(This is going to be long)This is actually posted on May 7, but since I'll be detailing my vacation, I decided to click the very nice date selector at the bottom of blogger and chose the correct dates for the right entries. Also, I was going to post loads of pix, but I realize that it might be too much and my page would take forever to load due to the many pix. So I'll just post a few. Anyway, here we go:

S'pore Day 2

My mom was arriving at around 12, so I had the morning free. I woke up a 730 and went down for breakfast at around 8-830. I checked out the tours for the day and got a brochure and went up to my room to decide what to do with my day. I couldn't go on any morning tours since all their pick-up times is at 9 and I had entered my room at 9. I decided to book an afternoon tour to Sentosa Island and didn't bother to buy a ticket for my mom coz I wasn't sure what her plans were.

Anyway, I booked that then went back up, returned the brochures, then went out to explore. I went around the block and went inside what I thought was a mall only to find out that it was a 4-storey grocery (and others). When I entered, there was an Indian guy at the counter who was buying stuff who sent a smile and a 'hi' at me. I smiled a bit and said hi too and then plunged in and, upon leaving, made sure he didn't notice me. Talking to strangers tend to fluster me since I never know what to do.

Anyway, I went back to the hotel, wondering if the people in the lobby thought I was really weird coz I kept going in and out of my room practically every hour. Anyway, it was around 10 already at this time and I decided to head off to Orchard road. With my trusty map in my bag, I headed off to the nearest MRT station... and kind of got turned around. I turned left when I should've turned right.

But, anyway, I went to MRT station (it sounds so weird to be saying that since I'm used to say 'subway' when a train is below ground), bought tickets and entered. It was sooo cool. When you
buy tickets, it's this touch screen thing that's way cool. And when you enter, it's also very cool. It's like those types of office cards where you just show it against a scanner and the scanner will read it? I dunno what you call 'em, but the MRT ticket was like that. You put it against this panel and the panel will read it and you can enter. Sooo cool.

You know, their train station is just fantastic. To assure people's safety, there's a glass wall between the platform and the train itself. And when the train stops, it aligns with the automatic doors. Very cool. Doesn't look like any train, above or below ground, that I've ever seen. And since I had no idea I was already in the platform at that time, I kept following the arrows that said a certain destination was this way. I kept following it until I reached the 'Fire Exit' sign there was this Indian guy that was there and I guess I looked really lost that he gave me a friendly smile. I went to him and asked where the train was and he said that it was there, pointing to the glass wall-thing, and said that I could sit to wait. I sat. We made small talk ('you're visiting?' 'yes' 'how long' '4 days' 'first time?' ' yes') and when the train arrived, it all made sense (the glass bits). I transferred stations and headed off to the MRT station on Orchard road.

I kept thinking that people there were so friendly.

[Orchard Road]

It wasn't what I expected it to be. People always say that Orchard road is the shopping place in S'pore, right? And it's supposedly cheap there, right? So I guess I was expecting a street filled
with quaint little shops on the side. As you can see, I was so wrong. There were huge malls in there.

People were so friendly there. They were smiling at me and stuff. At first, I thought it was coz my bra strap was showing. I had on a razorback top and while I was wearing an x bra, the back was kind of thin that the straps could somehow be seen. But then, no, the people (guys) were smiling as they saw me, not when they went passed me. And that's when I realized: I had a silly small smile on my face as I was walking. How embarassing! I was just so darn happy and stuff that I was smiling at myself. My face is way too expressive.

After toning down my expression, I walked around, just enjoying the sights and sounds before deciding to enter one of the malls. I went inside Paragon (I think) and looked around the shops - all of which were pretty high end so I have no idea why people say that Orchard Road is where bargains are usually found. I went down and waddya know? A familiar sight greeted me: Starbucks! I was gonna take a picture, but that's too loser-ish so I just checked out the menu list, wanting to buy a vanilla frappuccino. They didn't have any. And a tall frap sells for, like, S$5.50. That's, what, about 400 bucks? Yeah, right. Forget it.

Finally, when it hit 12, I decided to go back to the hotel since I had to eat lunch (instant noodles!) and get ready for my 2pm pick-up time for the tour. I tried calling my mom, but her phone was still off.

Anyway, I went back to the MRT station, bought a ticket and all that and waited. And that's when the nightmare starts. The only down side of my entire vacation.

When the train arrives, there's a bunch of us that enters and I was just looking down at my feet. A guy gave way and then entered behind me. I could feel him looking at me but I totally wasn't
interested and didn't really want to care. I could feel him, and see him at the corner of my eye, just looking at me. I'm just all, whatever. I get off and then change stations again.

