Singapore to Joberg as written by Dick

On Friday we flew Garuda Indonesian Airlines from Bali to Singapore on a 737-800. As we approached Singapore through clouds hundreds of ships could be seen steaming along. Most were going either north or south with the occasional one east or west. How do they apply the rules of the road (yield to ships on your right) in such crowded conditions? A very busy seaway. Almost none stop in Singapore but if your ship is transiting to or from Pacific or South China Sea to or from the Indian Ocean to/from Middle East or East Africa then she'll pass by Singapore. A very strategic choke point on world commerce. Emphasizes the importance of maintaining the Law of the Sea treaty which USA has not signed but is trying to enforce

Landed at Changi airport which has several long runways. As we taxied to our jetway I could see a steady line of airliners coming behind us. A very busy airport. Much of the traffic is with Singapore Airlines. We will be flying Singapore girl to Johannesburg, South Africa on Tuesday at 01:30. Singapore Airlines grew by exchanging landing rights with other countries because there are many airlines that want to land here and must provide reciprocity. 

Our shuttle driver was an enthusiastic fan of Singapore. Telling us of the sights near our hotel and what a wonderful place it is. An upcoming motorcycle show. He advised that the city is quite safe even at night, though not crime free.

At the ParkRoyal hotel we discovered that we needed some supplies and the concierge told us to go to Bugis Center, two long blocks along Beach Road, turn right and walk another two long blocks. I bought a bottle of red wine and Sharon picked up some beer. We scoped out all the restaurants in the huge basement. I admired some vegan (no cheese) pizzas and we saw many Chinese and Japanese restaurants.

Next day we decided on Indian food and hiked south on Beach Road to Jin Sultan Road and then about a mile to Raj Restaurant. It was hot as usual at 1 degree N. Wx said 89F feels like 99 and it was about right. The air conditioner wasn't doing much so it was hot and humid but we tolerate that pretty well and enjoyed the heat in S. India in '08. Sharon had a Mysore dosa and I enjoyed a tomato uttapam which is a pancake of lentil and rice flour with veggies bake in. Very good. The staff was East Indian except for the ancient Chinese water filler who wandered round refilling glasses which we kept sipping on. All the customers except one young Chinese couple appeared to be local Singaporean Indians. A good sign in an ethnic restaurant is that it draws local customers of that ethnicity. 

Then it started raining hard outside so we slowed our eating to let it ease off. Then the rain intensified further. At last the rain diminished somewhat after we had been there more than an hour so I made the sign of the bill and paid the bill. Only had a few Singapore dollars that we had exchanged in Bali before takeoff. The rain had not really stopped and had not made it any cooler.

We were seeking some shelter and we had been scoping out the large department store across the street from the restaurant so we quickly jaywalked to Mustafa Center. Four floors of hard goods and all kinds of fruit, produce and groceries. If they don't have it you don't need it. Toilets, refrigerators, ... except alcohol since it is Muslim owned. Bought some very nice big, sweet, juicy tangerines and some bananas.

By the time we finished shopping and looking the rain had pretty well stopped and we veered off into the Arab quarter. Many restaurants of all kinds and a big golden mosque. Then back on Beach Road to ParkRoyal.

A bit later we hiked along Beach Road to the Golden Mile. A multistory building filled mostly with small restaurants (hawkers) and bought some beer.

Next day we decided to hike over to Raffles Hotel and Chinatown. Raffles is famous for the drink called the Singapore Sling and was famous when I sat out front in 1968 and downed a few gin and tonics under old ceiling fans. Then I had come on USS Coral Sea. It appeared that they no longer serve out front but rather at their long bar which we did not visit.

Up to Bridge Road then across the 1929 Elgin Bridge spanning the Singapore River and further south to Chinatown where large decorations spanned the road for Lunar New Year. As we discovered in 2013 this occasions the largest human migration on the planet but I think most Singaporeans stay here to celebrate. We merged into the gyre of people on the narrow streets with small or large shops on all sides. All manner of food items, toys and gadgets for sale. It was hot and humid and we eventually ducked into the shade of a seafood restaurant for a beer and some spicy ginger tea. A very loud expat Texan with a local wife detracted from our relaxation. I had been admiring a roman style white tunic trimmed in red and blue and green across the while sipping tea so walked across the street and bought it for Sharon. We walked some more streets then hiked back past St. Andrews cathedral and the old Supreme Court and War Memorial to Beach Road.

Suddenly a downpour of rain started to soak us so we ducked under a structure to wait it out. More rain and then thunder. Noticed that all the roofs were well equipped with lightning rods.  

The ParkRoyal hotel has one of the best breakfast buffet I have ever enjoyed. Better even than the MS Zaandam which was better than SS Star Clipper and the New Century Hotel in Bangkok. I had pigged out so much that morning that I skipped lunch and dinner. Smoked peppered salmon for my omega-3s. Whole wheat toast. Olive oil and sambal hot red sauce. All kinds of fruit. Limeade, orange juice. Baked beans. Sliced beetroot. Potato wedges. Roasted veggies like carrots, bok choy, cabbage in their own juice. And everything tasted wonderful. No misses.

