Initially I was very unsure if I wanted to take the motorcycle into Singapore or not. But the initial ordeal I went through made my decision of not getting it in easier.

I was stopped at the border as I was to have the Carnet De Passage (permit to take the motorcycle into the country) pre approved by the AAS (Automobile Association of Singapore). Since I entered the border at 6:30 pm, the AAS office was closed and I was asked to return back to Malaysia. The next day I visited the AAS office and I was given a cost of 300 Singapore Dollars to keep the motorcycle for a week. This included the insurance (a month, the minimum time frame they issue the insurance for), processing fee, toll tax and fee.

Singapore is such a pristine and shiny country, it seems to have been rinsed in floral scented bleach. The orderliness and predictability of everything can be quite unnerving at times. For me personally everything felt a bit too organised. The swish cars stop within their lanes silently and everybody goes by the books. All this added to the fact that it is a highly regulated country.

While 50 USD would seem like a princely sum for travellers in nearby countries such as Thailand and Indonesia, the same amount is barely enough for a hotel room in Singapore. Fortunately I was being hosted and had not much to worry on that aspect.

One can see around Singapore in 3 days at a relaxed pace, especially with the public transport being so well connected and convenient.The biggest attractions were the Gardens By The Bay, Universal Studios, Changi Chapel Museum, Botanical Garden and the Zoo.

Mostly everything you see around you is man made and personally I felt most of them genuinely lack character and emotional connect. I am uncertain whether I could live in a place like Singapore, that seems so cosmetic, or not.

Look through my lens!