Singapore

Leaving Paris: what can I say ... a bit of a tear, a rush at the approach to the airport as there was a ‘suspicious package’ (someone left their bag unattended) and the traffic banked up ... Border Force snaked around and around - and we were in the Non-EU queue ... security was as slow as ... the plane’s place was changed in the queue and we were nearly an hour late taking off ... the duck was as tough as old boots ... the sun went down somewhere south of Moscow ... the other photo out of the plane was south of Samansk in Russia ... the movies were good - The Guernsey Literary and Potatoe Peel Pie Society is brilliant and The Catcher was a Spy good too ... very little sleep ... breakfast of Frenc toast nice ... immigration into Singapore easy, ... left our bags in the lock up ... taxi to hotel.... all simple.

By then 9 am and our room not ready so off across the road for some roti paratha and lamb curry snack. If you thought there was a lot about food in our trip around France, Singapore is ONLY about food.

It wasn’t too long before we could get into our room. We did sit and watch the passing parade in the foyer - always interesting. A group of ‘large’ men from, we think, Ghana in matching colourful outfits; several (separate) couples of Australians going on a cruise back to Australia finishing in Sydney; and all the usual array of people in a hotel: we stay at the IBIS Bencoolen, close to most of the eating houses we want to visit.

Sleep how good. I know the theory is to stay awake but there was no

way that was going to happen: out like a light.

We both love Char Kway Teow (a noodle dish) and James found a place off Orchard Road in Cupping Street (yes, they used to do blood letting there in the past - no, not at the food shop haha!).

It’s been 10 years since we’ve been in Orchard Road: hasn’t changed much really, just grown: shops shops shops. Cupping Street has an eat street that was buzzing but we couldn’t find the shop house we were looking for. Anyway, not to worry we found another noodle place and had a very nice meal for $7 for the two of us. We walked back to the hotel and had a beer ... forgetting how expensive alcohol is here. And sleep came easily.

Saturday ... maybe the place was closed last night ... maybe we should try again for breakfast. Off we went and after much walking around we found it ... not open until 11 am! A coffee and then a walk.

And a real find: a street/area of Singapore that has been left as it was (and looks like it has been saved in perpetuity), Emerald Hill. I took some photos so you can see what I mean. So nice to see, as so much of Singapore is being pulled down and multi storey buildings constructed. When James lived here early 1970s there were 2.5 million people, now close to 6 million.

Really really good char kway teow and $5 each. Yum. And now is rest time, feeling a bit fuzzy ... and then tonight we will go to Racecourse Road for Fish Head curry. And that will be it for Singapore and we will be on the last leg of our journey.

I will write one more chapter when we get home to round it off.