It begins...

Well I'm sitting here writing this at four o-clock in the morning Rome-time, 11:42 home time, finally realising what it is to be jet lagged. All I can say is I'm glad I finally have my ankles back after the 14 hour flight from Singapore. I retained so much fluid the bones of my delicately formed ankles were completely submerged:

Cankles and screwy sleep patterns aside, the trip has been awesome. Even now I'm listening to the dulcet tones of drunk Italian men singing “Ciao, ciao, ciao, my darling” below our Rome apartment. Bliss.

So, here is (part of) the story so far:

We had a days stopover in Singapore, before our marathon flight with Lufthansa to Rome via Frankfurt. The major languages of Singapore are English, although “Singlish”, an adorable mish-mash of the two (plus others), is also commonly spoken. The national past-time, sport and religion is shopping:

Singapore's main drag Orchard Grove is one giant shopping centre. Where there isn't a multiplex, one is being constructed.

We didn't go nuts on the shopping front (I bought some earrings), instead choosing to go to the zoo and eat out.
(Update: Huzzah! The aforementioned earring purchase constitutes my first screwing by a Singaporean shopkeeper. “Yes, yes - they stainless steal!!!” my arse.)

The zoo was wonderful, I took lots of photos:


Yes, there is a polar bear at Singapore Zoo... I mean, wtf?


Mother and baby gorilla

Yo mamma.

After our Singapore jaunt, it was 14 hours with Lufthansa to Rome via Frankfurt. We flew over the Swiss Alps! It was pretty special. (In Frankfurt airport, mum dropped a poor-taste zinger by likening smokers-capsules to extermination chambers – don't mention the war etc.)

Rome has been an awesome mix of magnificent grandeur and unspeakable gaudiness (those Popes just don't know when to say “stop” with the decorating). But I'll have to get to that next time.

Ciao!