My final day in Darwin was always going to be a bit of a dead day as I had booked the flight out at 6:25pm thinking that I would be hard pushed to fit everything in before then, so when it came down to it and I'd pretty must done all I wanted there was not much left to do but eat, sleep, shop and drink.
The hostel receptionist was as friendly as you might imagine but even after I explained my situation she informed me that guests were not really allowed or encouraged to hang around after check out, so as the computer, vending machine and television were all inside the main complex all I could do is ask them to hold my rucksack for me while I took yet another slow stroll around the town.
With plenty of time free I decided to do a little souveneir shopping, getting a nice size and shaped boomerang and fridge magnet, plus some amusing post cards and such to send home with in a package along with all the usual recepits and gumph that I had collected travelling through Australia.
Finding the post office was easy once I remembered where I had left it, and following the signs found it no problem. I am guessing that the staff are all decendence from Eskimo's as the aircon was on so high that it almost blew me right out the automatic door, but from the thick and muggy humidity of outside I guess I can't blame them. AUD $35 to send a small package back to the UK by sea, double for airmail, and the journey is so slow that I might just beat it back home too.
Once I had lightened my load considerably I bought some proper sandals, not the flip flop variety, and then wandered off to see what the local adult store had to amuse its patrons with, only to find out that it had been burgled the night before - probably by some rabid tourist upset that it closed at 6pm prompt every night. The breakin was more an inconvenience than anything else, as whoever it was had only just messed up the back storeroom and had not entered the main store, much to the bemusement of the owner.
Not wanting to get in anyones way I left and headed on over to a restaurant near the cinema, where I planned on spending the remainder of the afternoon before an early trip to the airport. I am not sure if the Australian restaurant over had ever been to Italy, but his pasta sauce was more like a thin soup and so it was impossible to coat any of the pasta with it ir even eat the pasta with a fork as it just slipped and slid off at every available opportunity.
After the meal I headed on over to the cinema to watch the chick flick, Bride Wars, which was preductable, unbelievable and fun in equal measure, and hapily killed a couple more hours til I was able to pick up my stuff and head on over to the airport.
Darwin airport is one of those anoyingly small but paranoid airports where you need to check your stuff through security twice before you board the plane, which meant me having to try and down an entire bottle of fanta seconds after buying it as I could not get through the secondary securty screen with it, not that the staff who sold it to me moments before gave me any heads up of this fact.
The flight over was almost 5 hours, if you include the time difference that is 1.5 hours, and Jetstar again decided that this length of flight only warranted a free mini bottle of water and everything else was extra, so of course I went without and preferred to sleep the whole flight. The flight was less than half full and so I was able to find a row of empty seats, stretch out and try to fall asleep for the duration, which would have been easier had they switched the lights off or even given out blankets to everyone, but I guess that too is a paid for added luxury for Jetstar. I can see now why some people avoid certain airlines, I know I do with Delta.
Changi international airport in Singapore has got to be one of the nicest airports in the world, both in style, confort and organisation. Stepping off the plane the first thing I came to was a bank of 6 free internet stations, which meant that I could check up on everything, even before clearing customs or collecting my luggage. After the shops and internet stations you have to go down a escalator and across a huge wide open hall with lush sofas and very elegant decorations all around, then you come face to face with the imigration staff, who smiling help you through with minimal fuss or bother.
The overall feeling is that from stepping off the plane you are checking into some fabulous hotel, not passing through an airport, its truly refreshing and different to any other airport I have seen so far.
There is a wonderful and subtle smell that you get when you are in Singapore, it is hard to describe but it always reminds me of fresh noodle soup. There are also plenty of places to grab tourist or business info en route to the arrivals hall and although there are taxi's you are not mobbed for business the second you collect your luggage but instead they eagerly wait for you to come to them.
I had other plans, as my directions to my hostel was via the MRT ( i belive it stands for mass rapid transport ) and the support staff here are so on the ball that he knew exactly what I wanted to and was counting out my change before I even reached his window, giving me coins for the machine and a map so tha I knew where to change to reach my final destination.
The directions for the hostel were simply and clear to understand and I found the hostel within three minutes of arriving at the desired train station. Check in was a bit of a struggle as I arrived after 10pm, but soon enough I had my shoes off and was being shown a nice clean dorm room where I saw my first bunk bed for couples.The place was full of English tourists, backpackers and gap year travellers, and in my dorm room I ended up sharing with a couple who were from the UK, the young guy being from as close to my home town as Gravesend.
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