After spending the first few days of February in Vietnam, we flew to Singapore, where we spent the rest of the month. I was so happy to unpack and have a place to call home for a little while.
I knew Singapore would be lovely. Everyone talks about that. But it’s not the beauty or cleanliness that intrigued me the most. Rather, it was the mix of cultures. I loved walking down the street and seeing all shades of skin color and hearing all kinds of languages being spoken. I loved the large variety of Asian foods available (especially the Indian! Oh how I missed it!).
I loved a lot of things about Singapore, but I didn’t fall in love with it. Not at first, at least.
the famous Marina Bay
Singapore is truly beautiful, but it’s also kind of a boring country to be staying in for a month from a tourist’s standpoint. There’s not a whole ton to do, and the people watching isn’t interesting enough (unlike Hanoi, where people watching is the thing to do). The national hobby seems to be shopping. You can barely walk two blocks without bumping into a mall. It’s fun to mall-hop for a while, but that gets old fast.
Without a whole lot to do, we took this time to be more productive with work. Our rental was perfect for that as it had a lot of natural light and a large reclaimed wood table which served as our workspace. But it also came with cable and a large flat-screen, so in reality, I spent most of my time curled up on the couch and getting addicted to reality shows (why have I only now discovered American Idol and Millionaire Matchmaker?!).
I gotta admit, I needed that after months of movement and bare-minimum rentals.
In between, we explored the little island nation. We were experiencing a bit of sticker shock in Singapore, so we mainly stuck to the things that didn’t cost anything to see (though I did manage to convince D that we must go to the Night Safari).
we loved the old Lau Pa Sat market in downtown (at the foot of these skyscrapers)
overlooking Gardens by the Bay from the Marina Bay Sands rooftop bar
futuristic/Avatar trees at Gardens by the Bay
colorful Little India
pretty decorations for Year of the Goat in Chinatown
Most of the time though, we stayed closed to the house. We stayed in the Katong neighborhood, an older area of Singapore. We paid $1,500 this month to rent the spare bedroom of a family with a toddler (airbnb here). But our experience wasn’t exactly what I imagined.
For the first two weeks, we saw neither hide nor hair of our hosts, though the house seemed to be well lived in. It turned out that they recently moved away (to Bali!), and only the husband lived in the house a few nights a week for work. For the most part when he was there, we passed each other like ships in the night, slipping in and out of our rooms just as the other passed. So it wasn’t the local family experience I thought we’d get, but I’m not really complaining either. Because now we basically paid a very reasonable price to have an entire big house to ourselves. Score!
our workspace set up. feeling right at home
Not having anyone else around also meant that we used the kitchen a lot! It’s been months since we’ve had a rental with a real kitchen. And now with an extremely well stocked one, we decided to cook more and get ourselves on a diet. I know, what a country to be on a diet in! But I’ve been feeling increasingly unhealthy and with a kitchen, we actually had a chance to get healthy again. We’ve been on this diet (or lifestyle change, I should say) for almost a full month and I’ll be ready to do a full report soon!
But of course we couldn’t travel to a new country and not eat its food. Not to worry, we still indulged plenty of local food!
1. chicken and rice – the national dish // 2. crispy pork and noodles // 3. Hong Kong dim sum // 4. roasted duck and rice // 5. Din Tai Fung xiaolongbao // 6. black carrot cake // 7. kway teow // 8. Indian curries and biryani // 9. laksa
We really enjoyed our rental to the fullest. BUT – and this is a huge but – we also seemed to share it with cockroaches. And if you’ve been reading my blog, you know I have a severe fear of them. After so many months of traveling in Southeast Asia, this was the first time we’ve seen them inside our house. In Singapore no less, the cleanest Asian country! I know it has to do with our apartment being on the first floor and in an old building, but it did not excuse these uninvited guests!
It got to the point where I dreaded having to use the bathroom (since they seemed to come through the drain in there). The worst was when I was doing my business and saw a big one crawling around just 2 feet away. I yelped, literally pinched off the pee mid-stream, and ran out. So not cool!
(Check out this guide to surviving cockroaches in Southeast Asia. I would add “walk around with a can of roach spray at all times “.)
Nevertheless, it’s always a little bit sad to have to pack up the bags again and say goodbye. As the leaving date drew closer, I kept on finding more and more things to love (beef rendang, for one) and I knew I wasn’t as quite done with this country as I had thought.
I also love the old shophouses in ourneighborhood – so full of character!
