Singapore, I'm breaking up with you.

It's not me, it's you.

Okay, well maybe it's partly me, but it's mostly you.
Fine, it could be 50-50 you and me.
Ohmygosh, calm down, fine. It's all me.

It's been fun, Singapore. But, I've got to move on.
I'm over your bipolar temperament.
You're all over the place, Singapore, and I just can't handle it.

To be fair, I tend to judge cities pretty harshly when my first experience is rain. So don't feel alone, it's why I also don't like NYC.
I had some good experiences, some weird ones, and some less than ideal ones.
And all of that happened in the span of three days.
That's just too much flippy-floppy for me.

So, what I'm saying is, don't be too upset that I've moved on.

Let me break it down for you day by day.

Day One:

• Arrive in Singapore at 2:00am local time.
• Check in to the most glorious hotel you've ever seen. Views as follow:

 

• Enjoy a luxurious bubble bath circa 3:00am.
• Decide I've been up for long enough/way too long, go to sleep.
• Re-wake up at 5:00pm.
• Decide to venture outside for food.

 

Run into the Singapore Flyer and all of it's glory

• Figure out everything is closed for Chinese New Year.
• Note: Everything will be closed for the Lunar New Year for most of your trip. You'll learn to deal with this. You'll enjoy the beauty around you through the celebrations. 

Trucks like these were driving around the city filled with dragon dancers

Oranges filled the city in the festive spirit with added touches of red

• Find a Thai place still serving food. Eat there.
• Walk around for awhile.
• Decide you should go back and look up things to do/places to go/people to see.
• Get back to hotel and decide it's actually dessert time.
• Meet the guy in charge of the restaurants, have him lead you around showcasing desserts. Let him talk you into a $8 2x2" piece of cake and a $15 mocktail.
• In all seriousness though, this guy's name is Rafael. And he's amazing. If you ever stay at the Pan Pacific in Singapore, make a point of meeting Rafael. He'll take you on a food tour of the entire facility, which, trust me, is needed. He'll recommend things based on your state of mind, and he's spot on. Even better? He'll remember you the next time he sees you and we'll greet you just as warmly.
• Hang out in the bar.
• Decide it's nighttime, technically, so you should go back to bed.
• Watch TV/movies until the wee hours of the morning.
• Have your bff talk you into just staying up.

Day Two:

• Start your day at 530am after not sleeping.
• Go to the hotel restaurant for breakfast.
• Okay, if you stay at the Pan Pacific, or even if you visit Singapore and don't stay at the Pan, I would highly recommend spending a morning at their brunch. First, it's expensive. It's ridiculously expensive, but it's also worth most of the pennies. You get a tour around all of Asia in one morning from the comfort of a classy establishment downstairs. But they have more than just Asian food, they have food from everywhere in the world. Prefer morning crepes? Or pastries? Or eggs any style? Or the lame-o that spends $50 for only a cup of oatmeal? They have it. All of it. It really did just get my morning started off on the right foot, and hey, it worked as a meal for the whole day.
• Decide to visit the zoo.
• Figure out how to get to the zoo from a combination of google maps, free Singapore maps, and concierge staff.
• You decide on the bus route in order to see more of the city.
• After waiting for over an hour with 3 some buses passing you by, you finally get one to stop long enough to figure out why nobody will pick you up and make X's with their arms while passing you. In the quick conversation, he tells you that this is a drop up only stop. He's not sure where they pick up to go the other way. From the sounds of it, they just don't? How is that even possible you wonder.
• Decide to take the subway/train instead.
• Get to bus terminal. Transfer to zoo bus.

 

• Get in line to wait for ticket. Buy ticket. Commence complete downpour by mother nature. lovely.
• But that's okay. You were prepared for this situation. You brought your rain coat with you. Aren't you a thinker.
• Wander around the zoo for a few hours, see the shows they offer, take advantage of everything, and get completely soaked anyways.

• Take the bus back to the train transfer station. Wander around the area for a while. Find yourself in street markets with ducks hanging and all sorts of other odds and ends.

• Again don't figure out how to take the bus home, so get on the subway. It's not that bad of a deal since it goes above ground for much of the journey.
• Think you're being clever and you've figured out a short cut on getting home. Take said short cut.
• Note: short cut will actually end up being a long cut. You're still completely soaked and now you're lost. Instead of doing the smart thing and going back from where you came to start over, you continue to wander around. The downtown has a scenic sky line with land marks you remember. So, you walk around looking up at the sky until you think you know where you are.

• Note to the note: You still have no idea where you are. You're still lost. But, you've found a shopping mall with different things and stores and restaurants. So, you wander around that until you find some decently priced food.

• Note amendment: Turns out you sort of knew where you were and via the sky line and some visual cues, you find your way back to the hotel with a dinner still warm.
• Because you stayed up the whole night, and you've spent most of the day lost in transit, you're absolutely exhausted.
• Crash early without shame. You deserve it.

