Strangers in a Strange Land

The first thing that hits you on reaching Changi Airport, after a fantastic flight on Singapore Airlines, is the, almost sterilized, spotlessness. Everything, even the people, seems artificial. Of course, it's really beautiful. And so is the city.

But also very humid. The humidity is almost as bad as Kolkata's was when I went there last June, and is made better only because the pollution is much less and everything's a lot more systematic.

My first day at Singapore began very badly, which included, among other things that have already begun to fade away, my first encounter at a backpackers' hostel, bathing and changing into formals in a communal bathroom, forgetting where I had kept all the currency I had got converted last night in Delhi and changing several shirts because I kept on dropping something on each of them in the process of searching for the money. Had to leave for office with the firm belief that all that money was lost. Losing half my body liquids perspiring didn't help matters either.

But the helpful people at the office, finally finding the money after I had given up all hope, getting paid on the first day itself, a great lunch with a couple of HR managers and, best of all, finding a great (and cheap) place to stay in Little India - all made the day really memorable, for the right reasons.

I have fallen in love with Little India and, unless some mishap happens that confirms the image I had built up based on all the fore-warnings, I think I am going to enjoy my stay here a lot. The food's crazy (in a good way). The people could be a little more cheerful. And there's more to India than Tamil. But it's still a lot like home. In which other foriegn land, except maybe London, can you listen to Himesh Reshammiya while having an amazing biryani discussing life in the city with the waiter in Hindi.

And Singapore itself is a city fairly easy to get a hang of. I sincerely hope I haven't said that too soon though. I have learnt enough, or it might just be the good feeling that comes from not doing too badly in a completely new situation (coupled with a couple of Heinekens), that I am raring to show the newcomers around and help their familiarization process be easier than it was for me.

Have to do something to improve my net accessibility. Of course, once I start working, and once others from India turn up, I might not feel as lonely as I am feeling right now, typing this sitting alone on the terrace outside my room, and the 1/2 hour free quota at my hotel might suffice. I'll probably, and hopefully, be able to post this tomorrow.

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I wrote that a few minutes back. Came back to my room intending to put myself to sleep watching Guru in my comp. Decided to try for a wi-fi connection, even though I was told that there isn't any. And this day actually got better!! Not only do I have a wi-fi connection in my room, it's actually really fast. I love this place even more now.