Just to show its always a good idea to be flexible with travel plans! I was sitting in my hotel in Bangkok ready to get my night train to Koh Tao to do some scubadiving when I thought I would check the medical conditions for diving, what I found fundementally changed my plans for my journey, because of a lung condition I had in the last few years there is an absolute instruction that I catagorically cannot scuba-dive! So feeling like I had just made a life saving decision I was faced with a couple of options, more beach time on the thai islands or accelerate my journey through to Australia, I decided to skip the Thai islands and move on to Singapore on my way to Aus. So I quickly booked a flight and accommodation and was soon to be in the land of expensive hotels and a modern vibrant city. Whilst I was in Bangkok It was good to see Mike again, my third time in Bangkok which is now a city I feel I know quite well, I even gave direction and guidance to some tourists on the train like I was a local! An hours flight which went really quick as I was chatting to an american guy who works for an NGO in Cambodia, he noticed I was reading a book called Cambodia's Curse which is about the corruption and carnage in the country over the last 50 years, it was good to get a view of someone who has worked in the country for a while, he basically agreed with everything the book says! which is a shame because it it not an honorable story. I arrived in Singapore and after a short train journey from the airport on a very modern overhead train, very similar to the skytrain in bangkok I found my way to the area called Geylang just outside the centre and where I was staying, as I walked up and down the road looking for my hotel the heavens opened and it poured down with rain for what seemed to be ages, I huddled under a bus stop with the locals which were a mix of Chinese, Indian and Asian, one of the first things I noticed was that I was back in the world of old people and people who were taller than me! After Vietnam and Cambodia this is quite a big change. What can I say about Singapore, any country that has a Merlion as its emblem cannot be bad, yep thats right, a mermaids tail and a lions head! Singapore is very organised, clean and is very city friendly. With full employment and over 85% property ownership and a generous government subsidy scheme this place does not suffer poverty, no one is below the poverty line and therefore there are no beggars, there is no litter or people hassling you, this place feels very safe. There are many rules, no chewing gum, no jaywalking, no smoking, no spitting, no littering, no eating or drinking on transport and from what I can see all the rules are adhered to, I like it. There is so much to do here, there is a city above ground and another one below, walkways, shopping malls, massive skyscrapers, the Marina Bay Sands resort - a Multi billion $ complex overlooking the marina and the city, one of the best zoos in the world which I visited on the really efficient bus public bus service, open top tour buses, trips on the river/marina, giant Merlion statue, live music, fountain shows and loads of hawker markets where food is tasty and cheap, a cable car over the sea to an island where there is a universal studio fun park, botanical gardens and on Sunday I watched a cricket match at the Singapore cricket club which has pride of place right in the centre of the city. I arrived at the weekend and saw this city at its most relaxed, music everywhere, singers at bars, a big concert on the harbour, a kids soccer tournament, sunday cricket, groups of teenagers hanging out at McDonalds and the shopping malls, skateboarders and dancers practising their moves in the large cavernous interchange areas underground and office workers waiting for friends outside the station entrances greeting each other with a hug and a beaming smile, clearly looking forward to a drink and a chat after a busy week at work, just like at home in London. I have had a great time being a proper tourist on a city break - I even took an open top tourist bus and boat tour around the marina which was great. Went to the theatre to see a musical in Mandarin staring Taiwans Madonna! She got a massive reception from a appreciative audience, I was the only westerner in the audience, the subtitles at the side of the stage helped, it was a very enjoyable evening with catchy tunes and a very moral message about not being distracted and forgetting what is important in life, how very true. With all the cleanliness and rules there could be a risk that the city becomes sterile but this is not the case at all, there is a vibrancy and character here, areas like Little India, Chinatown and Geylang act as a reminder of the past history and the skyscrapers reflect the modern ambition and affluence of the country and its people, it is a mix that is very impressive. I ventured to the top of the Marina Bay resort, the views were spectacular and when you look out to sea it reminds you of why Singapore is such an important place in the world, to the Colonial British, to the Japanese during the war and now to the Singaporeans, there was literally hundreds of container ships waiting to load and unload their cargo destined to and arriving from all over the world. The viewing platform also gave a great view of the commercial business skyscrapers and the infinity pool that is the centre of the outdoor leisure centre for the resort, 57 floor up on the roof across the three towers, hotel, casino, conferences, ice skating rink, museum, theatres, amazing! his must be one of the worlds most iconic leisure places and relaxing pools, what a magnificent way to chill and be thrilled. This place is very hot, the air con in every building and in the underground world makes this an easy place to get around and to be comfortable. It is such a contrast here to what I have experienced the last few months, the haves and have nots, the expectations and ambitions and it strikes me that location, history and people in power clearly hold the keys, but it is also the people's confidence and belief that they can ask and demand the lifestyle they want that is important and this again is down to the culture and the expectations the people in power can create and allow. I like Singapore a lot. Now for another city break in KL!