June 2005 · Middle East Trip
David & Noel Coory's Journey to Singapore
A travel diary documenting the first leg of an epic Middle East
adventure — from the rolling hills of New Zealand to the sauna-like
heat of Singapore.
First Look
Overall
Impressions of Singapore
- Muggy heat
- Well dressed people
- Crowds of chic young people walking the streets at night talking on cell phones
- Pretty, petite girls with lovely skin
- Shrines and temples to oriental gods
- Tidy streets
- Lots of trees
- No houses only apartments
- Rickshaws
- Cheap taxis
- Strange new tropical fruits
- Tidy Super strict laws
5:30
am
Departure
11
hours
Flight to
Singapore
950
km/h
Cruising speed
-60
°C
Outside temp
801
songs
iPod
collection
60+
hrs total
Whole trip
flying
THE 19TH FLOOR HOTEL
No Jet Lag Yet
We sleep OK, despite my mattress being hard and Noel’s having a noisy, crinkly, plastic sheet on it. No jet lag as yet. The shower is a dial-a-temperature type
We want to visit a car exporter today, as I am trying to locate a Lexus with air-suspension. So we search the phonebook which is fortunately in English and find the address of the main one.The day time views from our 19th floor window are quite striking.
We explore the hotel and find a swimming pool and small gym. I am showing Noel how to use the weights in the gym when I am stopped by the attendant for not having proper gym shoes.
They are very regulation conscious in Singapore. Quite the opposite in the Middle East, as we would find out. As we are flying out to Beirut tonight (via Frankfurt and Cairo), we check out and ask the hotel porters to look after our bags for us, until we are picked up at 6:15 pm.
They are very regulation conscious in Singapore. Quite the opposite in the Middle East, as we would find out.
As we are flying out to Beirut tonight (via Frankfurt and Cairo), we check out and ask the hotel porters to look after our bags for us, until we are picked up at 6:15 pm.
No breakfast included in this hotel.
“The day time views from our 19th floor window are quite striking.”
EXPLORING SINGAPORE IN DAYLIGHT
Apartments & Hazy Air
Off now to explore the city in daylight. Despite the dapper clothes standard of Singapore, I decide to wear my jandals because of the expected heat.
Actually it is quite comfortable at this time of the morning, about 8.30am. The sun is shining but the air is hazy. We have not seen a house at all yet in Singapore, only apartments, office, hotels and shops.
The lawn grass here is very coarse, about twice as coarse as the New Zealand Kikuyu.We manage after a little difficulty, to extract some local Singapore dollars from an ATM machine.
Then off we go to try and locate the fruit stall we found last night. However the city looks so different in the daytime and we can’t find it.
“We have not seen a house at all yet in Singapore, only apartments, office, hotels and shops.”
THE HINDU TEMPLE
Multi-Coloured Gods
We do however come across this impressive looking Hindu temple below, with multi-coloured statues of many different gods arranged around the top.An old barefoot Hindu priest is on guard outside. He motions to us that we can go inside if we remove our footwear.
I feel a bit uneasy. I have read books by Christian exorcists who relate hair-raising stories about such places in Asia, and how they are full of evil spirits. One evangelist wrote, “You are on Satan’s ground when you enter such places.”
However, curiosity gets the better of me and I suggest to Noel that we do go inside for a look. So we leave our footwear on the footpath outside and pad around inside the gloomy interior on the wooden floor.
There is a big shrine room in the centre of the floor with a statue of a god inside. In smaller alcoves around the inside walls of the temple we can see shrines set up to various gods, with candles burning and subdued red lights.
A barefoot monk, naked from the waist up is making offerings to one of the gods using incense. A few other Indians in robes are walking slowly around. I feel very much out of place. Noel does not appear particularly interested, so we go back out into the daylight and put our footwear back on.
“I feel very much out of place.”
The people of Singapore
people look malnourished
Next we decide to try and find a fruit shop and have a fruit breakfast. We walk a long way but can’t find one.
We do find a one man, at a Chinese fruit stand, selling big platefuls of fruit. Noel asks him if we can buy a mixture of fruit on one plate, but he says, “No. No mix.” So we walk on further.
