Don’t ever be afraid to reinvent yourself. – Bill Nuti
Friday, January 24, 2014 (DAYS 690 - 705)
As any backpacker will tell you, it is more often about the people you meet along your journey than it is about the incredible landscapes or countries you find yourself in, because these adventurous souls share much of the same experiences, hardships, and loneliness that is inevitable with any great journey, but we also share strength, determination, and beauty in living life with a new sense of clarity by learning to be more patient, understanding, and compassionate for others. One of these great inspiring individuals has been my friend Ashley from Oregon that I first met in Krabi, Thailand back in September of 2013 and was reunited with her in Bangkok several months later, and yet again coming back from South Korea as we made the trek north to Chiang Mai in November. She wrote, “If somebody would have told me a year ago that my week long jaunt to Jamaica for spring break was going to turn in to backpacking around the globe for a year, I never would have believed them. While it has been the best thing I ever could have done, it has definitely been hard at times. I am an incredibly lucky person. But so is everyone. It's easy to see someone's life from the outside and think it is more glamorous, happier or easier than yours, especially with people's constant need to brag about what they are doing via social media. How happy or in love they are, the "luckiest person in the world" statements, or pictures of what they are eating, drinking, what party they are at or trip they went on. Sometimes I feel like I’m conforming to this when putting up pictures of my travels. But it is the easiest way to keep my friends and family informed on where I am and what I'm doing. And for that, I am thankful of the old fb. However, that's not to say that everything has been smooth sailing. The most awesome people you meet will have been through the worst. And anyone who has escaped heartache, loss or grueling obstacles that life seems to catapult at them, they truly are the unlucky ones, because they have probably not experienced much at all. Be kind. Be selfless. Be brave.” I couldn’t agree more because while many people only see the photos of what I put up online, they often have no idea how difficult the journey was to be able to take that single solitary photo. It’s not about a lifestyle of “look at me, and be envious,” but to encourage others to be brave and strong in their life and to have faith in what they can achieve. When I took my first solo-backpacking trip to Europe in 2004, the extensive proliferation of the Internet as a communication tool was still up and coming, and international calling cards or short emails were the only way to let family and friends know that I was out of harm’s way. But, even now 10 years later, while I am able to post in more of a broad format with my travel blog or uploading photos to good ole fb, which is more of a way to backup my photos than anything, it is still limiting with the lack of consistent WiFi or other obstacles at times and can certainly be frustrating. But, as I spoke with family and friends before departing the States, telling them very seriously that I am unsure where life may take me and that I am unsure if I will ever return to the States to live, I am thankful for all of life’s blessings, daily, and hope that courage may find you to achieve your dreams and passion in life.
As any backpacker will tell you, it is more often about the people you meet along your journey than it is about the incredible landscapes or countries you find yourself in, because these adventurous souls share much of the same experiences, hardships, and loneliness that is inevitable with any great journey, but we also share strength, determination, and beauty in living life with a new sense of clarity by learning to be more patient, understanding, and compassionate for others. One of these great inspiring individuals has been my friend Ashley from Oregon that I first met in Krabi, Thailand back in September of 2013 and was reunited with her in Bangkok several months later, and yet again coming back from South Korea as we made the trek north to Chiang Mai in November. She wrote, “If somebody would have told me a year ago that my week long jaunt to Jamaica for spring break was going to turn in to backpacking around the globe for a year, I never would have believed them. While it has been the best thing I ever could have done, it has definitely been hard at times. I am an incredibly lucky person. But so is everyone. It's easy to see someone's life from the outside and think it is more glamorous, happier or easier than yours, especially with people's constant need to brag about what they are doing via social media. How happy or in love they are, the "luckiest person in the world" statements, or pictures of what they are eating, drinking, what party they are at or trip they went on. Sometimes I feel like I’m conforming to this when putting up pictures of my travels. But it is the easiest way to keep my friends and family informed on where I am and what I'm doing. And for that, I am thankful of the old fb. However, that's not to say that everything has been smooth sailing. The most awesome people you meet will have been through the worst. And anyone who has escaped heartache, loss or grueling obstacles that life seems to catapult at them, they truly are the unlucky ones, because they have probably not experienced much at all. Be kind. Be selfless. Be brave.” I couldn’t agree more because while many people only see the photos of what I put up online, they often have no idea how difficult the journey was to be able to take that single solitary photo. It’s not about a lifestyle of “look at me, and be envious,” but to encourage others to be brave and strong in their life and to have faith in what they can achieve. When I took my first solo-backpacking trip to Europe in 2004, the extensive proliferation of the Internet as a communication tool was still up and coming, and international calling cards or short emails were the only way to let family and friends know that I was out of harm’s way. But, even now 10 years later, while I am able to post in more of a broad format with my travel blog or uploading photos to good ole fb, which is more of a way to backup my photos than anything, it is still limiting with the lack of consistent WiFi or other obstacles at times and can certainly be frustrating. But, as I spoke with family and friends before departing the States, telling them very seriously that I am unsure where life may take me and that I am unsure if I will ever return to the States to live, I am thankful for all of life’s blessings, daily, and hope that courage may find you to achieve your dreams and passion in life.
