in April and the Sky Park will be ready for strolling, running, and kite-flying in June. Along with Universal Studios and Resorts World on Sentosa, Singapore's entertainment offerings are about to receive a much-welcome face lift in 2010. We can hardly wait.

- Booze Cruising in Singapore waters. Grab 99 of your favourite buddies, ask everyone to bring a bottle of their favourite poison and set sail from Marina South Pier aboard a diesel-powered vessel for the Singapore Straits.


Giving new meaning to the word "shots"

Add thumping tunes, pirate costumes, a vat of dangerous cocktail, super soakers filled with vodka, moor the boat off the Southern Islands and watch as young adults throw themselves in the water for an afternoon's alternative entertainment.



- Enjoying a quick hop to Auckland, New Zealand.

- Feeling Zouked Out. The tradition is to rent a hotel room in one of the Siloso beach resorts, start drinking at 4 pm and hope that you can still stand by the time any of the good DJs grace the stages (around 1 am). We, thankfully, were invited to substitute a delicious home-cooked Thai meal for the liquid dinner chosen by some of our friends and arrived on the beach around 2 am (after waiting in the longest traffic jam in the clubbing universe) in time to enjoy some drinks before the beginning of Richie Hawtin's set an hour later. Sadly, some of the hotel-goers didn't even manage to make it out of the rooms and on to the beach (a mere five minute walk).


Where are your friends now?

We had never seen so many train wrecks in Singapore, all gathered together in one large space, covered in sand, revelling in the fact that it was the one night of the year that the police turn a blind eye. Despite that, the atmosphere was electric and exploded when the main man of the night, Armin Van Buuren arrived to trance it up. At this point, being techno-lovers, we had to make our excuses and decided to embark on the one-and-a-half hour trek back to Harbourfront MRT. We watched the sunrise over the Universal Studios building site, admiring the twists and turns of the soon-to-be opened rollercoasters and were content that the moon was still smiling on us:



Next up is Christmas Day and all the trimmings, New Year in Thailand and our one year anniversary of being Sin City dwellers. Bring on the party season! Let the drinking games begin.

48 hours in Auckland :: 7-8 Dec'09

Being sent on a business trip at the last minute to Auckland, New Zealand wasn't on my planned weekend agenda. And so with great difficulty, I hauled my brunch drunk mind to the airport after a six hour champagne-fueled session. Thankfully, I was travelling business class, so my position at the low-lit Krisflyer lounge bar sipping more champagne was not exactly a shock to the system. I was more alarmed that the first class lounge (I was sneaked in by my fellow frequent travellers) was not proportionately better than the business class lounge. Why was I not drinking out of a gold-plated goblet and being fed grapes?

Ten hours on a flat bed later, interrupted only by my next door neighbour laughing maniacally at his screen, we rolled into our waiting car and enjoyed the slow drive to the city centre through rows of two-storey houses and green fields. I won't lie: "more sheep than people" kept resonating through my mind.

On arrival at The Westin, I was pleasantly surprised to be welcomed to a hotel right on the quayside, overlooking a vast array of yachts, large and small. Still, though, Where Is Everybody?

After our meetings finished around 6 pm, we were astonished to find out that all shops, except for the supermarket and a pharmacy had closed. It was hard to come to terms with the grief at not having Singapore style late night shopping to keep us occupied, so we consoled ourselves with enormous steaks at Jervois Steak House & Saloon, washed down with some fine local wines before heading to the ONLY bar in Lighter Quay that had any kind of 'atmosphere' (a.k.a PEOPLE), Danny Doolans. Two guys with guitars belted out familiar tunes such as 'Brown-Eyed Girl' whilst we sipped whiskies and answered emails from colleagues working on Singapore business hours.

The next day, we were treated to a late start which allowed me to indulge my oyster fetish. Six of some of the largest and juiciest rock oysters slid down my neck before we were trapped in our meeting room until 7 pm. Given that it was our last night, however, and that the meetings had progressed well, we all headed off to the exquisite Kermadec at Viaduct Harbour, just a short stroll from our hotel.

As locally caught and freshly shucked oysters were a special on the menu, it seemed a crying shame not to indulge once more. They were different from any I had ever tasted before - hats off to Head Chef, Richard Highnam. To follow, I opted for the Confit Hapuku Fillet with asparagus étuvée, toasted wheat and scampi pilaf, baby sorrel, Cotriade stock, and one eye bouillabaisse. To finish, I had the simply titled but delectably complex, 'Rooibos Red Bush Tea and Caramel Custard', which was a divine selection of five different desserts in one. A delicious Rippon Valley Riesling from 2007 helped to oil the chatter cogs whilst I learned about the quiet life on North Island, New Zealand. Apparently, it's all about owning a boat.

In all, my forty-eight hours in Auckland was enjoyable, primarily because of the superb seafood, steak and ludicrously low-priced wine (by Singaporean standards). It was a good experience to be somewhere so serene that starkly contrasted with the hustle and bustle of Singapore life. The Kiwis have perfected the 'work to live' approach to life and with so much outdoor space per capita to enjoy, who can blame them?