We do find a one man, at a Chinese fruit stand, selling big platefuls of fruit. Noel asks him if we can buy a mixture of fruit on one plate, but he says, “No. No mix.” So we walk on further.
No. No mix.”
CURSE OF THE HINDU TEMPLE
Two Mishaps
Noel starts to complain of a sore foot. He stops and takes a look. He finds a small, blister-like wound on the sole of his foot. He thinks an insect may have bit him in the temple.
At the same time I notice that a pigeon has done a huge dropping on my white shirt, on the shoulder. Might be our punishment for going into the temple I say jokingly.
But possibly so. These are the only two mishaps that occur on our entire three week trip. I can’t help seeing the symbolism. A foot injury – through walking on unholy ground, and a big poopy on a clean white shirt – defiling that which is clean.
“These are the only two mishaps that occur on our entire three week trip.”
A DELICIOUS EXOTIC FRUIT LUNCH
The Most Delicious Meal
We finally find a small fruit shop where you eat on the premises. A very pleasant looking and smiling Singapore lady is serving. So we choose some of the exotic fruit on display and she starts to skin them and cut them up into small pieces on two plates for us.
While she is doing this, I ask if I can wash the very noticeable and embarrassing bird dropping off my shirt. She doesn’t understand, but her assistant who obviously understands English better, cheerfully points me to the corner wash basin.
I am able to clean the worse of it off, but a brown stain still remains. I join Noel at the cheap wooden table and then the smiling lady brings us our fruit. It is probably the most delicious meal we have on our whole trip.I loved the sweet orange fruit which I found out later was tropical mango.
Noel loved a refreshing pale fruit which is called star fruit. It is shaped like a star and tastes like sweet cucumber. The New Zealand name for star fruit is carambola.) We also had banana and watermelon.
I would like to try to grow mango and star fruit in my home orchard.
“It is probably the most delicious meal we have on our whole trip.”
THE BIG SPIKY FRUIT
A Good Aphrodisiac
Feeling refreshed, we carry on exploring and accidentally find the fruit stall we discovered last night. The big spiky fruit are selling as well as ever, so we decide to buy one and taste it.
At the same time I notice that a pigeon has done a huge dropping on my white shirt, on the shoulder. Might be our punishment for going into the temple I say jokingly.
Somebody mentions to Noel that these fruit are a good aphrodisiac.
“Somebody mentions to Noel that these fruit are a good aphrodisiac.”
THICK CARAMEL-LIKE YOLKS
Sweet & Sticky
We sit at an old table on the footpath and open it up. It is mostly puffy white flesh in three separate segments. But nestled within each segment is a bag of yellow caramel-like substance very much like an egg yoke.
I begin to eat it. It is sweet and sticky, but a bit cloying and very filling. Noel also eats one, but decides he does not like it very much. I think they are reasonably palatable and would probably ha
I try and eat the last yolk, but it is so filling I can’t finish it.Our hands are now very sticky. We see a tank of water near the table with a tap on the side so we wash our hands.
“It is sweet and sticky, but a bit cloying and very filling.”
DID IT WORK AS AN APHRODISIAC?
Rich in Zinc
You are probably dying to ask if it worked as an aphrodisiac. Not that I noticed personally, but our trip is so stimulating that it tends to crowd out such emotions.
This fruit is possibly rich in the mineral zinc, as are oysters. And inasmuch as many men lack zinc, especially rice-eating peoples like Asians, such food items can have an aphrodisiac effect. However they will have no effect on a man who is obtaining sufficient zinc.
“This fruit is possibly rich in the mineral zinc, as are oysters.”
RIPPED OFF IN A RICKSHAW
Fifteen American Dollar
We decide now to visit the car exporter. I suggest we take a two-seater rickshaw if it’s not too far. Noel agrees. They are everywhere when you don’t want them, but we have a job to find one now. Finally we spot an empty one parked in a pedestrian mall.
We find the small, older rickshaw driver nearby and have some language problems at first. But when the driver finally understands the address he tells us that it is too far away and walks off. But then he comes back and tells Noel he can take us to another car dealer closer by.