Day Three: 

• Wake up ridiculously early due to an early bed time.
• Check in with the world since you don't have much anything else to do at 5:30am local time.
• Finally rouse and enjoy a later brunch at the Pan Pacific again. It's delicious. It happens. No regrets.
• Per the recommendation of Rafael, you decide to spend the day checking out Little India and Arab Street.
• Again, you turn to the magic that is your resources and figure out a train route to get there. 
• This time you experience sweet, sweet success in the subway route. Victory.
• Walk around Little India for a long while. Here is where you will regret using up every last inch of space in your luggage. Beautiful everything graces your eyes at incredibly reasonable prices.

A tiny tribute to CNY in the middle of Little India.

• Based on your map knowledge, you conclude that it would make most sense to walk to Arab St. So, you do.
• Arab Street is THE store for aspiring designers. Beautiful fabrics, beads, and jewels of all sorts. If only you were the aforementioned.
• You don't feel like you're so far from your start point, so look into the skyline for details on getting back and start making the trek. 
• Note: You were wrong. Again. The way back is much farther than it looks. But hey, you're a trooper and technically speaking you have two working feet attached to two working legs, so carry on.

• At this point it's late afternoon and again raining. You feel like you've pretty much done all you can with the time you were given, so you go back to the various shopping malls just to browse the foreign stocked items and marvel at the prices.
• Get back to the hotel room after some surprisingly decent mall sushi and get ready to go out.
• Decide that you're now a writer and you must write all the time.
• Go the the hotel bar and enjoy over-priced everything while writing.
• Decide that you're not actually a writer and you're actually exhausted.
• Call it a day.

Day Four: 

• It's pouring rain. It pretty much seems like a tsunami outside. This doesn't bare well for any last minute adventures before your flight out of this country.
• Head to the airport after check out. Don't feel guilty about wasting a day. It's disgusting out and you've done quite a bit. Way to go.
• Catch plane out of the country. Promptly fall asleep and wake up in Australia. Well done, you've made it.

So here's the deal, Singapore.

A lot of things were spectacularly new. And that was fabulous.

The fact that English is the language of choice is pretty sweet deal.

But, even though English is the norm, nobody actually speaks English. Sure, people do when interacting with staff anywhere, but in the day to day everyone is speaking his or her native language. Which is fine and all, but you've never felt so isolated. 

Somehow, I managed to not run into another American my entire stay. Not one, not once, not anywhere.

I think had it not been raining, had I not been alone, and had I had more room in my luggage, I may not be so keen on breaking up with you. But for now it's just the way it has to be.

Sorry love, better luck with the next girl.

XOXO

One is the loneliest number

Harry Nilsson said it best.

One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do. 

Being alone gives you a lot of time to think. 

Some things you may realize when you're alone:

1. Just how boring you are. You don't really realize just how boring you are until you're alone. With yourself. All the time. Just spending time with your own thoughts. 

2. How lucky you are to have friends at all given thought-provoking realization number one.

3. Just how bad at picture taking you are. Zero talent. Get at me vogue.

4. Realize you have no idea why you're calling out vogue. You don't even read vogue.

5. Really, reallllly reflect back on the choices that led you to this position.

Things that you might do while solo:
1. Make friends.
2. In room spa including luxury lotion, Korean foot mask, nail polish, and chocolates of course!

3. Take a lot of blurry selfies:






4. Anddd then finally end up with one half decent picture:


Looking good bathtub, lookin' gooood.

5. Drink alone. Because that's the best.

A Singapore Sling. Apropos, no?

Things to help pass the time while solo:

1. Listen to music. All the time. Now your life has a soundtrack. How cool is that?!

2. Consider exercising. Working out has never sounded so appealing ever.

3. Just keep showering/bathing. I mean, for the most part that probably happens solo anyway, right?

4. Watch every movie known to man ever. Let's be real. Movies
5. Eat. A lot. Maybe just go from restaurant to restaurant, eating your way though a county. A la every host on any food show.
6. Write super obnoxious blog posts in the hotel bar. can't stop me.

Okay, I promise this wasn't a post just to whine.

Well. Mostly to talk out loud to myself, but via a different platform that one person in Poland might even be reading too. Heyya Polish brethren. Whaddup. Get at me.

But anyways, tomorrow is my last day in Singapore, and then I'm on to my new home for the next four months!!!!
Which means, a blog post summing up Singapore and all of my misadventures while here.
And maybe even a crappy picture or two!

okay. I'm done now.
promise.

Sleepless in Singapore

Jetlagged (adj.) - the state of being completely exhausted while simultaneously unable to sleep. Characterized by lack of focus, headaches, and a desire for something unknown. May lead to irrational decisions such as buying $15 mocktails and easy persuasion. 

