sex shops...

...are all over the place in Singapore. Literally, it seems as though there was one on every block. Which is kind of odd considering that it is against the law to spit or chew gum in public. Singapore is a land of a booming economy, which renders it the means to be a very expensive place to be in. After traveling for so long in places where money is not such a dominating factor to the atmosphere of the area, it was kind of strange to be in such a place. It was very clean as well which is something that has not too often been the case. After talking to some local friends that we made on our last night there (we only stayed for two days), we learned that the people in Singapore are generally living in oppression. Singapore, in my opinion much like the U.S., is one of those places in which the government of the country wants it to appear to be such a good place to be. Clean, drug and violence free, and with enough shopping malls to give the Mall of America and Times Square a run for their money. While the people who make the interior of the country are repressed and ruled with a very strict hand. It's not that Singapore is without the crime and drugs that are a part of any large city. It's that the government deems it necessary to punish these crimes with outlandishly harsh consequences. Leaving the people in Singapore scared to live, and giving the tourist's who want to spend the money that it cost's to be there the illusion of a place that might not truly be. But all in all, it was a nice place and really, what society exists these days (or any days since the introduction of governments and laws) without oppression?

We hooked up with a guy named Star on the bus from Melaka to Singapore. He is a guy from Holland and pretty cool. Minus the fact that he is a know it all and will argue any point no matter what it is. We were in Chinatown talking to a guy who lived in Cambodia. The man was telling Brent and I that Cambodia was a very nice and cheap place to visit. Being that he lives there, this is something that I would not question, but Star was very quick to disagree with him and tell him that in fact no, Cambodia was quite expensive. "I was there so I know". It was another quite embaressing moment that Brent and I felt when being around Star. The man simply ignored him and continued his conversation with us. Being around a person like Star, who was pretty cool to us and other travellers but truly an arsehole to local people, it made me appreciate travelling with Brent all over again. We are, I guess in our hearts, truly and completely grateful to all the local people that we meet. And interested in them on deeper level than being served and helped. We don't expect to have everything made to be perfect for us. And we are never demanding or full of complaints when things may not be going the way we want or expect them to be. And we are willing to put in effort to work with them as well. Just eating with Star once and hearing him request discounts and complain that the food wasn't spicy enough, then seeing the smiles that usually seem to come so naturally from all the people that I've met so far completely disappear...it was depressing. Mind you, Star has been all over the place, so he has experience in travelling. I felt relieved that Brent and myself don't leave impressions like that on the people we interact with. But, some people who travel are just that way. Meeting them is just as much part of the experience as anything else so I was grateful to make his aquantance.

After Singapore for a couple days, we took a ferry to Batam. Which was our passover to Indonesia. And then a flight to Jakarta. Jakarta is a city with a population of 12 million people. Brent and I walked about ten miles of the city yesterday and concluded that there isn't much going on here except traffic and air that is hard to breathe. We are staying in a room that has too many mosquitoes in it. Probably going to be leaving today to go to Bandung. We came to Indonesia without a travellers guide so we are at the whim of doing more talking with people that live here to find our way. I am pretty sure that we are to find the train station at some point today and head out. Jakarta may not be the city in Indonesia that we are looking for, but holy shit...it cost's next to nothing to be here. One U.S. dollar gets you 10,500 Indonesian Rupees. Food costs about RP12,000-15,000. Our room cost's RP60,000. Apples and oranges cost RP2,500. I am finally a millionare!!!!! It is about 7am here and I have had trouble sleeping the past couple nights due to mosquitoes and bed bugs. But, I hope this finds everyone well and I hope that everyone can find the comfort in petting an animal, or getting a hug from someone soon.

word to yo muthas
nate