MY RTW PERSONAL EXPERIENCE:
Things that always tend to be a constant in my life; some type of bug bite or healing scabs from scratching at bug bites, guessing which items of clothing may be clean enough to wear that day with the smell test, and the numerous unread (often buried) messages and emails that get neglected. I continue to apologize the most for the last one, but attempting to juggle staying in contact with people is not always the easiest with differing time zones and trying to experience the places that I am in, even with the luxury of living without a specific scheduled daily agenda, thus the reason for having a travel blog that even I have been pleasantly surprised with the fact that I have continued to stay disciplined in writing as often as I can over the past two years. I realized from my previous travels that this would ultimately be the easiest way to bring others in to an understanding of extended travel as well as to allow those to feel as though they are there joining me on my journey. This time I have found myself in one of the world’s 10 most expensive cities, Singapore. The little red dot as it is commonly referred to because that’s typically how it is referenced on maps due to the miniscule size of the country and has been humorously embraced, I know that many of my fellow backpackers that have experienced it wonder how on earth am I able to spend 16 days here while traveling on a budget? My answer. You need a Rommel. A good friend from California that happens to work in finance is the only way I’ve been able to stay here without breaking the bank.
Things that always tend to be a constant in my life; some type of bug bite or healing scabs from scratching at bug bites, guessing which items of clothing may be clean enough to wear that day with the smell test, and the numerous unread (often buried) messages and emails that get neglected. I continue to apologize the most for the last one, but attempting to juggle staying in contact with people is not always the easiest with differing time zones and trying to experience the places that I am in, even with the luxury of living without a specific scheduled daily agenda, thus the reason for having a travel blog that even I have been pleasantly surprised with the fact that I have continued to stay disciplined in writing as often as I can over the past two years. I realized from my previous travels that this would ultimately be the easiest way to bring others in to an understanding of extended travel as well as to allow those to feel as though they are there joining me on my journey. This time I have found myself in one of the world’s 10 most expensive cities, Singapore. The little red dot as it is commonly referred to because that’s typically how it is referenced on maps due to the miniscule size of the country and has been humorously embraced, I know that many of my fellow backpackers that have experienced it wonder how on earth am I able to spend 16 days here while traveling on a budget? My answer. You need a Rommel. A good friend from California that happens to work in finance is the only way I’ve been able to stay here without breaking the bank.
I can’t say enough great things about my host, as he knew that I have been living on quite the frugal budget, and with his invitation to come for a visit he has certainly exceeded every conceivable notion of showing me the city he has called home since September of 2011. Rom played the role of tour guide in the best manner as he courted me through a two-week bromance of wining and dining me, haha.
He took me to some of the best places to eat around the city; everything from the famous Tian Tian Chicken Rice at Maxwell Road Hawker Center made notorious by Anthony Bourdain to more upscale dining establishments and enjoyed one of the best breakfast burritos I’ve ever had at Muchachos Mexican restaurant in China Town. This above photo is the chicken rice S$3.50 ($2.75)
On my second night in Singapore, Rom took me to the world’s highest al fresco bar in the world, Altitude, to celebrate my recent birthday where he generously purchased bottle service for us in the form of an expensive bottle of Belvedere Vodka, which reminded me of my classy friend Andrea Vlad. Standing and looking out over one of the most comprehensive 360 degree views of the city on the 62nd floor, 282 meters (925 feet) above sea level, I couldn’t help but be reminded of all of the high roller trips to Vegas with Jesse, Diamond Bobby B, and the entire Cali crew, where dropping between $40,000-$50,000 in a single weekend wasn't much to blink an eye at for this group. It was a far cry from budget traveling and backpacking that’s for sure.
