I usually have the constitution of an ox, indeed, a couple of years ago, doing a biking trip across the Himalayas myself and Katrina were the only two on the adventure who did not succumb to the dreaded deli belly.
In South America the year before it was another story, after trying out the local delicacy of roasted Guinea Pig I was terribly ill, even as I left the restaurant in Pisac, Peru, I could feel the bubbling and churning. I spent the next few days either sat on or with my head down the loo. I must have lost about a stone by the end of the trip. The weight loss was so dramatic that, as I removed my belt to pass through security at Puerto Maldonardo airport my trousers fell down in a scene that wouldn't have been out of place in a Brian Rix farce.
Since that, I have learned my lesson. Don't take immodium too soon as there is a strong likelihood that you will lock the infection in your gut and make the outcome twice as bad.
I was hoping that this was not going to be a repeat of that episode...
After a visit to the loo and a suitably 'dramatic' evacuation I felt a lot better. Mixed a couple of rehydration sachets in a bottle of water and gave it an hour to see if a return to the loo would be required. Fortunately that seemed to do the trick so I showered, got dressed and prepared myself for day two sightseeing in Singapore.
As I had my three day travel pass and a guide book and a potentially dodgy tummy I decided to give the 'hop on hop off, bus a miss today. I needed to make sure I was close to a loo at all times, just in case!
It is a beautiful day, sunny and roasting hot. I made my way once again to the MRT station at Little India. I had decided that I would head to City Hall and that famous colonial hotel, Raffles.
Declared a National Monument in 1987, the hotel has grown from strength to strength. With its restoration and reopening in 1991, Raffles Hotel today stands as a jewel in the crown of Singapore's hospitality industry, renowned and loved for its inimitable style and unsurpassed excellence in service and facilities.
In multicultural Singapore it is not surprising that the visionary founders of Raffles Hotel were a quartet of enterprising Armenian brothers: Martin, Tigran, Aviet and Arshak Sarkies.
Raffles Hotel opened in 1887 in a rather sombre-looking old bungalow known as the Beach House. It was named after Sir Stamford Raffles, the founder of modern Singapore. Tropical suites and sola topis were as much a part of Raffles Hotel's early style as bentwood tables and rattan chairs. Over the years the hotel has evolved into one of the world's most beloved grand hotels and welcomed innumerable celebrities, writers and royalty.
The last time I was in Singapore the hotel was closed for renovation, so no Singapore Sling. Given the delicate disposition of my tummy I thought it would be wise to miss a Singapore Sling in the famous Long Bar yet again, but there was no harm in looking.
The world famous hotel.
The Raffles courtyard.
The Long Bar, home of the Singapore Sling.
A view of the interior of Raffles Hotel.
The hotel retains its charm although that is compromised a tad by the commercial shops such as Tiffanys and Chanel which are now installed. I spent a bit of time wandering around the place, unfortunately only guests could go in the lobby and there was certainly no chance of taking a photograph so I stole one from the website.
A view of the lobby
The rest is all my own work.... I am getting to grips with the camera,
The front entrance to the hotel.
After Raffles I headed down to the waterfront. Singapore has many many shopping malls. My nephew had charged me with looking out for an HD video camera for him so I thought, given I would never be too far from a loo, I would visit the SunTek shopping mall on the waterfront and check it out. I had asked Lewis to look at the best price on line and let me know. He came back with £180. I had a shop around and a bit of lively bartering and managed a best price of £140. As I stopped off at Starbucks for a coffee and a pastry I checked my e- mails to see he had sent me another message.
'if it's any more than £50 I won't be able to afford it.' Having replaced my 'Naive traveller' head with my 'Savvy traveller' head I am quite a dab hand at getting a good deal. But not that good. Oh well, it was fun anyway.
After coffee and light pastry (a curried potato puff) I had a further wander. At this point I felt a little 'gassy'. This is the point of potential disaster if you know what I mean!
Next stop the bathroom!
I kept my eyes open and quite quickly found the loo. Sitting down I was extremely relieved to find out it was just a harmless fart. So relieved in fact that I put my head back only to set off the heat activated flush. I did not know this until my arse was covered in water. It fair made me jump! Remember the scene from Trainspotting?
Shopping malls are the bain of my life at the best of times. I hate them! Everyone appears to be going in the opposite direction and I can never find what I am looking for.
On this trip I can never find my way out.....it happened in KL and it's happening here.
After passing the formula 1 stand (the city is in the process of preparing for the Singapore Grand Prix) for the fourth time I finally succumbed and asked the service desk if they could help me get out.....
Quite a few of the hundreds of shopping malls have underground links to each other. A very helpful lady pointed me in the right direction and I was on my way. These 'underpasses' are more like shopping malls in their own right. Each side is lined with shops and the like.
Moseying towards the City Hall MRT I happened upon something unusual.
We have all heard of the 'low cost' approach to life. Airlines, hotels etc. What about a low cost hairdressers?
At some point on the trip, despite the fact that Vincent, my hairdresser will get very precious about it, I will need a haircut. Indeed, I text him a day ago lightheartedly asking for his permission. I got a sarcastic 'get a Bob, it will go well with a sun tan' response back.
Maybe the shock of having my ass just immersed in cold water had swapped my 'savvy head' with my 'naive head, but was quite taken by this $10 dollar no frills approach to a 10 minute haircut.
Basically you go in, put $10 in a machine and sit in a numbered seat, hitching up one as the queue goes down. The no frills means you just get a haircut, no washing and no product. It's a concept exported from Japan.
At this point I feel I must digress. A couple of years ago I went over the Himalayas with a group of people on Enfield motor cycles, it was a pretty arduous trip which ended up in Shimla, a hill station in the foothills of Himalayas. I was badly in need of a shave as it was a pretty 'rufty tufty' trip and decided to go and have a cut throat shave with Indian head massage, I think it cost about 30p. My friend Katrina was with me at the time.
While I was being shaved Katrina mentioned that it was only 50p to have a haircut.
' I pay £50 back home'
Unable to miss a bargain she was in the chair. As I saw what was happening I could not contain myself. Believe me when I say the Indian chap could have made a better job with a knife and fork. The picture below says it all. We laughed like drains. Walking back up the hill we saw her partner in the distance, not known for his observational skills I was mightily impressed when at 100 metres he stopped, put his hands on his hips and shouted to me:-
'what the fuck have you let her do to her hair.'
I think it cost £150 to put it right when she got home. But it was such a laugh.
Anyway, I digress. $10 was dutifully put in the machine and took my seat. Even at that point I was reflecting on the Indian story but clearly had my 'naive traveller' head on.
My time came and I took my seat. Today I learned a lesson.
Note to self:-
If you pay for a $10 haircut, you get a $10 haircut.
I came out looking like I'd just been released from the Bangkok Hilton.
At this point I decided I'd best get back to the hotel.....
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Location:Madras St,Singapore,Singapore
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