Last night, as I stood at the kitchen sink, cleaning up dishes and getting a little sentimental that we were leaving in the morning, D suddenly got quiet and said slowly, “Don’t move.”
I stood frozen in place for a couple of seconds, then ran to where he stood by the dining table. I turned around and saw a gigantic cockroach crawling on the drying towel, right next to where I was standing. I screamed and ran for the Raid.
That was the last straw. If I wasn’t before, I was done with this country now. Thank god we were leaving.
Singapore, we will be back. I’m sure of it. But next time, we’re staying in a modern high rise.
What’s going on in March
We just arrived on Boracay this evening! We arrived just as the sun was setting.
Needless to say, I’m so excited to be spending the next four weeks on this island that’s often hailed as one of the world’s most beautiful! If you’ve been to Boracay, any recommendations is appreciated! I imagine we’ll mostly be hanging out on the beach, but I’m interested to know if there are any fun day trips.
How was your February? What are your plans for March?
Linking up with Pack Me To for Sunday Traveler.
I’ve definitely had that experience before – where you don’t love somewhere straight away but then end up not wanting to leave! But oh gosh, cockroaches, argh! On my first day in Rio I was couchsurfing and there was one in the shower with me, eww eww eww!!
Excited to hear, as always, about the island living of the next month :)
Ugh I know.. cockroaches are seriously so gross!! I’m SO terrified of them, especially the big ones. Island living is great so far! Though it is a bit of an adjustment again coming from super modern Singapore!
wow, i am jealous – boracay! we spent a month on koh lanta, and it was the best ever. enjoy, so much!
Oooh I’ve heard really good things about Koh Lanta. I already have some opinions on Boracay compared to my Thai island experience (Koh Chang), but I’ll save that to talk about later!
Oooh, a month of island living! Very, very jealous. Boracay sounds amazing – so looking forward to your posts!
Thanks Terri! It’s a bit different from what I expected so far, but it’s been amazing!
Love the shot of Little India! Not at all jealous of your cockroach issue – we had the same thing in our Central American apartment CONSTANTLY (though the whole building was totally open to the outside, so not really surprising!
Ugh so disgusting!! I bet the ones there are big too. I don’t think I could have lived there in constant fear for much longer, so I was so ready to leave by the end!
That cockroach situation is very funny! They are seriously the worst. I was staying in a house on my own in Perth a few weeks ago, and I had an hour long battle with a cockroach because I didn’t have roach spray. I finally squished the bugger, felt very disgusted after.
Chalsie | The Workshop Co. x
Ewwwww!! Just the thought of squishing them sends shivers down by spine. It’s the thought of that crunch *shudder*. And I also learned that the bf is just as scared, haha. Can’t imagine having to deal with it on my own though!
I love Singapore. I think spending a month there would be awesome, especially in a place with a kitchen. But, I agree the prices are so high!
The prices were definitely hard to get used to after Vietnam! Grocery shopping & cooking was even more expensive. I was shocked at the price of some some of the groceries! I would like to go back though. It was nice to be somewhere more Western. :)
Them buggers are prevalent in any tropical countries I presume, and even if Singapore is supposed to be the cleanest country in the world (or close to), it is essentially still a tropical country.
Have fun in Boracay though, glad you enjoyed your one month stay in Singapore! ;)
Yeah, I was just surprised there were SO many inside the house. :( I’m seriously surprised that we haven’t encountered this anywhere else in SEA, so I guess it was our turn finally, heh.
Thanks! We’re enjoying Boracay! It’s nice to be on a beach again!
I remember when I was backpacking through SE Asia, people would ask me why on earth I would include Singapore on my itinerary. Because you’re right. It’s kinda boring. But I always had an easy answer: I am going to Singapore to eat, eat, eat. And that’s exactly what I did! Yum!
The local food there was good (and cheap in hawker centers!). I loved all the Asian food! I was so happy to get Indian food again, and also Din Tai Fung!
My car in Malaysia had a roach problem. People claim that texting and driving is bad, but driving while there is a roach on the dash or overhead is truly distracted driving. We always loved going to Singapore because it was so very Western and a nice change of pace from living the expat life in Malaysia. It’s funny that all my American friends made a point of finding the best tacos in Singapore, and there was a little brewpub that everyone liked to go to whenever we visited. Your food photos are already making my mouth water. A whole month in Borocay?! Sounds like heaven. Enjoy yourself.
Omg I think I would die if I were in an enclosed space with roaches!!
I have to admit that I did like being in a country that’s so Western. Actually we said that Singapore is a lot like our city back home! Haha, that’s so funny because we saw a taco place and I kept on saying that I wanted tacos too. But it was expensive and I was afraid it wouldn’t be good like the tacos from back home so I never got them!
