Weirdest $32 Ever Spent!

Hey!!

I had an awesome Friday!! But to build suspense, I'll fill you in on my last two days....

Yesterday I had a low-key evening. I went up to the rooftop lounge where I had gotten invited to the manager's cocktail. It was nice view, nothing too special. I met some guys from South Carolina who warned me to not eat at the food court across the street. To quote it, "I eat possum and couldn't put down that food..."

So heeding the warning I decided to just grab a quick bite at the stand outside my hotel and people watch. Across the street is the infamous Orchard Towers ("four floors of whores") so there were plenty of hookers working their magic. As I nibbled on my shawarma I fascinatingly stared at the hookers working their game. They just sorta bump into older white men on the street and start talking to them. Some are easily recognized hos but the others look pretty normal. I think this will definitely become my pastime when I'm feeling lazy (...people watching, not ho-ing)

There is a ho in one of these photos....find her!

And now...my fabulous Friday!

Today at work we celebrated Halloween! Little kids of employees came through trick o' treating and I got to fill in the locals on how it's celebrated in the US! The kids were adorable and so polite! The office had me hold the candy bowl and they were all very good in only taking one! I was impressed.

I got back from work and turned on ESPN to hopefully catch some crazy Game 6 highlights. Instead however, I got to watch from the 8th inning on the bottom only of each inning! Apparently ESPN Singapore is a big time Cardinal fan! It was kinda nice however, since that is where most of the excitement was and I already knew the outcome.

After the game, I went up to the executive lounge where I talked to two men who work for Chevron in SAN RAMON! They asked me if I went to SRVHS and ended the night by saying "Go Wolves!" They also asked if I had ever been to Pete's Brass Rail and Car Wash.....I let them know Dad's name is on the wall, they were impressed!

After the brief stay in the lounge I ventured out. Not really having a game plan I decided to ride the MRT over to Chinatown.

Hawker stalls...where all the locals eat

Oldest Hindi temple in Singapore

My first glimpse of a durian. Really did smell awful. I think I mistook this smell as BO when I was in Little India....(well partially could blame it on the durian).

I LOVED THESE!!!!

 

All relaxed before I departed Chinatown.

And now...the weirdest $32 ever spent! I kept seeing signs for ear candling. I had heard of it before, and I started out my trip congested so I figured why not! It took about 40 minutes. I got the most amazing shoulder/head/ear massage while the guy burned the candle in my ear. It felt incredible and now my ears feel WAY better! I can't believe it! Totally painless, smelled like a campfire... I could have fallen asleep in the salon. So zen, so relaxing, and the massage was incredible!!! I'm gonna sleep well tonight!

Tiny little entrance to the place

It's ok if you get your fingers in my photo when you're juggling flaming sticks in my ear. I'm all greasy from the massage oil...

AND NOW THE NASTY PART.....

 

EWW! That's dried blood in the one on the right from when I ruptured my ear drum. SO GROSS...hope you enjoy!

Happy Deepavali (or Diwali)

I arrived Wednesday morning at 1am. Wednesday here was Deepavali, a national holiday (festival of light) so all the locals were off. My boss here wasn't picking me up until 1pm so I figured I'd be sleeping in a bit. Unfortunately the time change hit me and I got up at 8am. I checked out the free breakfast up in the executive lounge and then ventured out for a bit.

The humidity hits the second you step out of the AC. It was so bad it fogged up my lens on the first attempt of a photo.

That picture is the start of endless high end malls along Orchard Road (not to mention the Armani, Rolex, Bulgari that are in my hotel) that are right near my hotel. I was able to get some better photos later right after a downpour when the humidity subsided a wee bit.

After exploring the endless malls, getting lost on multiple escalator rides and ending up kitty-corner and underground from where I started, I made it back to my hotel. On the way back however, it went from sunny to downpour (I definitely can see why they call it the rainy season) so I played lunch safe and just went to the McDonald's next door - I didn't want to be soaked on my first day. The menu here is much smaller than in the USA and they have a few different items- like chicken wings. They also have weird sauce cups that I thought were just lids until I saw someone pumping ketchup on it.

After lunch my boss, Alice, picked me up and showed me how I would get to base. My commute is easy, I walk about 6 minutes through the malls to the MRT (the subway), hop a train for about 9 stops or 20 minutes, take a bus for about 10 minutes and then walk for about 15 minutes to base. After showing me the empty office, every local was off for Diwali, I got dropped off at the MRT station and made it back to my hotel.

Because Deepavali is an Indian holiday, and after one ride I was an expert MRT passenger, I figured I would go check out Little India. I rode the MRT over and the place was TOTALLY NUTS! There were like no gals out on the packed streets, different smells were emanating from every corner and to top it off it was rainy and insanely hot! Definitely a different experience from Orchard! I got so many looks, people asked to shake my hand and take pictures with me. I'm gonna view it as I was a celebrity rather than total anomaly! Overall a very interesting first day!

MRT Station

BART could use this- a red light for the present station, green lights for the remainder of the ride, and a "this side/other side" light for which side the platform will be on.

Little India

Hindi Temple- I didn't go inside because you had to leave your shoes outside and I didn't wanna lose my sweet kicks!

Everyone was taking pictures of this display...so I did too...

Rain= so stylish

What can I say...I'm kinda a big deal!! They look friendly...

Made it to Singapore!

Made it safely to my hotel! It's 1:30am here on Wednesday so I'll be going to bed soon. Minus being super bored and restless on my 14.5 hour flight from SFO to Hong Kong (I had already seen most of the movies United played during my Japan flights a few weeks ago) the trip overall was relatively easy. The best part of the day had to be the guy behind me in the security line had no carry-on luggage EXCEPT a beer bong. He was cutting it surprisingly close to missing his flight. Coincidence?My hotel room is pretty nice. Adventure starts tomorrow!!!

Photos: hotel room; hotel room; free sandwich in the Hong Kong Red Carpet Club with crust cut off because apparently frequent travelers are too good for that, Red Carpet Club Hong Kong

I Love America Farewell Dinner

I come home from running the last of my pre-trip errands to a fabulous "I Love America" themed dinner table for my last meal here! Thanks Jen!!!

The start of my blog....the beginning of my Singapore adventure

I used to think writing a blog was a bit conceited, but with all the weird/interesting/hilarious moments that have been happening to me in these past 2 years of my traveled filled life, I figured I'd write it down, if anything just to kill your boredom at work. In one day I depart for a 60 day solo rotation to Singapore....

By the end of 2011 alone, I'll have flown over 90,000 miles, spent 147 nights in hotels, a dozen-ish on couches and countless nights between Danville and Oxnard...and that my friends, is a blog-worthy life. Enjoy! Safe travels! And I'll be home soon!