Singapore pt 2

I spent most of the time walking around the city, using the MRT/bus, or watching cable TV (which seems to exist in every home in that country). Sim Lim Square, Suntec City (not sure if that's how it's spelt), Night Safari etc. all flashed before me - oh, and a little trip to Little India, where for the first time ever I stepped into a Hindu temple. Another thing worth mentioning is those genius inventions of Ezy-link cards ... say goodbye to paper MultiRiders.

Also watched a couple of movies while there (National Treasure, Meet the Fockers), and what got me was the fact that they're shown with Chinese subtitles. This meant that the Chinese people were reading ahead with the subtitles and got the jokes before us English-speakers/readers actually heard them, which meant they were laughing even before the joke was delivered on-screen. This is very annoying, but I guess inevitable in such a Chinese-dominated country.

Spent some time in Malaysia too, which made Singaporean drivers look like saints. In Singapore they overtake and switch lanes without indicating, and traffic jams extend for a long time. But in Malaysia, one has to wonder if they have laws on the road (or driver's licences for that matter). People ruthlessly cutting in, motorcyclists buzzing past you like flies, no lane markings ... the list goes on. In addition, I witnessed the truly horrifying sight of watching a young girl fishing for food with her hands in a drain next to the road. Yes, a drain where excrement flows. This disgusting sight brought home how truly blessed we all are to be born into the lives we are.

Now that I'm back in Australia, I realise how much I missed it. The humidity in Singapore and Malaysia was incredible, and I'd take the sheer heat of Australia over the humidity of Singapore any day. Also you come to realise how much we take simple things for granted here - availability of quality milk, social security, education, driver politeness, among countless other things. So while I'm back I'm going to relish what we have, including quality time with friends before university.

On a more positive note, my results were very satisfying, thank you very much.