The thing is, I bought the MRT ticket in such a way that I had to go out of the station and then buy another ticket to go in. I could feel the guy still watching me. I went out and prayed to God
he'd leave and go his own way. I mean, fine, check me out if you wanna, I don't care. In fact, I'd prefer if you didn't.

But then as I changed the tickets and bought another one, I was in the machine that's near the barrier of the station. The man stood there and smiled. And I'm all ignoring him. He says hi. I look at him and give him a quick smile, then turn away. "I'm Philip" he says. I nod and then try to ignore him. "Are you a tourist?" "yes" I say quickly, inwardly wondering if this guy is trying to pick me up. I've never been picked up before and while it's something that I always thought I wanted to experience, I figure I'd experience it in the States or something, where it was kind of the norm.

Anyway, so, this guy won't leave me alone and kept making small talk. I couldn't understand half the words that came out of his mouth (thick S'pore and Indian accent, I guess). Then he asked where I was headed. Seeing as how I already touched the screen to pick Farrer Park, I didn't know I what I was going to say so I said the truth.

I left him there to go back in and he... well... followed. I was freaked, flattered, and yet thinking that the entire thing was just plain unreal. And yet at the same time, a part of me wanted to laugh hysterically at the thought of some guy thinking I was all that. It was just... weird. Something's wrong with him

Anyway, he walked beside me and I wanted to get rid off him without being outride rude. He's all, "can I follow you?" "no" I say firmly. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

ME: Yes. (fictitious boyfriends are so useful - they're there when you want them and they're gone when you don't)

HIM: he in philippines?

ME: yes.

HIM: can I follow you?

ME: no.

HIM: why not?

ME: just no.

HIM: can we be friends?

ME: no.

HIM: just friends. while here.

ME: no.

HIM: are you married?

ME: no.

HIM: are you still studying?

ME: yes (I figure, if he was going to ask, I'd make me age younger; maybe that'll turn him off coz of statutory rape and child molesting and all)

There was a moment of silence before I politely asked him where he was going. He says something and I have no idea what. When he asked if I was visiting, I said yeah and asked if he's lived in Singapore long. Yes daw. I didn't want to be outright rude but I also really wasn't interested. I think the guy was just dense that he didn't get that. He kept asking, "can I follow you?" and I kept saying "no" and he kept asking if we could be friends and I kept saying "no", when he asked why, I replied that "my boyfriend wouldn't want that" and he's all, "why? we're just friends". I give him a tight smile and say, "he's the jealous type. he doesn't like me talking to strange guys". He counters that my boyf doesn't have to know and I reply, "so what? you want me to lie to him?"Anyway, I finally figured out that he's going to Farrer Park as well. He asks where I'm staying and I say hotel. He asks what hotel and I say "it's in Farrer Park" (I did not grow up in Manila without learning how to evade questions). He asked my name and I hesitated before admitting "katrina". There were moments of silence while we 'talked' wherein I stewed in silence, wondering how to shake him off and why he just won't get that I'm SO not interested. And he kept humming. And that irritated me as well as freaked me out. I mean, didn't he get that I was uncomfortable? That I wasn't interested? That I didn't want him around?

Anyway, I sat down and waited for the MRT and he wandered around. But then the people seated beside me shifted so he sat beside me. I shifted slightly away. The MRT arrived, we went in. There were a bunch of empty seats but I decided to stand coz I didn't want him to seat beside me. He sat on a two-seater than motioned that I sit down beside him. I hesitated and, again, didn't really want to seem rude so I sat beside him, sitting as far away from him as I
could. I kept fidgeting and tapping my ticket against my hand and watching the windows. I think he asked me something again and I just made noncommittal noises. The train stopped. I exited and was so frazzled that I couldn't put my ticket inside the machine to get back my deposit. He took it for me and tried to put it inside, but he was unsuccessful. We went to the customer service or whatever you call it and I said that something must be wrong with my ticket. The guy checked it against his machine and said it was fine and that I should try again. I went to the nearest machine, walking fast, but the guy was right beside me. He made a move to reach for my card, but I took it out of his reach. I finally figured out the right slot and I completed my transaction just fine. Apparently, coz I was so flustered, I had been trying to put my card in the credit card slot. Which isn't really so bad considering the fact that the guy - who has lived in Singapore long - had tried to put my ticket in the same slot. Stupid jerk.

