My thoughts, exactly... this is the lion city, the land where it's fucking hard to find the Merlion, where the dishes served in them restaurants are not uniquely Singapore, instead it's a hodgepodge of everything in between Indian and Chinese cuisine, where you need to pay $12sg for a pack of tacky printed Marlboro cigarettes, where i get the best deal for a bottle of Tiger at my most favorite hostel in the world "Inn Crowd" at $5sg, where wearing nothing to sleep is actually cool, and wearing something only means you have flabs somewhere or you have to cover bed bugs somewhere. I love Singapore because it's clean, progressive, successful investment if you want to work, study or put up a business but it sucks as hell once you realize you're paying too much for something you can get 1/8 of the price somewhere else. Fake beach, fake hooters, fake plants? i guess Singapore is so good at promoting itself, she knows how to convince farangs to stay for a few days and spend some more even if there's not much to see in it. I didn't go to the clubs, instead i went to the Sentosa island for some adventure, and for friendship. The cable car ride wasn't scary, trying to make a move is. All i did everyday was to wake up, say good morning to everyone in my room, brush my teeth and head to have some breakfast; cook my eggs - two eggs that is and toast my bread and buy Milo at the nearest convenience store. Oh, and chat away. In the afternoon, i would spend some time walking and walking. Everyone in Singapore needs a good foot spa whatever the price is, in any case, i think you might need it. The structures, the malls, the hawkers stall, the Indian temples, Raffles City, and the infamous Clark Quay which i think is next to Elm Street, you will never leave this place again once you've reached it, you just go around in circles, the MRT is so convenient, the buses are on time and reliable, transportation is no hassle at all and on my first hour in Singapore, a kind Singaporean even draw a map of Dunlop street in his small napkin just to help, a young student took his map and showed me where to go now like i have clue where i want to go next. Singapore is a fast paced city, and the start of my amazing journey. What turned out to be a few days of stay got extended indefinitely till i finally got tired of this oh so city. But i love Singapore because of the amazing people i've met here and together with Tiger Beer, I've met quite a lot of them: Millet, the french man who as i said, i need to exchange link soon. He used to have the best job in the world, and i'm proud to have been sporting my tee from London's Topman. i think he's somewhere in Indonesia as well. Valentino, who has the amazing globetrotting adventures across the world. He's been to 41 countries and counting. You can't beat that. And he comes home proud to taste the best Italian pesto, from his mom. Enjoy Indonesia, my man. George, who has the same story everyday - how he lost his passport, how it's more fun to work in construction than be tied up in an office job doing promotions. He left his bike and surfboard in Australia. I met him again later in Koh Phangan in Thailand. Believe me, he dances like a friggin' kangaroo. I think he's dancing the LA walk and his brother who wore a speedo bikini made Mae-Mae, a smiling thai girl i met as well who's into happy pills, smiled the whole fuckin night. The Siberian guy, who thinks he bought the cheapest Heineken big bottle 4 blocks away, only to realize he can get that bottle 3/4 of the price right smack in front of our hostel. He also loves to talk about politics, nuclear power, and Russian government. Ola and Agatta who's really looking forward to India, as everyone. These two ladies are awesome. They've traveled across south America and central American plains and have been to the Mayan temples and beyond. They're mature thinkers, and they rock! Pamela, whom i love so dearly. She's such a sweetheart. She left the day before her best friend Amy left. i didn't get the chance to say goodbye though. It was nice meeting her, and she's pretty cool. And she's a veterinarian who loves horses. Amy, the guide, the sponsor, the navigator. She's the real woman of the world. She knows where to go, how to get there, even if she walks like a marathoning woman, i love her because she's pretty nice and cool. She does the craziest stuff and everything is documented. i can never forget how she caused panic at Sentosa. Everyone was thinking she fell from the stairs. Celina, thanks dear. Pauline who's now officially heart broken after leaving the hostel. I'm finally thinking clearly now. I will miss a lot but i will definitely come back for more! The foreign manager of the "inn crowd hostel" who utters the line, you're the only Filipino guy I've met who drinks Tiger every night. He sure earned a lot from me, buying rounds and pints of tiger. Pretty cool, eh? So, as they say Singapore is UNIQUELY SINGAPORE. It is, not for anything else, but for the warm greeting Inn Crowd Hostel has showed me. I will definitely come back again to Singapore to visit MM of course, stay at Inn Crowd, meet some more people and share stories and head to Prince of Whales at night where Brian can hook me up with some Philly girls. =) P.S. Besides the "vegetables" topic because everyone is getting serious already. What's with Obama? I'd rather talk about liposuction. The big bang of the night was the tiger rararara pose or the lucky kitten pose! Pick one! I chose either. Anyone who knows about this stuff, must remember that once, for a good few days,, it was an amazing journey hanging out with everyone, regardless. I will remember forever!!! I's just fun, good times hanging out!  Want to know what happened when i came back 6 years after ? Click Here.

