Singapore - The Lion City!

For a person living in the cacophony of a bustling Indian metro like Mumbai, the first glimpse of Singapore City reminds him/her of a "Real Estate Prototype Model". Tall high rises , clean wide roads and an impeccable MRT(Mass Rapid Transit) are part of the Singapore's Infrastructure that blows you away. Not surprising for the initiated though, as this country of 5 Million people is the world's fourth leading financial centre(Source : Wikipedia) and even tops Tokyo as its other Asian counterpart in terms of "Quality Of Life Index"(Source : Economist Intelligence Unit).

The first thing that one needs to know is the MRT service that connects straight from the Changi International Airport(Just after Immigration Check towards the left) and is the vein through which the city travels.There are four lines : Circle Line,Downtown line, Thomson Line and Eastern Region line. There are Interchange Stations(see below the circled stations) where one changes from one line to other. The locals are very courteous and will politely guide you in case confused.For example, if I am going to Chinatown then I will get down and Interchange at two stations - Paya Lebar(to Circle Line) and Dobhy Ghaut(To North West Line.

One thing you gotta be really careful with in Singapore is how you spend your money, or rather where. It's a mightily expensive city(guess its the charge they take to keep the city so clean) and in case your purse strings are tight coz you gotta do all that shopping,be very careful.The top hotels are all 300 - 400 $ + and even the 2-3 stars are costly. Before embarking on the journey,visit international travel sites like Tripadvisor and Expedia and try to get a picture!

Geylang is where one will find the really cheap ones(2500 INR - 3500 INR, Basic Amenities only i.e Bed and Bathroom).Though Geylang is the notorious Red Light District, yet for a bachelor this can turn out to be cheap and an effective stay. Little India and Chinatown have Hotels ranging from 4000 - 6000 INR and are good options too. The added attraction in Little India is the Mustafa Shopping Arcade for Indians(open uptil 3 AM) which is a great place to shop for Electronic Items.

Food again is one of the big highlights of Singapore - especially if you are open to experimentation. Then again, theres a word of caution here too - eat where the crowd is, else you will be overcharged. One of the unique experiences to walk through the narrow lane at Boat Quay or sitting at one of the shacks to try out some seafood. Theres fierce competition so negotiate as much as you can and you might get a Pitcher free/Two pints free - totally depends.

The Beef Satay and the Spring Rolls with Beer is a must try Starter Course. In the Main Course, in case you wanna try Crab, check the per 100 gm rate first(normally 5-6 Sing $/100 gms) and then order(1 Kg needed for two foodies).

You can have the traditional Pork Meat rice along with the Chilly Crab.Overall a meal for two(with Beer) at the Boat Quay will cost you anything between 100 -120 Sing $.After you finish your meal,walk down by the numerous bars and surely you will be called by the Filipino girls sitting outside. There are plenty of them outside every bar and you can walk inside and have a beer with them and leave.I did not see any hanky panky(am not sure what goes on beyond serving beers) and rather sat and chatted away with this Bar dancer called Michelle from Philippines.It was nice sitting with a complete stranger and telling her about India,the roads, the people and the Himalayas.

(Image Source : Travelerfolio.com)

Clarke Quay is the sophisticated version of Boat Quay and is probably the party place of the Singapore Corporate audience.On a Friday evening even at 0100 AM, this place is hustling and bustling. One of the craziest thing to do is to do a Reverse Bungee Jump near the riverside inside a pod.One cant explain the rush but I will try!They put you in a pod(secured) and hurl you upwards(about 200 Ft) at 200 Km/hr and then the pod swings merrily and comes hurtling down and again goes up.The ride costs 45 Sing $ but trust me - its worth it!Moreover at 200 Ft , you can see the whole of Singapore upside down - hows that for an experience! There are numerous pubs all around and the most unique one is Clinic - a dummy hospital that serves alcohol with nurses as waiters.

Sentosa Island is something that one must visit in order to understand the architectural effort that must have gone it to make this man made haven.Be it the Universal Studios, Butterfly Park or the Luge rides, Sentosa is a whole day of Fun and Frolic(Perfect for families with young children).

My favourite at Sentosa was the Cafe Del Mar where I could dip my feet into pool and sip on my LIIT. The poolside bar overlooked the sea and with relaxing lounge music playing, one could not ask for more.

Overall, Singapore is a great experience. The food, Modern Malls(visit Takashimaya to see the world famous labels - even if you cant buy them!),the polite people, the amalgamation of cultures(Indians,Thais,Chinese etc) all make you want to go back again and again and again...and "Go back" I will!