Saturday 20 April 2013

On the ‘Visa’ Run: Malaysia and Singapore


‘To awaken quite alone in a strange town is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world…’ (Freya Stark)

Hello all! Let me start by wishing anyone who is running the London Marathon tomorrow a massive GOOD LUCK! A few of my closest buds have been pounding the pavements for a good while now in preparation for the big day and are raising money for several different charities. It obviously takes such dedication and motivation to run for that prolonged period of time (I get bored after twenty minutes) so WELL DONE for getting this far… p.s., they say adrenaline carries you through the last couple of miles!

So, here are the latest, much-anticipated updates of the Flashpackers’ whereabouts! Our Thai visa was up and rather than do a ‘visa dash’ day run to a neighbouring border, we thought we’d spend some actual time in Malaysia and Singapore, of which we’d heard great things. Why the hell not? I'm quite enjoying my rapidly growing stamp collection decorating the pages of my passport! We flew into Malaysia from Thailand then decided to take the four hour bus from Malaysia into Singapore. This was one of my first experiences crossing a country border via land, as opposed to the air. All seemed pretty standard; getting an ‘exit’ stamp from Malaysia and walking through to get my ‘entrance’ one into Singapore. That is, until a guard pulled us aside and led us down a darkened corridor. Oh no, where were we going? Has Stevie’s juvenile criminal past finally caught up with him?! So, we stopped outside a small room housing a contraption resembling a wind machine in it. We had to hand over our passports and individually walk through this device. At one point I did start to panic – did they think we were carrying drugs? I mean, I know I had the equivalent of a small pharmacy in my medicine bag, but the strongest thing they’d find was some cold sore cream, after having run out of painkillers after Full Moon! Anyway, as I passed through, I was sprayed from all angles with some sort of disinfectant. The guard had obviously spotted our dishevelled appearance and the hefty backpacks and assumed we were carrying all sorts of germs. Nice. Ah well, this brings a new meaning to ‘feeling refreshed’ as you touch down in a different country!

Everyone’s heard of Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, right? So, there was no problem in researching ‘things to do’ there; we even managed to visit Melaka, a not-so-well known city further south. Singapore was slightly more difficult…did you know that Singapore has no capital city? Well, I didn't  Geography not being one of my strong points, it took me a while to realise why searching for ‘cities to stay in in Singapore’ was proving unsuccessful! It’s actually a South-east Asian island city-state (to you and me, it’s like a cosmopolitan city that also happens to be a country!) To me, there were a lot of similarities between the two countries; both had really efficient public transport, countless shopping malls… But if I had to choose, Singapore has that little extra je ne sais quoi. The skyline at dusk, paired with the lights reflecting off of the water, was very picturesque and I felt very relaxed there. Probably something to do with the fact that Singapore is often projected as ‘the safest city in Asia’. Especially for women.

Our ten day tour would provide a much needed change of scenery; after a month of surveying nothing but the sea and sweating our days away on the beach, walking around fabulous, air-conditioned shopping malls and seeing some sights was a very welcoming thought! However, we had been told these countries were a lot more expensive than what we’d been used to. GREAT. Just what we need. Especially since I’d just discovered that the gem that is my bank (with whom I affectionately share part of my name) had been charging me the world each time I withdrew money. I could've chartered a bloody plane to Singapore with the amount they’d taken! So, with purse strings tightly fastened, we braced ourselves for ten days of extreme budgeting. Upon reflection, it wasn't as bad as we’d expected. It’s common sense - you have to be prepared to part with your pennies if you want to experience some of the major tourist attractions (sightseeing tours in Kuala Lumpur, animal attractions in Singapore). Being a veteran traveller, though (hello three months living out of a backpack!), you do your research and realise that, contrary to what some say, the best things in life (to do) really are free!