1. Don't plan activities early in the morning.

...because chances are you'll not be able to make your appointment. Drinking at night in Singapore is fun, easy and laid-back. With safari tours, cultural shows and theater productions scheduled at night. Once you've started chatting up with people and wandering around Little India, Orchard Road, Clark Quay and Sentosa, you'll forget the time. But if ever you want to get drunk, head to 7-11 where the cheapest "not-so-cheap" beers are sold at $4-6. Singapore at night comes alive so do check out these hot spots to paint the town red. 

2. Don't be afraid to rough it up.

Well, this could be a rule to anywhere you're going. Be realistic! It's not everyday that you can afford to eat at expensive restaurants and stay at the finest hotels in the metropolis. Sometimes, you have to learn to live with the means you can afford. For a true taste of Singaporean living, that is to not take taxis where the price is always jacked up. Learn to use the bus and the train. Because at the end of the day, the more you rough it up, the more money saved. When this happens, you get to stay longer in Singapore. 

3. Don't expect to travel around Singapore alone.

Because after a night or two, you'll meet other backpackers/travelers who are also going solo. With relatively a good number of them ending or starting their journey in Singapore before heading to Australia, chances are the same faces will become your instant travel buddies. It was cool and a memorable experience for me because i did meet a lot of people, shared thoughts, and learned a few tips on how i should live and regard life. Those which i will never forget.

4. Don't go to the usual spots. 

Instead, do something out of the ordinary. With over 10 million tourists a year going to the very same spots and doing the usual touristy stuff, chances of finding something unique to do in Singapore is unlikely. For example, on my fourth day in Singapore, I've already wandered around and just want to chill out for the day. An English backpacker i met introduced the idea of going to the cinema and watching the latest Bond flick. Random, spur of the moment and definitely a good pick, i gladly said yes and walked from Little India to Handy road with her to catch nonetheless, James Bond: Quantum of Solace. Good movie and good seats!

5. Don't stay in a posh hotel.

Singapore is a progressive country and city. There are numerous five star luxury hotels like Mandarin Orchard, Marina Bay Sands, Ritz Carlton and of course the infamous Raffles hotel. But there are heaps of $6 Singapore hostels where it's comfortable to sleep in, you get to meet a lot of travelers and all the basic amenities are accessible. Plus, you don't have to shell out so much cash. The real Singapore adventure starts with not having a butler but a bunk bed buddy!

Apart from Malaysia, Singapore is a country where you should exercise your taste palette. From Indian to Chinese influences, oriental cooking is superb this side of the world. One day while cruising around Chinatown, i said what the heck, i will order the most delicious food they have. After downing chilli garlic butter squid, yang chow fried rice, spicy thick noodles in sesame, and a big bottle of Coke Lemon, i knew it was worth it!

I know i said nightlife in Singapore is suppose to rock your world but remember to drink in moderation. Not because you'll get drunk ( you're old enough to know that), but because you'll lose all your money in an instant. Alcohol and cigarettes are very expensive in Singapore. And most of tourists who have been to Singapore would attest how ridiculously expensive the country is. In order to make a difference, travel cheap by spending not so much on stuff that are overpriced. And spending so much on vices will make you penniless in no time.

Not because Singaporeans aren't good at it but because again, it's more expensive. Head to Thailand, for your Thai massage fix at 250 baht instead. Everybody walks in Singapore, that's the way of living of Singaporeans. In order to experience how the locals live, walk all the time, and not drop by the foot reflexology clinic after.

Singapore is a very conservative country. And anything illegal is tantamount to death penalty when caught. A fun night out could ruin your life forever. Watch Banged up Abroad!

If you have some more Don't's for Singapore, kindly share them with me so everyone reading this post may be informed of what not do in order to fully experience the REAL Singapore! Cheers, la!

STORY: I arrived at the airport with only a day to spare. I just came back from a month traveling around Indonesia, and I didn't want to spend all my 24 hours in Singapore's Changi Airport. I wanted to go back to where it all started, to where it all began. I rode the bus heading to this unforgettable hostel and paid $9 SGD.

