Shopping

Well, good news - after the initial BIG bump in the road my journey has gone according to plan. I got another hour of sleep before I left the Singapore airport, and made the trek downtown to find the train station, where I left my luggage. Then I took a taxi up to the Royal Botanical Gardens. It was simply stunning. I was overwhelmed by how quickly I went from an urban center to a tropical jungle. I read that it's the only rainforest within city limits in any city, or something. I was glad to be by myself, and take my time. It is really hot and muggy, so I kept refilling my water bottle and walking slow. (I know - Carole Nickle, walking slow? But strolling was about all I had energy for). A highlight was the Orchid Gardens. Orchids are quickly becoming my favorite flowers, and this garden had all kinds. My favorite was a hybrid named after Margaret Thatcher. Another highlight of the garden was finding a dark, gazebo, hidden by swaying palm trees and orchids. I curled up on a bench, and had the most wonderful hour and a half nap. Every so often I'd roll over to look up at the sun trickling through the leafy branches and feel a humid breeze - ahhh.

The very sad news is that I could not take a picture of said favorite orchid because....I broke my camera!!! )= I am so mad at myself. See, I always take my SLR camera as a carry on, and this time I had it packed in my bag, because I was planning on taking the whole bag onto the plane as a carryon. It was too heavy, I forgot to take out the camera, and it got banged. The focus won't change, and there's a visible bend to the lense. I took it into a camera store, and he basically said there wasn't anything to be done. I toyed with just buying a new digital camera right then, but I was hot and tired and in no mood to be making a large ticket purchase. So the only pictures I'll have are on my little digital. Doesn't that stink? I think so. I'm trying to console myself with the fact that Kathy and I will for sure come back to Singapore sometime and I can take pictures at the gardens then.

After the gardens, I hit the main shopping drag, Orchard Rd. Now, I like shoppping. I have had my fair share of day long mega-trips with the four cousins hitting all the malls in the GTA. So I thought I would just leave today for two things, the Botanical Gardens and then Shopping for the day. But little did I realize the extent of Orchard Rd. Singapore shopping is shopping gone horribly bad. There are rows and rows of malls, not stores, so it takes hours to go a block. And each mall had stores I loved from the US and England. Ugh. It was busy because of Chinese New Year, and it was just so much sensory overload. Probably kept me from buying stuff, which is good. What I did buy was some bargins: new running shoes for about $10CND, a Harry Potter book for about $5CND, and WAY too much food from Marks and Spencers. It's an emotional attachment I have because of Kathy's time in Scotland and mine at Oxford. Ahh. Which reminds me - Kathy they have a topshop and an accessorize! Both priced like Britian plus imported, so too expensive, but fun to look at.

Now, I'm wrapping up Day 1 of vacation. I love Singapore, even though I haven't really seen it yet. I love how British it feels, while being tropical and relaxed, and I love that everyone speaks English! I don't know what to expect in Kuala Lumpur tommorrow, but I tell you, I can't wait to get to Penang and the beach tommorrow night. I'll keep in touch if possible.