My accommodations continued on pace with the luxury treatment that I was being shown, since Rom was living in a condo, which has the feeling of a resort with the incredible pool, sauna, gym, and other various amenities in this gated community I am wondering how I will readjust to dorm life after this.
Sunday Funday was a trip to the popular island resort of Sentosa, which is derived from the Malay word Santosha and translates to “peace and tranquility.” The small 5km island receives some five million people a year and has two golf courses, two five-star hotels, and most famously is home to Universal Studios Singapore. After arriving at the beach and seeking a place to grab a seat, we are told that the covered lounge chairs near the pool are reserved and so this prompts my baller friend to inquire about a cabana. The waitress tells us that it’s S$50 ($39) per person for a cabana and without blinking Rom has already agreed to this. I suppose when you’re used to dropping on average S$300-S$500 ($236-$393) on a night out or upwards of S$1,500 ($1,181) this is a drop in the bucket. Lucky for me, aye. The strangest site other than the fact that the beach has been completely engineered and man-made is the ocean view that is littered with massive cargo container ships in the near distance.
In the following week build up to the Chinese or Lunar New Year (as it is more commonly referred to), Rom has been given the privilege of working from home and taking Friday off work entirely. Once again he’s doing a great job of showing me around the city and today it’s a stop at the world’s highest urban brewery, Level 33, as we lift our S$33 ($26) pints to another exclamation point of Singapore. I cannot get over the staggering prices, and the reason I’ve listed them is to demonstrate why Singapore is in the top 10 most expensive cities in the world, and more so in the fact that this certainly is not a backpacker or budget travel friendly place. When I think about the fact that my daily living expenses in Laos hovered around $5-$6 per day and included a private bungalow on the Mekong River and two or three meals a day, my entire weekly budget is the same price of one pint here. Again cheers to Rom for having deep pockets and funding our adventures in Singapore.
My first Lunar New Year in Asia is full of excitement, as Singapore has decorated many areas of the city, primarily in China town, and the holiday season is in full swing. One of my first experiences is when I attempted to go to the grocery store after meeting a new local friend, Laura, for dinner. Just after 11:30pm the lines were absolutely insane and reminded me of being at the grocery store just before a blizzard in Denver. Some things that I’ve learned about the East’s largest holiday is that locals do not refer to it as Chinese New Year, but Lunar New Year, and the Chinese are not the only ones that observe it. Countries such as South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia just to name a few, also celebrate this family oriented holiday. A few of the new friends I’ve made while in Singapore are taking part in the world’s largest human migration with this year’s projections of an estimated 3.62 billion journeys taking place, one of which is Marliany, who is going home for a few days to visit her family in Indonesia. All in all the festivities and traditions are a sight to behold.
Another Sunday Funday began with a trip to what is billed as the world’s most expensive stand-alone casino property at $5.7 billion, Marina Bay Sands. I remember seeing a photo of this property several years ago when it first opened in 2010 and I still couldn’t believe I had a chance to visit such an incredible structure. There are three 55-story towers with 2,561 luxury rooms and suites that support the Sands SkyPark with a 150m vanishing edge pool and displays a full 360-degree view of Singapore. This amazing five-star hotel also boasts the world’s largest public cantilever, has an indoor river that is modeled after the Venetian in Las Vegas that is lined by high end shops, an indoor skating rink, the MasterCard Theaters, which often bring in Broadway shows on their world tours, the world’s largest Luis Vuitoon boutique, home to the ArtScience Museum in the construction form of a lotus, and many other amenities that will have you gasping. Watch the building of Marina Bay Sands.
I just wanted to say, “THANK YOU,” to everyone that helped make my time in Singapore an absolutely excellent one. I know that for most backpackers or budget travelers they don’t have the chance to spend more than a few days in the red dot country, but through all of the kindness and generosity I’ve been shown it’s been an incredible 16 days. First off I’ve got to give major props to my boy, Rommel, he has been the best host by taking me to the key landmarks of the country, helped fund pretty much every one of our adventures, and introduced me to some incredible people. Two of those guys were my coffee shop mates, Sam and Brad. I’d also like to thank the local girls that took time out of their busy schedules to meet up with me, Laura and Rara, and for even buying me dinner. Rom’s roommates for allowing me to crash on their couch, especially Christian for helping me out the first time I came through on my way to Indonesia and Dave for all of our awesome conversations, I hope that your business takes off man and just remember my consulting fee is only half. Haha. Plus for all of the other friends that I met briefly thank you as well. It’s been a great time Singapore, but now it’s back to hostel life and my 33rd country, Cambodia.
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