With only three people inside the 11PM ride, we headed towards Little India. It's my fifth time in the city but i still feel excited every time i go back. I stepped out of the bus and found myself in front of Inn Crowd Hostel. Six years ago seemed a very, very long time for me now. I finally went inside and grabbed the only bed left. Beside me is a Malaysian girl who was checking in with her 14 year old brother and 65 year old mother. Amazing! I told the concierge that this is the very same hostel i stayed years ago. He smiled a bit and immediately asked me for my passport so i can log in. Fair enough.

Much has changed since i first stayed here six years ago. The new building on the next block has now been sold, and what's left is the renovated old main building. It has the same vibe as it was years ago. There were a good number of tourists at the common area. Some where watching television, others were on their phones and tablets busy with Facebook, and a few chaps drinking Tiger beer. The price is still the same for the beer, and the refrigerator is still at the back behind the concierge. I spent close to a week here before, just relaxing at the hostel. Sometimes, i would go on a walking tour to Chinatown or Orchard Road, get stuffed with delicious local cuisine, and then go back to the hostel to meet back people whom i just met but later on became my really good friends.

I paid a few dollars to rent a towel, and checked the dorm room where i will be staying in. There were a couple of beds taken, but mostly the 10-bed dorm room was lonely of people. 

There are now more lockers installed, and the bathroom is cleaner, still with good running water. Generally, the facilities have all been improved. It was totally different before. I would remember getting out of the shower and seeing the local people cooking at the kitchen opposite the bath area. It was open, and on same elevation, people could actually see your head while you're cleaning. 

I fixed myself up and went downstairs to grab something to drink. Of course, it was Tiger beer. Unlike before, where i would usually take my turn and pay a round of pint for all my drinking buddies. Now, i was drinking a can outside alone. It feels different, and memories of the past become more intriguing. I wondered if the generation of travelers now seem to be different from travelers before. 

Directly in front of the hostel is a brothel where a couple of Asian women, dressed to perfection, waiting for customers. I looked at them, trying to remember what that brothel was before. I remembered it was a massage place just beside where the gang would go for late night drinks and shisha. 

I met a French tourist who was also at the hostel for a few days to wait it out. His visa for Indonesia expired so he needed sometime before he comes back. He's eager to be a dive instructor in Komodo National Park. It was a good chat, as it was interesting to know more the interests and thoughts of other travelers nowadays. 

Six years ago, i met an Italian guy who never flew from his hometown to Asia. He arrived in East Timor several months after, on board a cargo ship that almost sunk halfway from Indonesia. He is now in Paraguay sipping coconut juice in an island i have never heard of before. There were also two Polish girls who've spent a year in India, finding happiness in a sad country. They're now back home but have plans of going back to Asia real soon. The Australian guy is a great character. He lost his passport on his way to Singapore. He spent two weeks completely stranded in a very expensive city. Whenever we meet someone new, he would tell the same story of how he lost it. Never fails! He is now in Vietnam with this month's girlfriend and teaching English. There were two English girls who've become my travel buddies to Sentosa, and even to the movie house. One of the girls left earlier than expected, the other spent the rest of the days doing absolutely nothing. We even watched James Bond on its first day showing. They're now both happily married. There was a french guy who just quit his job in marketing and now spending a few weeks in Asia. On my last day, he asked me if i think he made the right decision. He wanted his job back. The last time i checked, he was in Greece with his wife on honeymoon. 

The list of people I've met six years ago would go on and on. They've become really good friends, and we would chat on Facebook from time to time.  I would always smile reading their birthday greetings once a year. Seeing their lives unfold as years pass by made me realize how beautiful and inspiring traveling is. I've met so many people from around the world, with different religions, economic backgrounds, and personal tastes. These people who live totally different lives has now become a part of my life. And for that, i thank the hostel for making it happen.

Inn Crowd Hostel pretty much stayed the same as it was before. It's still the convenient cheap place to crash in when you're in Singapore. The people manning the place are an efficient bunch of people. And anyone asking if it's any good would absolutely get a nod from me.

Yet, i feel different now. I am still pondering if it was Singapore that changed or the travelers in Singapore. I slept that night, eager to find the answer. 

The next day, i rode a taxi going to the MRT bound for the airport. I said goodbye to the people at Inn Crowd Hostel earlier, and got the back seat of a newly polished Toyota car. The people at Inn Crowd were too busy, and the French man whom i gave advice the night before, was glued to his laptop. 

As we sped away, the driver shouted at me because of a misunderstanding with my backpack. The ride was hell. He became more furious and asked me to step out and walk to the MRT instead. I paid the fair exactly and he left. I looked around the city for the last time and went up the train track.

REALIZATION: The universe works in mysterious ways. I just got the answer i was looking for the night before. I felt that I've always known about the answer, i was just trying so hard not to admit it. 

Read my first experience at Inn Crowd Hostel here.