I feel that we should negotiate a price first but Noel who is handling the expenses seems happy enough, so we both climb in and the old man peddles us slowly out into the busy traffic. I ask him his age and he replies, “I 58,” which is also my age.
I feel very unsafe in the heavy traffic and also a bit embarrassed having someone else pedal me around. However it is a new experience. He stops to cross a road and is painfully slow getting started again. I feel like getting out and pushing. I suppose Noel and I weigh three times his weight.
After about five minutes we arrive at the car dealers.
Noel asks the rickshaw pedaller,
“Fifteen American dollar!”
“What? That’s too much. We could have got a taxi for that.”
“No, I have to pedal you. You pay fifteen dollar.”
“I’m not paying you that. Ten dollar?”
“No, fifteen dollar. I got to go all way back.”
I suggest we pay him five dollars and leave it at that, but Noel finally gives him ten (about NZ$15) and we walk away, leaving him protesting. But he soon pedals off. With all the fuss I didn’t get a photo of us in the rickshaw.
“I feel very unsafe in the heavy traffic and also a bit embarrassed having someone else pedal me around.”
SINGAPORE TOYOTA TAXIS
Boxy-Style Comforts
There were no vehicles to interest us at the dealers. Actually it was just a series of sheds belonging to small time dealers with a few cars and trucks in each.
So we walk outside and hail a taxi. Taxis are just about everywhere in Singapore. Noel gives him the address of the car exporter. It turns out to be at the far western end of the city, so off we drive.
After about ten minutes driving I see that the meter still hasn’t reached the amount we paid the rickshaw driver for a tiny fraction of the distance.
Nearly all Singapore taxis are specially designed, 1970 era boxy-style Toyota Comforts (Corona in New Zealand). These are a traditional proven design, just like the old London taxis. Toyota still make these same cars new today, especially for taxi work. The taxi we were in was only a few years old.
If you can’t afford a taxi or a rickshaw, you can climb on the back of one of these trucks. An OSH official would probably have a heart attack.
“Nearly all Singapore taxis are specially designed, 1970 era boxy-style Toyota Comforts.”
THE CAR EXPORTERS
Three Huge Sheds
When we find to the car exporter’s address, we find that he has moved to another part of town. So off we go again. At least we are getting a good Tiki Tour of the city. I do not see one Lexus among all the cars on the road however. So I do not raise my hopes too high. Quite a few Mercedes however.
We finally arrive at the car exporters. Three huge sheds. In the first shed we find most of the cars covered in thick dust. They have obviously been there for a long time. Not one Lexus, but loads of Mercedes. But all small engine models except one, an S500. However Mercedes from Singapore give a lot of trouble with their electric’s because of the high humidity. Also the cooling systems play up because of poor maintenance.
The cars in the other two sheds were cleaner.Noel finds a nice red 2001 Volkswagen that he would like to export to New Zealand. He arranges to do so if it remains unsold after he arrives home and he can buy it at a good price. It seems in nice condition and has just arrived. He starts it up but does not drive it.
As we are leaving, we see some of the containers that they export the cars in. They manage to cram three cars in one 25 ft container by chaining one up at a 45° angle.
“They manage to cram three cars in one 25 ft container by chaining one up at a 45° angle.”
A WALK IN THE TROPICAL JUNGLE
Muggy & Hot
It is now the afternoon, and very hot as we walk out of the dealer’s air-conditioned office. Just as well we bought a bottle of water earlier. We hire another Toyota taxi to take us to Bukit Timah Forest Reserve. We plan to walk up Singapore’s highest peak amid tropical jungle.
On the way we pass some large, orange, coconut-like fruit growing on palm trees. The taxi driver tells me that they are in fact coconuts, and that they go orange before turning brown. We have just enough Singapore dollars to pay the taxi driver.
Noel decides to buy an ice cream, but the young girl serving won’t accept American dollars, so he has to put it back in the fridge. Most disappointing for him.
We begin our walk up the hill path through the jungle. It is very muggy and hot, just as the Lonely Planet book said it would be. Noel finally removes his t-shirt. To heck with the overdressed locals.
Soon afterward, a local, fully-clothed runner comes down the path towards us, absolutely soaked wet in sweat. He is the only runner we see on our entire three week trip.
