Apologies now to all those (3 or 4) people who are avidly following what I promised to write regularly and have been too busy getting drunk and sweating to actually get down to doing.

This trip has been amazing and enlightening even in the few weeks i’ve been out but I suppose I should get back to the point and rewind a bit. I will summarise Singapore and then move on to the other similarly brilliant places i’ve been to since leaving the boredom and tedium of England (sorry to my friends, no offense meant).

Singapore is a big hectic beautiful city/country, it has it’s share of issues (same as any country) as pointed out Callan Tham and the others but it stands out in so many ways. The hustle and bustle of the city is kinda scary at times but because it is relatively small it is so very easy to get around. The people that I came across were nothing but friendly and helpful to an extremely humbling degree. It has made me realise that the English could learn a thing or two sometimes, stop being so arrogant and rude towards strangers and travellers who only ask for advice and nothing more. I saw lots of beautiful things and people, including the botanical gardens. which I have to point out to people at home that this park is the size of Banbury easily and homes an entire rainforest, many lakes, open spaces, all kinds of things to see which would take days to see all of it. The only thing you have to pay for that I found was the orchid house at 5 singapore dollars (about £3) is a bargain for the chance to see so much beauty and nature.

Next thing I would like to say is how helpful Callan, Jun shen, Jing wen, Dave, Far han, Kevin and Rizal (again if i leave anyone out let me know and i will amend this) were with my photography and belief in my ability to get a good photo. They taught me only a few things but they have changed my perceptions of photography forever, THANK YOU GUYS, I will always owe you a massive debt of gratitude for that.

OK so if I carry on with this much detail about everything it will take weeks to catch up.

When it came to leaving Singapore I was sad but knew the time had come as it is not a cheap place to be and I had already overspent by not booking my train in advance and having to stay two more days in an attempt to get things sorted.. Fortunately when I needed two more days I had to move to another hostel over the road and happened across a lovely couple (Siraj Kumar and Winter ash) from Malaysia who said they were going by bus and would show me the way to go and get me on the right bus to Kuala Lumpur. Little did I know that they would, like the others in SG, go out of their way to help me and for that again I will always owe them more than they know. So it was Pretty hectic and without their help I may have got myself into some trouble. It wasn’t an easy trip getting a bus, getting out of the bus, out of SG, back in the bus, over the bridge, out of bus again, into Malaysia, back in bus and on to a very busy, loud bus station. They took me to a little booth, ordered my ticket for me and then took me to get some money changed so i didn’t need to do it in KL (wouldn’t have been able to when I got there anyway, too late at night). They then stayed by the bus waving erratically and fervently with childlike excitement which made me feel like I was on a school trip and it was my parents waving me off, was such a nice feeling to get such love from two people I had only met one day earlier.

That was me on my way to KL for more learning and meeting really very nice people yet I had already learnt so much and met so many people in a short time. I wanted to get some sleep on the bus but my Paranoid ex-weed addled mind would not allow me to do so. I had an interesting ride watching all the palm oil plantations go by on the motorway as our crazy driver overtook, undertook and generally drove like a mentalist to do what should have been a 5 hour drive in 3.5 hours! I was warned by Siraj that drivers are a bit crazy here but that was eye opening. Once I arrived in KL, at a big empty bus station with a handful of Malaysians who spoke very little english to point me in the right direction, my mind went a bit loopy thinking that I was going to get lost or mugged or both. Thankfully I kept my shit together and followed some very random signs, managed to get myself to within two stops of where I needed to be before having to ask someone who immediately knew where I was going without me even needing to ask him (sweeet). A little later than planned I got to one of my favourite Hostels of the whole trip so far, Matahari lodge. Full of really nice friendly people including a guy from Birmingham who when finding out I was heading to Cambodia gave me a sim card he bought and didn’t really use and 3,500riel (about 75p but still), such unquestioned generousity was lovely and again very humbling.

Still I carry on with the detail but never mind, For now that will be all. I shall endevour to do more catching up in the next few days before Leaving Bangkok so watch this space.

Due to various different things (laziness to begin with, and terrible hostels after) blogging has been a massive issue people. Much as i have wanted to update you all on the ins and outs of this trip, it will have to wait another day until i get myself out of the hell hole i got myself into (hostel from hades). Then i willl spend a day just writing all kinds of crap for you to read and dribble at (reblog or just call me a cock don’t care which).

So anway i’m off to sweat some more (british-ness) and try to find a better place to stay so i don’t have to come to an internet cafe to do anything interweb related!!

peace, love and unity

Monkey

P.s to let you all know where to avoid like the plague. It is the sawasdee inn on Khaosan road Bangkok, in fact just to be sure stay away from all of their places, can’t imagine any are much better than that shithole.

ctham:

Gotta admit, it’s pretty funny, but O RLY?

itsk1rssy:

ohmyfuckingGOD

Can’t stop laughing, wish i could get this on a t-shirt

Barney dancing to single ladies :- Must search this episode and watch it asap!!

ctham:

Rick Santorum — What a dick.

Right i’ve been really lax because of jetlag etc and so i’m trying to catch up now.

So day two started slowly, it’s too hot to do anything before about 2pm but i was up and about at 9am (that’s new for me) So i milled about a bit and then once i’d got hold of the guys Callan came to pick me up in a taxi and took me sd card shopping. Went to possibly the smallest shop i’ve seen in a long time but with more stuff than any shop would allow in the uk (elf-n-safety would have a field day) so crammed that you have to go up the aisles sideways or you get stuck (yes even a skinny bitch like me!) But please don’t take this as a complaint, how could i complain about getting a 4gb class10 SD card for sd$7.60 (about £3.00ish). That was a nice surprise though as it was priced up for sd$12.90, gave the lady sd$14 and she almost immediatley gave me back sd$4 and then after some discussion with her accomplice gave me another sd$2.40 back… I had to pick my jaw up off the floor before i left the shop with a huge grin on my face. Callan Tham you are a true legend and I will always be indebted to you for that amongst all the other things you have done for me!

