Onward to Singapore

Well, I'm about 42 hours in, and my excitement about this amazing opportunity just keeps growing and growing.

Let's start from the beginning. While leaving DFW, or should I say trying to leave, the airline officials said my work pass was not sufficient to enter Singapore. So, I had to purchase a fully refundable ticket back to Dallas just in cast (more on that later.) Anyways, after some tough goodbyes with Amanda and my parents, I rushed through security to make sure I caught the plane. Luckily, I arrived right as boarding was starting.

On the plane, I was lucky enough to be sitting next to two nice ladies from Albuquerque, Carla and Madeline. They were also headed to Singapore, but a cruise awaited them (a tad jealous, I'm a big fan of cruises). We chatted for a little while about the job and other chit chat items. As the plane started leaving, I found the wonderful world of video on demand for international flights. I was able to watch my favorite shows-How I Met Your Mother, Big Bang Theory, Curb, Entourage and The Office. I also got to watch HP and Half Blood Prince, I Love You Man and City Slickers (I figured why not, Billy Crystal's always good). I tried falling asleep a few times, but was only successful in getting in a 3o minute nap.

The airport in Tokyo was very nice. After a quick shuttle ride to the other terminal and a security check, it was time to board the plane to Singapore. As I got settled in to my seat, I get lucky again with good seat buddies. A Canadian woman and her 2-year-old son were in my row. They live in Singapore and she was giving me great advice on things to know here.

Now here is the best story of my traveling. So, twenty minutes after I sat in my seat, an airline official comes to my seat, asks me my name and requests I step off the plane with him to look at my bag. Apparently, security was having an issue with one of my bags. Of course, I'm a bit shocked at this point-really, my bag? Anyways, I get off the plane to find about six Japanese security guards surrounding my bag, which is for some reason vibrating. I really didn't know what it was, but of course I would comply with whatever they needed. I carefully opened my bag to find in my dop kit, some how my electric razor had been turned on hahaha. I was so embarrassed. I'd delayed the flight and boy, that was a walk of shame back to my seat.

All in all, another good flight, but with much less leg room. Again though, video on demand was awesome. I watched Taking of Pelham 123 and about an hour of Transformers. I tried fighting it, but I had to go to sleep. Oh some six and a half hours later, I was in Singapore.

Okay, back now to the earlier discussion of needing a return ticket. I went to the immigration counter, showed them my approved work pass documents and they let me through. Yahoo! So, now I can refund that old ticket. I got my bags (no longer vibrating haha) and went out to try and find my wonderful hosts. Raye and Paul Koch moved to Singapore a little more than a year and a half ago from Plano. I was very, very, very lucky to get in contact with them. They picked me up from the airport and took me to their condo, where I spent the night. I made a couple of magic jack and skype calls and then it was off to bed. To my delight, when I woke up I found out Mizzou had taken down dirty kansas in the Border Showdown. What a win, 41-39 in the Beast Mode uniforms. I love beating those chicken hawks. Just thinking of kansas makes me feel sick. M-I-Z-Z-O-U!

What a busy, busy day. We started by checking out the hotel I'd be staying at for the next couple of weeks. After checking in, we took a dry run of the route to get to work on the MRT (the subway system here). Taking all the trains really reminded me of visiting New York, just on a smaller scale. After our MRT fun, we headed to Little India for lunch. This is where my Bubba has to be proud. I ate a lunch full of things I've never tried before. The food was very good, a bit spicy, but I'm really trying to get better with that. After lunch, we got set up with a prepaid phone card for me for the next couple of weeks. Eventually, I will get a real cell phone plan, but this should work for now.

Next, it was off to Chinatown. I was stunned. The Kochs say Singapore is kind of like Epcott at Disney and it really is (within two hours, I felt like I'd been in parts of India and parts of China). We went to see a beautiful, beautiful Buddhist temple. I was really in awe of the structure (I will eventually put up photos). The attention to detail is outstanding. After a nice visit, we went to my first Hawker center at Maxwell Road. We didn't eat there, but I will at some point. You can get a lot of food there for almost nothing.

After some more walking, which by the way I am loving, we had to take a stop to get a drink at Chinatown Center. So, naturally, we went to SUBWAY!!! I knew it was over here, but I was shocked to see that it really is the same (even smells like Subway). Now fully refreshed, we walked through a wet market which was quite an experience. There was loads of fish, eels, turtle, frogs and this is something I've never seen before, chickens with black skin. The wet market was a bit much for me, but it was still cool to see.

After, we went to what has quickly become my favorite spot in Singapore, Clarke Quay. It's a really trendy set of restaurants along the Singapore River. It really reminded me of a mix of the boardwalk in San Antonio and Legacy Center in Plano (kind of like Power and Light in KC for my Missouri friends). Our trendy sight seeing didn't stop there though. We went to the Takashimaya Shopping Centre where they have all of the fancy shops- Prada, Coach, Mont Blanc, etc. I couldn't believe it. It was just like being at Willowbend. Plus, they had a Christmas fantasy land. It's hard to describe, but the pictures will eventually help. Below the high end stores, there is a great little food court with all sorts of goodies. This looks like a place I will definitely be coming back to for lunch at some point.

Well, that pretty much wraps up day one. We packed so much in. I am so thankful to the Kochs for all they have done in helping me get adjusted. I love that Texas hospitality even in Singapore. I now feel a great sense of responsibility that when it is my turn to help someone, I will step up to the plate and help to the best of my abilities. To the Kochs, I can not thank you enough for your help.

Hopefully, I'll post fairly often. If it's been a while since a post, remind me, and I'll get to it. Talk to you all soon.

Michael