Now, I do LOVE to shop. Back in the UK, it’s actually impossible for me to go shopping and not come back laden with bags… I’ll wear it all at some point, right? Well, SLIGHTLY different here when everything I buy, I have to carry. It does not help when it seems ALL of my adored shops from back home seemed to surround me everywhere we went both in Malaysia and in Singapore. It took massive amounts of self- control to not have a bit of a ‘Supermarket Sweep’ moment in TopShop and hide the evidence in the bottom of Stevie’s backpack! Malaysia and Singapore, by the way, are GREAT for shopping; however, the amount of luxury stores definitely overpowers my high street favourites. In Singapore alone, there are four Louis Vuitton stores. FOUR. It’s not as if each one has queues out of the door – I’d understand if the crowds resembled those a la the Next sales back home – but I walked past a few with not a single customer in! Anyway, my point is, window shopping is a fabulous free activity and we spent many a day perusing the hundreds of stores in the comfort of an air conditioned mall. Talking of free activities, there is an amazing water and light show outside the Marina Bay shopping mall in Singapore (coincidentally next to a Louis Vuitton) which is well worth seeing, and their Botanical Gardens are a great place to spend a day wandering aimlessly through the different sections of plants, trees, flowers… you get the picture! Kuala Lumpur even has a free bus comprising of two different routes that outlined the major attractions of the city, which is a godsend. Another way you can get ripped off is in choosing your method of transport; although it’s easy to just jump in a cab, there are many cheaper alternatives. The Underground systems in Malaysia and Singapore are quick and easy to use – a single trip costing less than the price of a Happy Meal! Yes, there were times we got slightly lost – it did have to be the time we were carrying ALL our bags – but hey, by doing your research and seeking out cheaper options, it left us more money to spend on one of our favourite things… FOOD.

After spending a month in Thailand we were used to street food so sought it out where possible. In all honesty, there wasn't much to offer street-side in Malaysia and Singapore so we resorted to food courts. Now, this is where you can go wrong ; if you head to the ‘international’ food courts with all the familiar chains (Subway, Nando’s, Pizza Hut…) although tempting, you will spend more pennies than if you eat in a ‘local’ one. They are a fraction of the price and, if you don’t mind rice and noodles, very tasty at the same time. I must mention that, as a traveller, you definitely make the most out of the free things on offer. This includes any amenities of your digs. Examples include a free breakfast – alright, it may be some toast and a coffee, but it’s better than nothing, right? In KL we stayed in a great hostel that served mounds of rice and noodles as well as ‘normal’ breakfast items. Not the most conventional way to start the day, but hey, if it’s free, I’ll force them down! Every little helps – free toiletries, complimentary bottles of water… it makes the stay a little bit more memorable and sets the place apart from its competitors. By the way, fellow hostel dwellers, if you’re not already on to it, invest in an eye mask. It’s the perfect solution to avoid being the’ kill joy’ in the dorm who wants to turn all the lights out. Also comes in handy for napping on planes/buses/trains… I haven’t had mine off!

This next paragraph is counteracting all previous advice I've given on seeking out the ‘free’ activities a place has to offer. In Singapore, we took the plunge and splurged on two activities that we deemed ‘essential’: a visit to Universal Studios and our very first Night Safari. Now, I could be classed as a veteran of theme parks, having visited each one in Orlando, Florida near enough every year since birth. Stevie jumped on the bandwagon a few years ago on yet another Gibbo outing to the ‘sunshine state’, so together, we decided to tackle Singapore’s version. It did not disappoint. It was pretty much the same layout as our Floridian favourite plus a few new additions, including a whole section devoted to ‘Madagascar’ (both mine and Steph’s most adored film – ‘I like to move it, move it’) and ‘Far Far Away’, the home of Shrek and Donkey (Jennie P’s favourite!). For the first time in almost three months, we forgot we were travellers and raced around the place like kids from ride to ride (well, most rides; I still retain my ‘wimp’ status as I refused to go on the ‘big’ roller coasters!). It was actually here that I experienced my first bout of home sickness; wandering round the park trying to follow the map isn't normally my job, that’s left up to Sue, pointing out all the available toilets and eateries along the way. There’s normally a herd of us, so it was very strange telling the ride attendant ‘two’ instead of about ‘a dozen’. Yes, we spent a small fortune, but it was definitely worth it, even for the fond memories it evoked of past trips with the family. Speaking of herds, we also forked out for Singapore’s Night Safari; as we’re not nearing Africa any time soon, we decided on the next best thing! It actually makes perfect sense – the animals tend to sleep and hide away during the scorching temperatures of the day, and tend to be more active and alert at night. A tram safari takes you around several geographical zones of the world, housing many of the worlds’ nocturnal species. The walking trails allow you to explore these zones at your own pace and view the animals up close. This is definitely a must for all animal lovers – what I liked most was the ‘open air’ layout, with not a cage or barbed wire fence in sight.

So, after ten days of (window) shopping and (free) sightseeing, the tan was beginning to fade. We waved goodbye to Malaysia and Singapore and boarded a flight back to our second home, Thailand. This time, though, we had a little treat in-store, something to DEFINITELY boost our rankings in the ‘Flashpacker Hall of Fame’. Stay tuned…

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