to see our photos of Singapore, click on the link below
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2007863&id=1112916442&l=472919b6f0
to see our photos of Bangalore and Mysore, click on the link below
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2008027&id=1112916442&l=b31bb0594b
Flight from Adelaide to singapore was easy, and we caught the local train (MRT) to Little India for the grand price of $1.80 each - Sydney folks, what do you think of that!!
We had booked our hotel over the internet, and found that made it $10 more expensive - so much for the modern world. the hotel was adequate, very close to the train station, and very reasonable for us. I am guessing many of you would not have liked it.
It was mid-autumn festival, so all over Singapore there were lots of chinese lanterns and decorations. We ambled through chinatown, ate at food stalls, visited temples, ate at more food stalls, and eventually collapsed at night - pam took a couple of days to adjust to the humidity.
On monday we went to the electronics superstore building, roamed around and got hassled by many merchants. We checked the price of wide angle lense for the olympus and it started at $90, very quickly to $75 at the first shop, yet they were asking $190 at the next one, and being real generous and dropping it to $170. We bought a camera battery, then found more food. After lunch we went to the end of our train line (all underground), and emerged into the daylight in the new suburbs - blocks and blocks and blocks of apartments (15 stories or so), linked by an overhead light train system which went around in a loop - no drivers.
MOnday night we left Singapore for our Tiger Airways flight to Bangalore, where we arrived at 10pm. Brand new airport, 40km out of town, so a taxi into our hotel near the bus and rail station - fairly basic. the hot water arrived in a bucket at 8am, we had already had a cold wash. Breakfast was Masal Dosa - rice pancakes stuffed with potato and pea curry, and sweet sweet sweet white tea.
This morning we walked down to the bus station - hundreds of buses - and to the train station - you need to know exactly what you want to do so you can fill in the form to make a train booking. Have decided to go by bus as airconditioned buses go to Mysore every 10 minutes.
At the station we allowed ourselves to be hijacked for a city tour, and spent the next 2 hours sitting in smoggy traffic until we eventually escaped to go for a walk and sightseeing. got dragged to 2 souvenir shops (rugs, carvings, silks etc) and kept on declining to go to more. Have spent the afternoon wandering around, and are taking a well earned break in the internet cafe waiting for beer o'clock and more food. Food is good. This Bangalore we have seen is crowded and chaotic. Haven't met anyone we have had those lovely phone conversations with in Australia (you know the ones that try and ring you at tea time) This may be Silicone Valley of India, but that apparently is a close estate where you need a permit to enter. Haven't seen where it is. Have however seen the cricket ground, and the driver knows all the names of the key aussie cricketers.
India looks like it will be fun, as long as we keep our sense of humour.
to see our photos of Singapore, click on the link below
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2007863&id=1112916442&l=472919b6f0
to see our photos of Bangalore and Mysore, click on the link below
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2008027&id=1112916442&l=b31bb0594b