We then went for lunch as Callan wanted me to try a dish called Mubarack (i think) which is like naan bread stuffed with minced mutton and onions. and a chilli chicken noodle dish, both of which were so nice I want to have them again before I go. I took pictures but tumblr won’t let me upload them (says they’re the wrong files.. spaz)

After lunch it was time to head on towards some graffiti spots, where we met up with Farhan (another really nice photo geek) and we proceeded to shoot and sweat, as is the custom it seems. There isn’t a lot of graffiti here but what there is is pretty good even if it is massive murals that have been commisioned it seems (kinda defeats the object of graffiti but any port in a storm and all that).

Then we headed on and met up with Rizal another photo mad sing guy and very nice bloke. After some wandering and shooting we headed to little india to get more shots where at some point Callan made me feel a whole lot better about my amateurish level of photography leaving his lens cap on, oh how we laughed and pointed out that it will go in here and he will not live it down haha. Although in fairness he’d been using a camera all day that didn’t have a lens cap so easy mistake when he swapped over (see what i did there Mr Tham, tried to save your rep after ruining it)

So after all that and more wandering around we went for banquet and I had a bento box seeing as my bro had raved about them years ago, thought i’d try one here (not the same as japanese but you take what you can get) and it was goood!

Apres dinner was a trip to orchard (massive uber cool shopping centre) to check out and art exhibition in which some friends of theirs were showing photo’s, we looked liked and criticised (well i didn’t really cause i’m no position to criticise). Then headed outside to get street shots and met up with Dave ending with a trip up some massive escalators to the roof of a building and some cool views of the city and the royal (as such) residence, which was basically a big black blot on the city landscape because it’s totally hidden by trees and no lights.

It was time for home by this point as I was shattered and i’m sure the guys were probably the same. Callan had a bad ankle which he twisted on the first day but kept it hush hush cause he’s such a legend but i didn’t want to keep him on it too much. So home we all headed.

Again thanks to all the guys for showing me such a great time and all the best sides of Singapore. If there is ever an opportunity for me to repay the favour i will endevour to do so.

So that was day two and if they carry on like this then these are going to become a chore for you all to read never mind the time it takes to write it all.

Ok so i only uploaded the first blog a few hours ago but it’s time to give you details of the first and truly brilliant day.

Most importantly I must give mucho thanks to Callan, David, Jing Wen, and the two others who’s names escape me now (sorry guys) for all they have done so far. I have not encountered such amazing generosity and kindness many times in my life and to have it on the other side of the world with people i’ve just met is very humbling.. I suppose I have also to thank my big (ugly) brother for being such a well loved camera geek and putting me in contact with them all.

Ok, the all important details of the day are as follows.

After getting very little broken sleep on either plane journey arrival at Singapore was met with a big bag of frustration. Bought some duty free baccy on the way over, told to declare it at Sing and thought nothing of it, only to find out from some very apologetic Sing airport staff that the duty to be paid was more than I had paid for the baccy and so had to watch them destroy all but one pouch. A very painful experience for a budget traveller such as myself. £42 is a lot to spend on 50g of tobacco in any language and a shock to the funds! No money for a memory card now, so glad I bought the netbook with me as I can just download each days pictures and not worry about sd cards until i’m home or find a generous benefactor. Anyway i’m rambling and it is late so want to get this done and get some proper sleep (in a bed with pillows and everything). Once i’d got over the baccy debacle I found my way to the trains and made my way towards my hostel. When i say made my towards it that is no lie even with instructions the wall of heat made it hard work. Finally found my place and no wonder it was hard to find, the sign was just paper blue-tacced to an almost unnoticable plain brown door (didn’t like that much but inside it’s pretty nice considering how cheap it is). Got my sweaty self cleaned up, fresh clothes and with brain in gear tweeted the Tham man and found three chaps were waiting outside for me already! Spent the day wandering around taking photo’s eating some amazing dim sum and seeing Singapore for the city not the tourist trap, including sitting in a photography studio talking about something I understand very little of but learnt a fair bit. Totally loved every knackered minute of it. Can’t really go into more details as my brain is fried after two days of very little sleep and loads of new experiences so for now it’s time to go so that i can write with a bit less gibbering and more details tomorrow. Sleep tight singapore get yourself ready for another day of picture hunting and general perving!

Well here goes nothing, this is where the blog starts (copied from notebook because airport wifi is more expensive than gold in airports) and as such this is the beginning of 3 months of debauchery and crazy times. No this is about becoming a man, learning lessons or some shit, and i will do them too.. honest!

In the time honoured tradition i’ve forgotten some things but luckily nothing to important just, sun lotion, deet spray, SD card and filter tips (who new airports didn’t sell filter tips).

Family ignore this next paragraph!

Already getting a taste for this trip and all it entails but having to control my perve urge by being surreptitious in the perving over lovely stewardesses and gorgeous oriental girls, it won’t last though lets be fair i’m like a horny teenager. Keep telling myself there’ll be lots of willing subjects along the way, no need to rush.

Anyhoo not much else I can say for now without dribbling and there is lots more to come so I shall bid the blog world adieu and give you more updates later on. time for me to get some shuteye (if at all possible in cattle class).