There are quite big trees growing in this tropical forest. Not unlike New Zealand bush. We also come across a super thick supple jack, about as thick as a man’s arm.
We see a family of monkeys. But they move so quickly across the ground and blend in so well with the brown of the jungle floor that we can’t get a clear photo of them. This also applies to several small squirrels that we see.
We eventually reach the peak of the hill which is only about three quarters the height of Mount Maunganui. We are disappointed to find that large trees block any views of the island and surrounding sea.
“We begin our walk up the hill path through the jungle. It is very muggy and hot.”
MORE JUNGLE CREATURES
Muggy & Hot
We decided to walk a different way down, through narrow jungle paths. This way is much longer, about 5 kms, but is more rewarding. We see numerous coloured tropical butterflies, but they won’t stop flying to be photographed.
Noel also finds a large red-backed ant. I take a photo of it near my jandaled foot to show you its large size.
Soon after this we hear a rustling in the dry leaves and find what looks like an anteater with a long thin tongue. The animal is nearly a metre long. We are both able to get a photo of this.
We then come across some large, peanut shaped fruit on a tree. Next we come to a series of dripping wet caves, going deep into the limestone hillside. One of them even goes right through the hill to the far side. You can see the distant daylight at the other end of the cave in the photo below .
“Next we come to a series of dripping wet caves, going deep into the limestone hillside.”
DID IT WORK AS AN APHRODISIAC?
A Most Welcome Milkshake
Finally we are out of the jungle at the bottom of the hill again. We walk out over a motorway overpass footbridge to a shopping centre. There we find a moneychanger. He exchanges some of Noel’s America dollars for Singapore dollars, so we sit down and have a most welcome milkshake at a takeaway place.
“We sit down and have a most welcome milkshake at a takeaway place.”
VISITING SANTOSA ISLAND
English & Language Skills
We then hail another taxi to take us to the resort beach area on an offshore island called Santosa Island. There is a bridge from Singapore Island to Santosa Island.
Our taxi driver speaks good English. Most Singapore people speak some English, but not enough to hold a conversation. We found this applied throughout our whole trip.
It seems to be rare to find a person living in a non-English speaking country who is sufficiently fluent in English to hold an extended conversation, even if they have previously lived for years in an English-speaking land.
A language skills is apparently quickly lost (although probably just temporarily) if we are not using it, or not around people using it. From now on, if I hear of a person described as being fluent in several languages, I will be inclined to disbelieve it.
“It seems to be rare to find a person living in a non-English speaking country who is sufficiently fluent in English to hold an extended conversation.”
HOLIDAY ATMOSPHERE ON SANTOSA ISLAND
Cell Phones Everywhere
Santosa Island has a noisy, chattering, holiday-like atmosphere. (Singapore people are always chatting loudly) and is nicely landscaped. Transport is by free circuit buses. Private cars are not permitted.
Even here, cell phones are everywhere. If I had to paint a picture of a typical Singaporean, I would have him or her speaking into a cell phone. They don’t appear to text much however.
After the taxi drops us off, we queue up at the main entrance terminal for about ten minutes and then board the next circuit bus that comes along. It quickly fills up with very noisy, chattering tourists.
“If I had to paint a picture of a typical Singaporean, I would have him or her speaking into a cell phone.”
THE SO-CALLED ‘UNDERSEA’ AQUARIUM
Yellow Plastic-Looking Snake
We get off at the so- called ‘undersea Aquarium. As we queue to buy a ticket we see an Indian man among the crowd with a yellow snake around his neck. The snake looks like a big yellow plastic one, but it is real.
The Aquarium is quite expensive and only so-so. The advertising gives the misleading impression that it is an undersea job, but it is only large underground tanks. If you have seen one Aquarium you have pretty much seen them all.
Noel and I were however impressed by a very colourful seahorse, and another seahorse that looks just like a clump of seaweed. A 3D white shark also looked quite impressive.
“As we queue to buy a ticket we see an Indian man among the crowd with a yellow snake around his neck.”
