Curb and gutter in Singapore (left), My tiny bathroom (below)

Singapore
By Stan Morse
March 9, 1998

There is a compressed energy in this island-city of three million. Sitting at the tip of the Malaysian Peninsula, Singapore is surrounded by larger and poorer countries like Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia. Called the "Switzerland of Asia", it has thrived by becoming a regional banking and electronics leader. This tiny country is the 8th largest trading partner of the U.S., and its citizens enjoy an affluence of first-world order.

They're a happy and vibrant people, but the recent Asian currency crisis has created an undercurrent of concern. So far, the Singapore dollar has weathered the storm, dropping only a few points against the U.S. dollar. But if other regional currencies don't stabilize soon, no one seems comfortable predicting that Singapore won't feel the heat.

Singaporeans love food, and it can be cheap -- if, you go to the right places. On the first day I went to a food court and purchased noodles with sliced pork for S$3.00 (with an exchange rate of .62 that works out to about US$1.86). I concluded that all food would be cheap. So the following night I broke a primary rule: Never Order From A Menu That Doesn't Have Prices!

The "Bee Hang Fish Head Steamboat" restaurant near my hotel is little more than a stall, serving at plastic tables on a communal patio overlooking a busy street. I assumed it was affordable, even if the photographs in the album-menu were unpriced. Anyway, what would you expect to pay for "Shark Fin Soup with Crab Meat" and "Black Pepper Ostrich"? Surely not more than five dollars each? Right?

Oops!

The bill was S$47.70. It seemed pretty stiff for outdoor dining. I think I half-choked out, "Gee, what was the expensive one?" And looked at the bill. It was in Chinese, of course. But I think that first item was the shark fin soup, at $20.00.

You also notice the yard-deep moats in front of the foot-high curbs. I'm glad it's not the rainy season. The rain here would make Noah nervous.

There are a few ramps, but I don't think they were installed with wheelchairs in mind; I think they were put in so that merchants could handtruck goods into their shops.

I saved a few dollars on my room. I'm staying in "Little India", two miles from the posh Orchard Road District (where the curbs are covered, and there are plenty of wheelchair curbcuts). At S$60.00 a day, even adding S$10.00 for daily cab fare, it's a bargain in a city where most rooms are S$200.00 and up. The bathroom isn't totally friendly (Okay, so I shower sitting on the toilet, using the hand-wand, but hey -- it works!) But the staff seem to really care about my comfort. They moved me from the room I was in the first night, to a more accessible room, even though I hadn't complained. I believe they're amazed I'm traveling by myself.

I have run into a few obstacles, and not always where I expected. For instance, I tried to get on the subway. The ticket person politely referred me to a uniformed officer in a glass cage, who politely told me that I could not get on the subway unless I was accompanied by a "healthy person" who could carry me off if it broke down. Now, I have a hard time imagining their subway breaking down. Ever. I was told by a very credible source that it was the finest and cleanest subway in the world. But if it did stop, I have no doubt that several friendly and helpful Singaporeans would come to my rescue. The people are THAT nice here.

I tried to get the officer to see my side of it, telling him I was a travel writer and that the concept of my trip was doing things "on my own".

"You are healthy," he said, "and probably wouldn't have a problem. But if we make an exception, then other people in wheelchairs would want to ride alone also."

If this were the U.S. or Australia, I'd find a way on. But in Singapore, the rules are meant to be followed. By everyone. Whether you are a local, or a tourist. It brings home the distinction between "individual responsibility" and "individual rights". I politely left, and went to the nearest Starbucks (No kidding -- I've seen four) to drown my disappointment in a latte.

I'll survive without taking a subway ride. I have no problem getting cabs, and they're cheap. I can go across town for S$5.00. So it's not like I'm deprived of my mobility. But . . . I really wanted to ride the cleanest subway in the world, darnit!

The bottom line is that the people here are wonderful. I've had them run to open doors for me. I was waved through at a museum by the guard, who refused to accept an admission price. And today, the manager of a Starbucks gave me a free latte, then cautioned me to be careful in Bangkok. "It's hard times up there," he said. "Watch yourself."

I fly to Bangkok tomorrow.