www.henningn.dk

'Singapore is a fine country,' said the taxi driver. 'In Singapore we have fines for everything.' Smoking in public places is out. You can smoke at food stalls and on the street (as long as you dispose of your cigarette butt correctly, of course). Eating, drinking and smoking are forbidden, and watch out if you use the MRT toilet and forget to flush. - from Lonely Planet

In the morning to Chinatown, and from there to Financial District and the old coloni-part. Walks to much - way to much. There are concrete-blocks all over. And what is left of the old buildings it seems like they are destroying as fast as they can.

Taxi back to the hotel for a siesta.

Later another walk down the famous shopping-street Orchard Road. There are millions of people around, that do nothing else but shop. To be shopping seems to be the main attraction in Singapore - maybe because all the air-conditioned shopping-malls actually is the only place you can breathe.

There are so many people on Orchard Road that the signals for the pedestrians crossing the road counts down. 15-14........3-2-1 - and then you better be off the road.

Back home again with a taxi to the hotel. A shower, some tv and to bed.

Friday 27'rd

Take the MRT to Jurong Birdpark. MRT is the local subway. The trains runs every 1½ minute in the rush-hours - so they really get people moved.

Jurong Birdpark is incredible. Everything is so green due to the humid climate, and there are so many exotic birds. Even if you don't know anything about birds you get impressed.

Especially a huge voliere - hvor you can walk around while the birds fly around your ears - is very impressive.

Downtown Singapore again. With some kind of boat on the river. Seems a little unsafe. You almost have to jump on-board into the small boat.

Survives the trip anyway. Get a danish hot-dog at a danish hot-dog bar at the quay. It's so nice to be travelling :-)

Moves on watching concrete-blocks and shopping-malls. Shopping is so essential for the Singapore-people. I have never seen shopping-malls like this. And I don't care about shopping-malls at all.

The worst day on all trips. The last one.

Get my things packed and visits a local place I have heard about. It's a pretty special place. A lot of locals hang out there on sunday mornings - each bringing a birdcage - with a bird inside.

Then you hang your birdcage up on some hooks under the ceiling so the birds can sit and sing together, while all the men (and it is only a mens-thing this) sits down for some coffee or a beer, and listen to the birds singing. They stay there for a couple of hours and then returns back home.

Back to the hotel - checks out - but leaves the luggage for a later pick-up.

Now for Singapore Garden Zoo. Like the birdpark its amazing. Spend the afternoon here. So this trip started with a zoo (Sydney) and ends with a zoo.

In the evening back to the hotel. My plane leaves about midnight, but to be on the safe side I have booked my bus for the airport to 9 pm.

The bus is precise and it takes me to the airport. Goes to check-in - and here on the end of my trip I get the greatest surprise at all. The plane to Copenhagen i overbooked - would I mind going via Paris?. I dont care - especially when they tell me about compensation. 500 singapore-$ (about 400 us-$), the whole trip on first class and some small gifts on the top. Bingo I say - Im on to that.

The only problem is that the Paris-plane leaves earlier than the Copenhagen-plane. And I thought I was in good time - which I'm suddenly not. Check-in takes a lot of time, since they have to change everything. Im taken to some special place where I get my "reward" - then into the departure-hall - have to change my Singapore-money to US-money. Find a toilet - change my clothes. I have been sweating all day, and I dont want to travel like that. Buy cigarettes and whisky - on to the gate - and now we're boarding in 5 minutes.