Day One: Bugis Market

After a nice 10 hour sleep I emerged from my cosy hotel cave to the streets of downtown Singapore.  Although phone-less (and therefore instantly lost, despite my three trusty tourist maps) and hungry I am excited and happy.  This crazy city is spotless - beyond spotless.  It is sort of like a Truman Show city.  Everyone is smiling, there isn't a trace of litter (or gum. Be wary - Gum spitting = Caning.  Don't try it), and there is more public transportation than you could hope for. 

After mere blocks of wandering I found a street market selling pretty much everything for just five-dolla.  Hooray, although my rent is likely to be hopelessly astronomical, I will be able to buy things.  I was worried after being warned that everything in Singapore would cost as much as three times what it would at home.  Thankfully (thankfully?) I just moved from one of the most expensive places to live in the US so here I am un-phased by a $6 coffee, especially if it comes with fast wireless internet. 

My first purchase was a plug adapter and my second purchase was the smartest phone I could find.  Helpful sales clerk talked me out of the iphone and in to a shiny white Sony joy (the screen is bigger, its faster, and it has google maps - duh).  Bonus, he will put on my screen protector (using scotch tape - so smart), start my internet and generally bless my purchase.   And Then Down goes my credit card - sold. 

It does work as promised.  Instantly.  It's beautiful.  The screen is lovely.  The google maps are working. . . . but I miss my iphone.  Kind of desperately.  Partly it is a sense of loyalty.  Partly that I am unfamiliar and keep pressing buttons that do COMPLETELY different things than I expect.  But mostly, it is the syncing.  I want my imails, icals, ichats and most importantly Facetime to work all the same.  Am I crazy?  I might have to try to return it tomorrow.  If not, does anyone want a seriously barely used white unlocked Sony smart phone? 

There is time for that $6 coffee I mentioned (seriously, terrible, burned, not good, but the fast wireless - I can't keep away).  A nice 2pm/2am chat with the boy and a glimpse of my kittahs and a pile of possible roommate emails, then I head home to the hotel for a wee nap.   I'm feeling great, on top of the jet lag, productive, confident, world-traveled, awesome. . . . just a little nap then I'll find dinner and get to be on Singapore time.  .  .  . 

yeah, I woke up at 3 am after a 9 hour 'wee nap'   Hah.  Oh well.  Tomorrow, tomorrow I'll push through.