Singapore, Singapore

I just arrived in Singapore from Langkawi.

I went from Georgetown, Penang to Langkawi. And from Langkawi, I took a 14 hour bus ride to Singapore crossing the entire Malaya Peninsula from North to South. The bus ride actually wasnt that bad. There were frequent stops along the way to pop a squat or grab some grub. Each rest stop has all you need. Toilets, Buttered Corn, Fresh Fruit, and His and Hers Prayer Rooms. All in all not the worst bus trip Ive had.

Georgetown was OK. I ended up seeing Fort Cornwalis, the place of the British's initial settlement in Malaya. It was pretty small not really worth the stop and an International Spice Garden there. The garden was actually really nice. As soon as I left I saw about 10 large monkeys walked across the telephone lines towards the garden. They were using the tail to hold on to the wire above them while they walked on the one below. They looked like hairy bumper cars.

I went to Langkawi to hit the beach. The beach was nice but the weather was nearly unbearable. I ended up sitting in the sun all day for the two days I was there and got pretty sunburned in the process. It makes carrying my backpack that much worse. But the opportunity to play some volleyball made it too hard to leave the sand. I think I almost had heat stroke after the second day. I was really tired, felt sick and I had a bad headache. I was fine after some water and Mango juice but I had to take a nap afterwards just to recompose myself.

When I first got on the island from the Penang ferry, you have to take a taxi to get to the hotels. I asked these Norwegian girls if they wanted to share a taxi to save the fair and I ended up hanging out with them the two nights I was there. Two of the five had just spent a month in Hawaii and they seemed pretty pleased with their American experience. It was pretty funny one of them was obsessed with the idea of New York City at Christmas time. She loved hearing about American Christmas and talking about where she went when she was there. It kind of made me jealous that I wouldnt be home for it myself.

It was actually really lucky I met these girls, because they helped me out in Singapore. Like I said I took a 14 bus ride from Langkawi to Kuala Lumpur to Singapore. It started at 5 pm and I arrived at 7 am. I got maybe 7 hours sleep over four different periods. So when we arrived at the Malaysian customs I was pretty out of it. Everyone gets off the bus goes through the departure customs, hands over their departure cards, gets their passports stamped, and gets back on the bus. No Problems! Now, Singapore Entry Customs. This time we have to carry all of our luggage off the bus to go through customs. Now as I said I was pretty out of it and not really thinking and when I got into the Customs Terminal I took two pictures, with my bright flash on, of the 'No Chewing Gum' Sign. Dumb Move. I put my camera away and turn around and a security guard reprimanded me for taking pictures in their customs area and said I could be arrested for that. I apologized and he eventually walked. I get to the custom counter and handed my passport over to the customs official and once again they have a problem with matching my beardless passport picture with the now studly, bearded Doug Jeffery. He eventually agrees that I am me, but then asks if I tested my camera in the terminal. I think he saw me do it so I just confessed to doing it. He seemed to get pretty flustered and then called his supervisor to deal me. I apologized to him and told him that I would just delete the picture if he wanted. He said it wouldnt make any difference. He then proceeds to give me a 30-day visa and then void it once his supervisor arrives. The supervisor then escorts me into their side security office and ask me if I took a picture. I told them I took two and showed them to them. They asked why I took them. I said it was just a novelty thing. He then asked me if I had any gum on me; I said no. He eventually said OK, quizzed me on my personal information and my itinerary and let me go.

They whole thing made me take probably 30 minutes longer then everyone else on my bus. So when I went back out to get on my bus I couldnt find them. I think they just wrote me off and went on without me. So once again I had entered a new country without getting their currency ahead of time and was nearly marooned barely within the border. But luckily, the nice Norwegian girls I had met in Langkawi had just been to Singapore and had given me S$7 that they didnt need. So I was able to hop on a packed rush hour city bus into town. In was a bit touch and go there for a while but it worked out in the end.

. . . . .

Ill be here for 3 days before I head out to Borneo.

Also, I just got word that my Australia Holiday visa was approved. I now can work in Australia for up to 12 months. I guess my Chest X-Ray was clear.