Love the images and especially the food shots! sorry to hear about the roach experiences but hopefully you won’t meet too many of them in Boracay :)
Thanks Natasha! I’ve seen a few dead ones outside already, but thankfully nothing inside yet! I would cry if our apartment here is infested too!
Boracay looks stunning! x
It is! Can’t wait to share more pictures soon! x
I was planning to visit Singapur in February or March since I’ve spent one month in Malaysia, but did not make it at the end. Seems I’ve missed a beautiful city – even though I’m not sad to have missed the cockroaches (cannot see them either!).
Boracay seems wonderful, looking forward on reading more :)
Singapore is definitely interesting! It’s so modern and Western, but unmistakenably Asian too! I would recommend it as a place to visit, but just not for as long as we were there! Spending one month in Malaysia sounds amazing. I think that may be in our plans later this year too. I can’t wait to read about your Malaysian adventures soon!
So first of all whoa– that food collage just made me SO hungry! Everything looks SO good.
but so many mixed feelings because then Ew ew ew roaches hahah Even though I know it’s pretty irrational- bugs will always get me. EW
Can’t wait to read all about Boracay!! Looks amazing!
The food was so good and I’m definitely missing it now!!
I know my fear of cockroaches is SO irrational because even they really don’t do any harm,but I can’t get over it!!
Love all your photographs! So much color… and don’t get me started on all your food pictures! ha Wow totally jealous that you will be staying on that beautiful island! Gorgeous colors in the sky!
The sunsets are really beautiful and vibrant on this island! I’m looking forward to a month of them! And yeah the food in Singapore was really good… I kinda miss it!
What a month…. and ohhhh, that food all looks so good! Sometimes I wonder why I’m not in Asia when I love the food so much. The cockroach thing seems like a bit of a nightmare, sorry to hear you had to see so many! I still have not seen a live one in my vicinity (knocking on wood, over here) but it’s going to be so scary when that day inevitably comes! I remember taking the Night Safari when I was 13… that was fun. Did you guys make it over to Sentosa Island?
You’re so lucky you haven’t seen a live one ever!! D also said that he’s never seen one until we got to Southeast Asia.
The Night Safari was so fun! I didn’t know it was that old! We were too lazy to go to Sentosa (I know, no excuse!) but the days were really hot and it kinda just seemed too touristy and Disneyland-ish. And everything there cost money!!
What gorgeous food!! <3 Eyepoppingly pretty. :) I'm good with cockroaches, it's lizards that freak the hell out of me. Have fun in Boracay!
I can’t believe cockroaches don’t bother you!! I actually feel better when I see lizards because they eat bugs. The huge ones do freak me out, but I seriously started wishing that there were a couple of those in the house.
I definitely could not handle the cockroaches! I have quite the fear of woodlice and I’ve never actually seen a cockroach in real life (except at the insect zoo) and I’m pretty sure I would run away.
Those tress in the garden are so curious looking! I wonder how they make them grow like that?
I’ve only just found your blog and I’m already excited to read about your next adventures!
~ K
Wow, that’s a real accomplishment to not have ever seen one! And I honestly hope you never do, hehe.
The branches of the trees are made with metal, and eventually the vines grow up them. :) They looks really cool and futuristic/alien though!
Thanks so much for reading and commenting, Kerri! It makes my day when new readers say hi! :)
Eaaaak, poor you! I can SO identify with the cockroach thing, as you know! You walk around the apartment on edge the whole time, which is never fun. Glad you had fun overall in Singapore! P.s. thanks for linking to the blog :-)
Seriously, we were walking around with the Raid the whole time and throwing open every door wide and thoroughly scanning the room before going in. Is the situation in your place better yet?? I couldn’t have dealt with it for much longer!
Haha, you sound as bad as me! Touch wood, the landlady seems to have dealt with the situation – I just hope it stays this way until we leave! Disgusting. I hate, hate, HATE them!
Loving the food! I’ve never been to Boracay, but it looks fantastic!!
Boracay’s really beautiful and island life is cool. But you’ve heard about the robbing! Ugh!
Ohhhh singas. What a place for food (and other things). We were there in Jan, and I did not wanna leave. Enjoy the island.
Thanks SJ! The food in Singapore was really good, huh? I loved the diversity!
When humans see a cockroach skitter away from the light and seem to ‘disappear’, the creatures are actually employing one of nature’s smartest disappearing acts.
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