Eventually, once falling asleep, you'll sleep for 14 or so hours and will only wake up in the evening after turn down service continually rings you. You'll wake up dazed, still exhausted, and confused. Time will no longer have meaning.

This is my current state of being. I am jetlagged. awesome.

So, anyway, a seven hour flight got me here from Japan. You think it would've been shorter, no?

I managed to sleep through the meal and then despite my best efforts, stay awake for the latter half of the flight. 

I had the most amazing view flying into the Singapore Airport.

And since I was awake and had a window seat, I got to enjoy the full experience.

There were hundreds of ships in this bay all lit up. I couldn't take a picture. But it was incredible.

Picture the biggest ship you can. Multiply it by 100. Make all of those ships glow. Turn the lights off. Magic.

But, I made it to Singapore! And more excitingly, all of my bags made it too!

By the time I got through immigration, exchanged some money, and got my bags, it was close to 2:30am local time. So, I hopped in a cab and was able to snap a quick pic of the scenic view in.

This is a blurry shot of the world's most magical ferris wheel.

Upon arriving at this absolutely gorgeous hotel, full on jetlag set in. So, after deciding that sightseeing should probably wait until normal daylight hours, I decided to take full advantage of the spa sized bubble bath.

And tiny, stuffed Roux approved.

And then I stayed up. For a really long time. And then I slept. for an even longer time.

this hotel is incredible. And it's attached to this super strange and yet incredible mall.

What I didn't realize until today was that all of Singapore is celebrating the Chinese New Year. Yahooo!

It also meant that many, many things are closed. 

So here are some picture of giant Chinese fire crackers hanging from the ceiling in the hotel. 

I mean, they're really giant.

And that's a quick glimpse of the lobby!

So, after a not so eventful day in a state of complete jetlagsomnia, I sat down in the hotel bar and indulged in this hazelnut-chocolate cake... 

...and this ridiculously expensive dragonfruit mocktail, inspired by the lunar new year.

So, tomorrow I'll set an alarm. And get over this craze. 

The game plan?

http://www.zoo.com.sg/

followed by Little India perhaps.

Until then, I think I'll watch the grammy's rerun and maybe go back to enjoying the in-room spa.

Off to La-La Land via Cloud 9

So, almost on the dot, they began boarding the flight for Japan.
Watch out world, this girl has a ticket, and she will quickly find her seat. Get out da way.

What a lovely surprise for a slight nervous wreck.


My sleep/seating/movie area for the next thirteen some hours looked a bit like this:



Plenty of extra pillows and blankets:

And they offer a choice of champagne OR orange juice. Please, why not combine for some midday mimosas?

Fresh baked cookies on a flight? A scent I could get use to.

Oh, complimentary slippers? Don't mind if I do.

Or ya know, PJs and a newspaper too.



So, I had no trouble hanging my coat up for the duration of the flight...



... and figuring out the complicated automation to kick back and relax

I think I've officially died and gone to heaven. Brb real world, I'm off to lala-land for the time being.

And, I finally got excited. Super, excited. About midway through the flight and 3 or 4 movies in, it hit me how awesome this all is. How absolutely incredible this opportunity is. Can't wait, world.

**I apologize for any grammatical/logical errors. I really am half mostly asleep sitting in the airport waiting for my next, connecting flight. Maybe the next flight will have wifi for part of it? Probably not. And probably for the best. A few zzz's couldn't hurt.**

ORD, My Old Friend.

So, today er... yesterday... began my travels.

The official route: MSN->ORD->NRT->SIN (long layover, see 2-4 days)->PER

I'm half-awake in the Tokyo-Narita airport typing this, running on approximately 5 hours of sleep in the last 48. So, that's awesome something.

The biggest plane I've ever seen.

As evidenced by the world's seemingly tiniest truck.

Followed by the world's most expensive, morning dessert drink. At least it's topped with an impressive amount of whip cream, yes?

But hey, it all worked out since I'm holding this priority card for first ;)

Although, hopefully it's not the bulkhead. I'm not sure what row 3 is in such a big plane, but I would enjoy frequent access to my backpack aka my lifeline.

Questions quickly answered: 3J is a tiny hotel room that even giant sized people could find comfort in.

(Please see next post for details ;))

Ciao for now.

And so it begins...

It may not be pretty.

It may be way more crap than I planned on or wanted to bring (and hence the problem with being a recovering hoarder).

(Please note tiny,stuffed copy of my cat, Roux, courtesy of my lovely roommate and bestie, Erica)

I may have had to deal with this little screwball all day doing this the whole time:

I may have somehow misplaced my swimsuit last minute.

I may have left the house in a complete disaster packing such last minute.

But, I found my passport. And camera. And camera charger.

So, I'll be damned if I'm not halfway around the world this time tomorrow!

Even if it means leaving this adorable, little screwball.

So, see ya later 'merica.

XOXO, 

Your bff, Taylor ;)