ParkRoyal also has an olympic size swimming pool and weight room. I used both every day of our stay.

Next day we again went south on Beach Street then up to Bridge Street. Just after crossing the bridge we walked down onto the quay. The walkway there is lined on both sides with all kinds of restaurants. A prevalence of seafood but also turkish, Chinese, Indian, Thai. Large tanks with gigantic crabs. Bodies the size of my head. Large clams.

Wait a minute. Italian. L'Operetta. Looked at menu outside. Ooh. Pizza without cheese like real Italian pizza. We went inside for air conditioning. Very nice interior. Paintings of musicians on the west wall. Bob Dylan, David. Sharon had linguine with crabmeat and I had pizza napoletana: heavy tomato sauce, anchovies, black olives, oregano and basil on a thin crust. I had avoided pigging out at breakfast.

After lunch we hiked further south along the quay to a photogenic temple where Sharon snapped some photos. We wandered around but soon found ourselves at Marina Bay. Sharon got photos of some merlion statues spouting water. Then a hike back to hotel.

Singapore is a small island. Not much here. Hotels, giant office buildings (building many more) and restaurants. Luxurious ones, smaller ones and many hawker stalls with little to no roofing. The regular restaurants are not cheap though the hawker stalls are rather so. If you have money you won't starve in Singapore.

Ever since Sydney we have had to beware that the locals drive on the wrong side of the road. Stepping into a crosswalk you must look most carefully to your right and at corners look out that left turners will cut the corner tight and may not have to stop. Look right.

Singapore is an expensive city. Saw no poor. No homeless. No grafitti. They will whip you for that. Playboy magazine used to be banned but we encountered no questions about importing porn. 
A city of beautiful women. The fashion is A skirts or dresses above the knee. Being a veteran leg man I appreciate that. Loved the miniskirts in San Francisco 1970-72. I had to wire up accounting machines at the Social Security Office on Grant Street so I was down under the desks amongst a sea of legs. Made it hard to maneuver. Many of the women look just like the Singapore Girl advertisements. Tall, long legs, slender long necks with long Asian hair, often bunned up. Often seemingly aloof.  

Many newly rich Singaporean men showing off their new wealth. Fast cars are common. Ferraris, Maseratis. Pretty useless on such a small island. There are some freeways but rarely saw any speeding. Very efficient police. We felt safe so long as we remembered to look right before crossing. Terrorists will have a tough time here.

A swim and some computer work. Shuttle picked us up at 10PM. Out to Changi airport. Through immigration and a hike out to just outside of our boarding gate. These folks are very security conscious yet we have not yet been through security. Different setup. Security is at each gate. Actually nicer in that it avoids the usual long lines where passengers from all flights queue up.

Into the air on our 777-200ER. See city lights along the coast as we pass over Sumatra. We will chase darkness across the Indian Ocean and land in the dark in S. Africa Surprised that we don't seem to be flying great circle after recrossing the equator. We flew great circle from Santiago to Sydney chasing the sun through the whole flight and I could see icebergs as we dipped far south over the Southern Ocean.

Before we get home we will have crossed the equator 4 times. We got started on this great RTWS when I mentioned to Sharon as we stood beneath the sails on SS Star Clipper coming from Istanbul to Greece that, though I had been to Singapore at 1N, I had was still a pollywog: had not crossed the equator. Guess we're shellbacks now? On MS Zaandam we learnt that nautical tradition said that after rounding the Horn a sailor could put one foot up on the table and after that if he rounded Cape of Good Hope, both feet. We'll be in Cape Town next week and can walk around the Cape of Good Hope so I'll put both feet on the table.

We are still 4 hours out from Joburg. About to cross over Madagascar. Mauritius invisible off to port. Stars are quite bright up here. Might have seen the Southern Cross which we have yet to see but can't ID it since I've yet to see it. Flight is not near full. Debarking should be easier. Clever Sharon booked us a window and an aisle so I could lay down using two seats for 4 hours of blessed sleep. Can't sleep sitting up. I did manage to sleep standing at attention during USMC boot camp and on deck in the tropical sun facing a company of men in blinding white uniforms.

Now 2 hours out of Joburg with a stunning red dawn coming up in SSE from 38,000'. Tried to snap a photo but they have the cabin lights way up for breakfast so got mostly reflection. Then saw a Chinese lady throw the airline blanket over her head and her window. So I tried that but don't think I got much.

Though the sun was nearly up -- bright red clear across the eastern and southern horizon, I could still see one bright star to the ESE that I had noticed each time I peeked out my port side window. Ahh! Venus. Being a norteño I was always used to seeing Venus in the north or NE or NW. A complete surprise but perfectly logical. Venus has been visible for hours as we chased the night across the Indian Ocean.