I'm back

Guess where I've been hanging out for most of the day

You know that feeling when you enter a new (or not new) country and then all of a sudden you either feel really wealthy or really poor?
I've been here for 5 days already and recently I've been making a mental comparison of the various prices of things. The roti canai costs x3 more here than in Malaysia for example. I'm not going to list any more examples because I think you get the picture.

This is a country where a backpacker is no longer seen as a walking ATM.
This is a country where I have seen people trying and failing to flag down taxis.
This is a country where the government provides services and facilities for the public.
This is a country where a bed in a 24 bed dorm room still has you feeling mildly concerned about your budget.
This is a country where an outrage of modesty can potentially result in a 2 year jail sentence and a beating with a ratan cane. - while you're naked. (Not speaking from experience)


Yes, you guessed it, I am in Singapore.
Back in the land of expensive car ownership, bicycle share programs, well planned social housing, and great public transportation.
I've said it before and I'll say it again. Singapore is basically an alternate reality version of New Zealand, after rising seas levels have submerged 95% of the country and the ethnic Chinese have attained 75% of the population with the Indians coming in at 10%. The only white people left are those with outstanding skills in accounting, or the few who were randomly selected as part of the diversity initiative. Can you imagine that? You don't need to because it's already here!

As expensive as I think it is, I do have an appreciation for this highly organised and wholesome (aka highly controlled by the government) society which has grown on this small island which was once a part of Malaysia not too long ago. 

You don't have to go very far to come across huge public housing apartment towers complete with public exercise equipment, parks, food courts, and public transport. It's almost as if the government made decisions based off what the long term results would be.

During my travels so far this has been the most pleasant place to 'be', irrespective of how much money you are throwing around. I have a very tight daily budget, however I am quite surprised at how high the baseline standard of living is. I reckon the unemployed have it quite good here.

To be honest any place which has a public library, exercise equipment, a food court, footpaths, and an MRT station all within a 200m radius is a basically a low tier paradise for me at the moment. (I'm really easy to please)

(I have not been payed or forced by Singaporean authorities to write this.)