Goodbye Melbourne, Hello Singapore!



Melbourne Center



Spending the day at Docklands and Crown in Melbourne

Our final days in Australia were full of friends, family, food, and sightseeing. It seemed like every night we were invited to a friend or family member's house for a delicious dinner.
I was truly amazed with everyone's generosity and their insistance on making sure there was plenty of gluten-free food and dessert around. During the days, we spent time seeing the highlights of Melbourne, including the docklands, the absolutely massive Crown Center, a picnic in a park where we hoped to see kangaroos, and Dandenong Mountain. Melbourne is a beautiful city with a lot to offer culturally, and despite only seeing a kangaroo from afar, we had an amazing time! The week really flew by and we found ourselves wishing we had planned to stay in Melbourne for a few more days. On Wednesday morning, Uncle Dariush dropped us off at the airport on his way to work, and we had our first semi-major problem with our trip.

Dinner at Aunty Lina's (one of several generous hosts who made gluten-free meals for me)

The MRT- a very efficient metro to get around Singapore

We had planned on flying into Singapore and then taking the bus overland to Malaysia, but when we reached the checkin counter, the person insisted that we had to show some kind fo proof that we had a ticket out of the country or else we wouldn't be able to fly.

A hawker stall in Chinatown

Since we had planned on buying a bus ticket when we got to Singapore, and because it was heading into Easter weekend, we found ourselves in a bit of a bind. In the end, we were forced to purchase a throw-away ticket out of Singapore in order to fly.

Just one of the delicious dishes to choose from in Singapore

It was a very frustrating experience, especially because when we made it to Singapore, no one asked us for proof of our departure plans...

Shopping is EVERYWHERE in Singapore! Too expensive for us...

Anyways, we arrived in Singapore, and took a shuttle to our hostel, The Mitraa. Accomodation is ridiculously expensive in Singapore, so the hostel was definitely not the nicest place we had stayed in, but it was good enough for what we needed, and the extremely friendly and helpful staff made it a much better experience than it would have otherwise been.

A popular Malay dish called Nasi Lemak (one of Senush's favorites)

We walked to a hawker center close by for our first taste of Singapore's famous food. I was overwhelmed by the selection and the cheap prices, but we ended up settling on some chicken rice, which was delicious. The next day, we set out on the MRT (Mass Rapid Transport) to explore the city.

Singapore: a view from the top (we snuck up to the 70th floor of the Swissotel for this shot)

I found that Singapore isn't a place for me. It seems like the primary reasons to go to Singapore are to shop and to flaunt your wealth. There were massive high-end shopping malls on every street corner, and I still have no idea how so many malls right next to eachother can stay in business. We spent the day trying food and walking around the city. We went to the iconic Raffles Hotel, which is known as the birthplace of the Singapore Sling cocktail. Everything about Singapore just screams decadence. If you decide to visit and do anything but eat, make sure your pockets are brimming with cash... Our next stop is a homestay in Malaka, Malaysia.

Suba Aluth Arudthak Vewa (That means Happy New Year in Singhalese)!

We arrived in Melbourne on Wednesday afternoon, and were met in the Airport by Senushi's Auntie Lina, who, (after a few wrong turns) took us to Auntie Menaka's and Uncle Darius' house where we have been staying. When we got to the house, we were greeted by Auntie Menaka, Senushi's grandmother, and her very entertaining cousins Keanu (age 10) and Kiara (age 6). Everyone was very kind and welcoming! After being there for just a few minutes, I realized that the house is really a hub for all of their friends and family. The phone is always ringing, friends seem to just show up at the door, and it's just a very fun atmosphere all around.

When we  were planning our trip, we just happened to schedule our time in Melbourne during Sri Lankan New Year, so I was told that I was in for quite a celebration, and it definitely didn't disappoint! All day yesterday was dedicated to cooking and preparing for the celebration later that evening. When it came time for the party to start, the table was absolutely covered in delicious looking curries and sweets, and as guests showed up the amount of food continued to grow! It was some of the most delicious food I have ever had, and although I quickly got full on the chicken, lamb, and salmon curries, I just had to try everything, so I ate until I was almost sick! We spent the rest of the evening getting to know all of the family and friends. Everyone was so nice and so comfortable with each other that it seemed like one big family, and we sat around talking until after 11 that night. Overall, it was a really fun night and a fantastic first experience with Sri Lankan New Year!

Today we had to spend most of the day in the passport office to get Senushi a replacement Aussie passport for the one that Cubby decided he would eat a couple of months ago, but after that we got to take the tram around downtown Melbourne and see a lot of  the city. It's a very diverse place, and it seems like there is delicious looking food wherever you turn! We have another 4 full days here, and we are both looking forward to spending more time seeing the city and spending time with Senushi's family!