THE PINK DOLPHIN SHOW
A Genuine Pink Dolphin
The admission cost to the Aquarium also includes a ticket to a Pink Dolphin show, so we catch another bus to see this. Had a long wait for it to start. The show is similar to other dolphin shows I have seen, but this dolphin is definitely pink which was a novelty. Very mixed racial audience.
“The show is similar to other dolphin shows I have seen, but this dolphin is definitely pink.”
SANTOSA ISLAND BEACH
Young Indian Lovers
After the show we went for a walk along the steeply sloping, brown sand beach. Looked to be man-made. We wade in the seawater. It is warm but rather murky. The bite on the right ball of Noel’s foot does not seem to be too bad, but has swollen a little.
We walk to the end of the beach and then across a narrow suspension bridge to another small island. We see two young Indian lovers, standing chest-deep in the water below the bridge, gazing into each others eyes.
“We see two young Indian lovers, standing chest-deep in the water below the bridge, gazing into each others eyes.”
LOOKOUT TOWER ON THE SMALL ISLAND
Hazy Island Views
This small island contains a high wooden lookout tower. We climb the steps of the tower. From the top we can see hazy views of the surrounding Malaysian and Indonesian islands. (They don’t show up in the photo.)
We also see ships at anchor and what looks like a huge natural gas burn-off flame from a tall chimney in the distance.As we walk back over the bridge about half an hour later, the Indian lovers are still standing in the water below gazing into each others eyes.
“From the top we can see hazy views of the surrounding Malaysian and Indonesian islands.”
TWO BUSES AND TWO TRAINS
Singapore Public Transport
This small island contains a high wooden lookout tower. We climb the steps of the tower. From the top we can see hazy views of the surrounding Malaysian and Indonesian islands. (They don’t show up in the photo.)
We then wait some more and catch two underground trains to the vicinity of our city hotel. We had found the local station last night. We could have caught a taxi from the island but wanted to experience the Singapore public transport systems.
“We could have caught a taxi from the island but wanted to experience the Singapore public transport systems.”
DRIVEN TO SINGAPORE AIRPORT
Almost Like a City
The van is coming back to pick us up this evening to take us to Singapore airport to fly out via Frankfurt and Cairo to Beirut in Lebanon. There are panic stations at the hotel for about ten minutes among the porters when they can’t find our bags. Finally they locate them.
Then our driver is late. So we ask the hotel to phone him. They are told that he has already been here half an hour ago. Evidently he had been given the wrong time. The boss of the driver soon turns up and we are soon back again in the massive Singapore Airport.
Noel says there are about two square km of shops on three levels in this airport. Almost like a city in itself. We have a long wait for our plane. Noel decides to have an evening meal at the airport, but I’m not hungry, and I want to sleep well on the 12 hour overnight flight to Frankfurt, so I just have an apple.
Later we find a free internet computer and I send an email to Marie.
“Noel says there are about two square km of shops on three levels in this airport.”
THE LUFTHANSA JUMBO JET
Little Legroom
Well here we are at last, on board our plane. This time a big, four engined Lufthansa Jumbo jet. Nevertheless the seats are squashed up tight and there is little legroom to stretch out and sleep properly. We looked with envy at the spaced out seats as we walked through the Business Class section in the front of the plane.
The seats back here in Tourist Class are 3-4-3 across. Noel has taken a sleeping pill this time for the long 11 hour flight. In contrast to our last flight, this plane is jam packed. Lots of fair-haired Scandinavians – blonde women and sandy-haired men.
As we take off it is apparent that this plane is noisier than the last one. Four engines instead of two I suppose. So I wear my noise-cancelling headphones a lot of the time which cuts down the noise by about two thirds, and permits me to sleep on this overnight flight
I also find the eyeshades I brought along help a lot. However the lack of legroom is a big nuisance.
“The seats are squashed up tight and there is little legroom to stretch out and sleep properly.”
NO SUN BURN
Savage New Zealand Sun
I have spent nearly all day in the sun today, and in a tropical mid-summer with no hat or sun block, and am not sunburnt.
“New Zealand sun must be far more savage than is generally realised.”
David & Noel Coory · Middle East Trip
June 2005 · Tauranga, New Zealand to Singapore and beyond
Redesigned with care · Original travel diary preserved