About this blog

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I am a TV and video producer. I have upped sticks from London with my girlfriend Jess, and gone travelling through Asia. We are then moving to Sydney to live and work. This blog charts our thoughts and experiences. Oh, by the way, I am also a MASSIVE Arsenal fan. I gave up my season ticket for this trip, a big call I know. I have decided to meet Arsenal fans and fan clubs around Asia and Australasia and post about them. Jess loves that. Ha.

Thursday 8 September 2011

Singapore Slinging





Things we learnt about Singapore in our 4 days there:

  • It's hot.  Really bloody hot.
  • It's clean.  So clean, I felt like I should wipe my feet before going OUT.
  • It's expensive. A beer (the bar by which affordability is always judged) costs £10.  That's not a typo, TEN POUNDS.
  • It's rich. The beer costs a lot, but the ex-pats can definitely afford it what with 10% income tax and higher pay rates than back home. A good place to live and work it appears.
  • If you go out on a Friday night with a bunch of Joel's mates, you are not going to be doing an awful lot the next day.
In addition to this we learnt that Joel (the Yorkshire lad turned Singapore ex-pat who kindly put us up) is a great host. Thank you Joel for a great few days.  And for those of you reading who know Joel, I can report that he has done very well indeed, with his lovely girlfriend Misato and her incredibly cute kids, 6 year old Jimi and 2 year old Tai.  We had a fun evening out with them at the Singapore Night Safari and for a slap up curry in Little India.  Verdict: cracking curry, thumbs up.  Fun night safari, bat enclosure where they are literally flying around and, almost, into your head was a highlight. But too many deer and cows.  As Joel rightly put it, "One cow, one deer, that's all you need.  If any."
Joel, Misato, Tai and Jess. Asian pose!
Jess and Jimi - possibly the sharpest (and cheekiest) 6 year old we've ever met

Fruit bat. No no, no cage. Just flying around your head.
Look how far the boy has come... Joel not Tai.
Tai, who celebrated his 2nd birthday while we were in Singapore, alerted me to just how far the world has come since I was 2.  At the two full sit down meals we all ate together he would sit in absolute silence watching videos on the iPhone. Literally not a peep from a 2 year old for a whole hour.  Though, apparently, it only works if it's Toy Story or Cars. No other animated heroes will cut it for Tai.
The bit where Woody gets lost. Probably.
Thanks to Joel and his flat mate, Chris, I have also decided to take up a new hobby. Wake boarding.  Had a great time, although from the photos below you can make an accurate guess as to how good I was at it.  I did actually "officially" get up once, but Jess decided not to take a photo of that bit.  Nice one.

Joel and Chris both getting some good "air"
Me. Really not getting a lot of "air" at all.
So a severe hangover, very sore arms and some heavy curry breath later, we packed our bags and jumped on the 5 hour luxury bus to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for a few days.  

One final note I should add.  I had arranged to meet the Arsenal Singapore fans club for the Arsenal - Man U game.  It turned out the game was the weekend before we arrived. Oops.   It also turned out that the Arsenal - Man U game would have been the most depressing imaginable scenario in which to meet new people.  So probably for the best.  But then meeting them for a pint over the weekend failed to materialise due to an unbelievable hangover and sleeping all day. I commit, here and now, to putting that right when we get back to Singapore.

Will be back in a few days with reports from KL.










3 comments:

  1. Hi Jess and Ciaran
    So glad to hear your having such a great time. The pictures look amazing. Keep the blog going! I know mum and dad will love it.
    Safe travels!
    Love from Luke x

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hello Jess and Ciaran,
    Not trying to confuse you - I'm doing this on my friend Steve's Google account.
    so glad all is going well. Am looking forward to the next installment, (apart from the football bits.)
    Ciaran please take note - Luke managed to post a whole comment without mentioning Arsenal!
    All my love,
    Mum xxx

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  3. Hello Jess and Ciaran,

    Nice blog, lot of interesting readings, but needs update, 4 years since last you guys wrote , good effort keep it up
    regards
    ADIL ISHRAT
    ishratadil@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete