Singapore; Day 1

This will be brief, as I am tired, but here are the essentials:

1. The air here is magnificently clean compared to Hong Kong.

2. There are police and soldiers, both with machine guns, in the airport. The soldiers even had wraparound sunglasses. I was VERY happy to see these guys, since it means foolishness will be executed.

3. The only other white guy on the shuttle bus got off in Geylang (no pun intended).

4. This hotel is magnificent. You can tell its really nice because you almost never share an elevator or a hallway; it's as if you have the place to yourself. My room is bigger than my flat in HK. Nicer, too! The bathroom has a bidet. If you fill the bowl with ice, it keeps beverages cold the entire time you soak in the tub, and keeps them at arm's reach.

5. Hot humid air is much more bearable than hot humid smog.

6. A taxi driver today was explaining to me that Jews are trying to take over the world. Luckily, his English was much more comprehensible to him than to me.

7. Singapore has real guitar stores.

8. Charlyn is an extremely funny, kind, and great person.

9. Women in Singapore are tall. Including Charlyn.

10. Sadly, one of the founding (colonial) fathers here was named Raffles, which is also the name of a gay bar where I grew up. That's why I am constantly laughing.

11. SIngapore is really nice. I hope to come back, and I haven't even left yet!