Singapore - the first time

I first visited Singapore in November. At the time, I was on my way back from a six-month backpacking odyssey in Europe. I was travelling with Dean, a friend from Portland, Victoria. We flew out of London on 15 November, arriving in Singapore late afternoon local time the following day. Dean and I then spent another three days exploring some of the city’s iconic attractions before catching overnight flights to Australia on 19 November.

We based ourselves in a backpacker’s hostel in central Singapore. This was an experience all its own. The hostel was in a high-rise apartment building where guests were hosted in crowded dormitory rooms crammed with bunks. Privacy was not an option, and you paid extra for a dorm room with air-conditioning.

Dean and I spent time exploring the Singapore River zone, including its iconic Merlion statue. Back then, it sat at the mouth of the river, with the open sea extending beyond it. These days, the Merlion sits in a sheltered bay surrounded by reclaimed land, and the towering Marina Sands casino complex dominates the skyline.

We also visited Mount Faber, where we caught the cable car across to Sentosa Island. The image above is a postcard we received with our cable car ticket. I have two distinct memories of these attractions. First, I recall a sign in a public toilet cubicle on Mount Faber warning visitors they’d be fined if they failed to flush the toilet. It was a classic introduction to the nanny state that Singapore is renowned for. Although I wondered how on earth anyone knew if you’d failed to flush?

My second memory was how uninspiring we found Sentosa Island. The island was billed as Singapore’s newest attraction, a playground for grown-ups. However, we felt the venues and themed exhibits were rather underwhelming. I also recall signs everywhere reminding us spitting would attract another of those ubiquitous fines.

On our third day in Singapore, Dean and I split up and did our own thing. Although, if truth be told, I asked him for a day by myself. In hindsight, I probably didn’t frame my request in the kindest of terms. Dean was rather upset by the request. As a result, our final days travelling together ended on a slightly sour note. A month or so later, I travelled to Victoria and spent Christmas on his family farm.  I apologised, he forgave me, and our friendship was duly restored.

I spent my solo day exploring the city’s ethic districts, including Chinatown, the Muslim Quarter and Little India. The image above shows the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple in Little India. It’s one of the oldest Hindu temples in Singapore. It was built by Indian pioneers in 1881 and is dedicated to Kali, the goddess and destroyer of evil. As you can see, the candy-striped temple's gopuram or grand tower entrance is adorned with an impressive array of colourful Hindu deities. The interior is equally impressive, filled with majestic statues of the goddess Kali.

On our second night in town, Dean and I joined the locals for Singapore’s annual Christmas Light-Up Ceremony. A section of Orchard Road, the city’s premier shopping street, was closed to traffic so that a crowd could gather to watch Wee Kim Wee, the city state’s President, switch on the glitzy Christmas lights lining the street. I've kept the event's program, which you can see above.  It was accompanied by a lyric sheet containing a selection of popular Christmas carols.

One final memory. Singapore is renowned for its clean and highly manicured streetscapes. Therefore, I’m sure its government would be mortified by the photo above. I took it in a back street of Singapore’s Muslim Quarter. I simply couldn’t resist the fact that even a city as polished as this still has a dodgy slum district. No doubt this street scene is long gone. However, one slightly ramshackle experience has survived. The colourful chaos, noise and clutter of Singapore’s hawker food halls is still the same three decades later.

After three hectic days of sightseeing, Dean and I made our way to the airport. Here we parted ways. Dean had changed his ticket to fly back to Melbourne, which was closer to home, while I continued to Sydney. Early in the morning on 20 November, I landed in Sydney, ready to begin a search for accommodation and employment. What happened next transformed my life and set me on a path that’s continued until this day. You can learn more about this watershed moment here.