Singapore again. Yay.

Friday I tearfully saw Pange off at the airport and then headed to the city for three days’ worth of hanging out in Singapore, while I waited to submit my passport for a new visa on Monday. When we’d originally booked our tickets back to Singapore from Kolkata, however many months ago, we’d done it to arrive Friday, so we could be back home in Oz for a weekend – but then when I extended my contract, this changed everything. Arriving on a Friday afternoon meant there wasn’t enough time to get a new work visa (you need a full day) so they had to put me up in a nice hotel over the weekend! How convenient!

The reality of it was that it was kinda (well actually VERY) boring being there by myself. I really wished Ange had been able to stay. It would have been way more fun. It’s not like staying in a backpackers where everyone else is keen to do what you are and there are plenty of people to meet. Everyone in my hotel was a rich holiday maker only interested in Sentosa Island (yuck!) and expensive shopping, or businessmen. As much as I get tired of shopping very quickly, I think I gave my credit card a workout in response. I had to do something while I was there. There’s not much I haven’t experienced in Singapore yet, but there’s always plenty of shopping to be done… and it was nice to go shopping where everything is easy and convenient. Unfortunately it’s pretty expensive!

I feel like I actually live in Singapore airport now. The only real memorable thing about being in Singapore – besides how refreshing (for about half a day – then I found it to be totally excessive) it was to be amongst the uber-cleanliness, operational and efficient public transport and a plethora of public toilets – was that a modelling agency representative approached me in a shopping mall and asked if I would be interested in doing some work for them. Made my day! I must be hot or something. HA! They were probably just sick of having skinny, short-ass models.

And so the fun and games are over …back to Simeulue. In some ways I’m looking forward to it, but a part of me wishes I’d gone home with Ange and had a big homecoming. I miss her already and really wish I could be part of all the catching up she plans to do! Oh well, my time will come, only 5 months to go. (I’m not really counting, but 5 months seems so much less than 6!)