We headed out into the wild shopping plazas of Orchard Road with some intent to find some accessories for my camcorder (a stronger infra-red light and a directional microphone) and an underwater housing for my camera. And, indeed, anything else that might be a bargain. Prices at the airport hadn't been too impressive, just about the going rate, and the Lonely Planet guide had said that shops not displaying prices would be prepared to haggle. The first couple of shops didn't have too much but then we found the basement level of one plaza with a dozen shops which offered prices although they all seemed quite keen for me to buy there and then at that price. We went up to the first floor (the ground floor) and found another shop. This one the conversation went very badly wrong. They didn't have what I wanted but I was distracted by a Canon EOS-66 and asked how much it was. Rather than a possibly (probably?) inflated priced I was asked what I wanted to pay. I said I was just getting a feel for the price and then I got an earful about how if I wanted to buy something then I should say how much I wanted to play, blah blah blah. Surprisingly, he lost any hope of my business. What was odd, though, was that I had the same reaction in two of the next three shops. Not a good way to bargain.
Unimpressed we stopped looking in camera shops. Except one with loads of underwater housing in the window. In there, rather than say they didn't have the housing for my camera the blokey was clued up enough to note it had been discontinued some time ago. He was prepared to offer me a deal on another Cybershot plus housing. He was equally quick to offer Helen a deal on some other fear although he wasn't moving on price.
In Borders I read that vendors sometimes have a special morning price (extra bargainous) to set the day off. Something to look out for. Helen found a dive magazine praising Herbert's Tongan dive operation. Spot the backhander.
We wndered on past the big department stores, the Manchester United shop and Red Cafe (yes, they are the most popular team in the omni-present English Premier League), took lunch in a nice noodle shop and slowly made our way back to the hotel. I splashed around in the cold 3rd floor outdoor pool. At 2.53m it seemed quite deep for a hotel pool.
We then shuffled the other way along Orchard Road and off up into Little India. The main road up and through was very reminiscent of a larger, louder Ladypool Road in Brimingham but with fewer restaurants. We did stop for a long line of Japanese tourists being individually rickshawed up the street. We found a curry house with a small "This is Anfield" pendant in the vestibule. The curries were served on banana leaf (a local speciality [saves washing a plate, I guess]) with the suaces being slopped out of large tubs by the waiter. Quite amusing and quite tasty. We'll see if it was as cooked as I didn't think it was, later.
Grand Central Hotel, Singapore N1.30137
E103.84187 Elev. 35m
Copyright 2003 Ian Fitchet. All rights reserved.