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From travel (at) sneaker.net Thu May 17 10:53:16 2001
Date: Sat, 12 May 2001 02:37:54 GMT
From: "Nathan J. Mehl, Road Worrier" <travel (at) sneaker.net>
To: memory (at) blank.org
Subject: Greetings From Singapore



Good morning.  Afternoon?  Evening?  Well, I'm awake and moving at
any extent.

This is just a quickie to let folks know that M and I arrived safely
here in Singapore.  The flight was kinda bumpy, but otherwise 
uneventful, and we are now safely ensconsed in the Elizabeth Hotel, here in
"Disneyland with the Death Penalty."

Impressions so far: Gibson wasn't kidding about the Disneyesque quality of
this place.  The city seems not so much grown as cultivated.  From the
moment you step outside the airport, it's like you're in a combination
shopping mall and vivarium.  I keep expecting to run into glass walls.

Miranda's impression on the drive from the airport to the hotel was "Asia
Lite", and there's certainly none of the instant hammer-to-the-forehead
culture shock that we got in Shanghai.  All of the road signs are in
English, everything is clean and well-marked.  Other than that it's a
left-side driving country, you could easily convincey yourself that you're
in Honolulu.

I reserve the right to deny I said any of this, however, as "drive from the
airport to the hotel" is about all I've done so far.  Miranda just left to
do her hotel inspections and meet with some local company contacts here,
and I've burrowed into the hotel's business center to check my email.  

Enough of that noise, however.  There's a big city out there, just waiting
to make a mockery of all of my initial impressions.  I think I shall take a
wander.

Regards to all,

-Nathan