I walked away and he tagged along, helpfully informing me "I'm following you" "please don't. where are you going?" and he says he's going to some market near Farrer Park station. There were two exits in the station, one was right across my hotel and the other was farther. I chose the farther one because I was hoping that we'd separate ways somewhere. No such luck.

As we were going to the exit, there was a small store. He invited me to drink (he had asked me before if I had eaten lunch and I was slightly panicky at this point that I told him the truth - no). No. He asked why. I said I had to go. At this point, I wasn't just flustered, I was freaked. This guy, this strange OLD Indian guy with receding hairline and weird accent had been beside me even though I kept telling him to stop 'following me' and that I didn't want to be his 'friend'.

He kept inviting me to eat and/or drink and I kept saying no, adding a not-so-sincere sorry. He said that he'd just ask this of me and nothing more. "Just one," he says. "No," I reply, remembering the stories ranging around Manila about people drugging other people's drinks and food. Anyway, he was insistently inviting me. I was just as firmly saying no. Then he cornered me on the wall and there I was, alone in a wide and long hallway with a strange man forcing me to eat with him. I went passed the freaked and scared and straight to terrified. Why
wouldn't this guy leave me alone? Can't he bloody understand what 'no' means?? I kept saying no. He kept insisting. Just one, he says, and he'll never ask for anything from me. I say no. I look around, hoping for someone, anyone, to show up, but nobody does. I keep saying no and saying that I had to go. I tried to duck and leave, but he moves in front of me again, blocking my way. Why don't I want to eat with him, he asks. My boyfriend won't like it, I say coz I didn't know what else to say. There's nothing to it, he replies, we're just friends. I don't want to, I answer, sorry. And I leave. Finally, there are some people who enter the hallway and when I duck, he lets me leave. Still following me. I speed up my walk (and those who know me know that my normal walk is quite fast so if I'm speeding up, then I'm really speeding up). We hit the escalator. I get on, he gets beside me. He puts his arm around me and I shrug it off. He puts it back. Left with no choice, I push his hand away and take a step up. "Why not?" he asks. "I'm not comfortable." Like duh. Respect my personal space, dammit.

When we hit the top, I just walk fast away, thankful there are people around as I really didn't want to get cornered again. There's a corner little eatery shop and he points to that. No, I shake my head, not even stopping. I just wanted to get away from this creep. As we're walking, his hand brushes mine and I jump away, using both hands onto the strap of my bag. When I reach my hotel, I don't even look at him, but I just leave and go inside. To go to my hotel, you have to climb stairs, cross the driveway, and climb up more stairs to enter the front doors.

I left him on the sidewalk and, though wishing he would continue on to wherever, know that he's staying there. He knows my hotel, I think, but he doesn't know my room or my family name and hotel people just don't give out that information. I just wanted to go to my room and lock the door against him. I knew that safety was thataway.

As I was climbing the second set of stairs, I glance at the reflection in the glass. Good he's not following me. I enter the front doors and surreptously give a quick unnoticeable glance outside. He's going up the steps! Walking fast. Dammit. I notice one of the elevator doors about to close so I actually run towards it and hit the up botton but don't make it. It's a good thing there were a lot of people around, so I just stood in front of the elevator, worried and scared and just wishing one of them would go down and please, please, make sure the lobby has many, many
people. Out of the corner of my eye, I see him enter, walk inside. He was still looking at me but not making any moves to go near me. Which I'm really thankful for coz if he did, I'd have made a scene.

The elevator doors finally opened and I rushed inside. With me was a bellhop with a big luggage trolley and 2 or 3 other people. I breathe a little easier. I kept staring at the floor. As the elevator doors were closing, I saw him out of the corner of my eye, he was standing outside, staring at me.

Once the elevator hit 14, I walked quickly out, my eyes looking all over the place. I enter my room, dump my bag in the middle of my bed, run to the farthest corner and sat down. I was shaking. I was scared. I was terrified. I wanted to bawl like a baby. I had this fear that he might peek inside the peephole and would possibly see me so I made sure that I wasn't visible from the door (and neither was my bag).

I just sat there. I was so scared, I hated it. I called up my friend, Haj, and told him what happened. I got all weepy saying it. He was properly pissed. After, I called my brother, but didn't really know how to say it so I ended up not saying anything and telling him I called "just to say hi and see how you are". When we hung up, I texted him that some guy introduced himself and invited me out and put his hands around me and followed me to the hotel and should I tell hotel security? Obviously, my brother says yes, I should. We texted a few then he called me up and was all, "tell the police!" I said I was shy and he was all, "tell the hotel security! you should've told them!" and blah-blah. I said that I would and I was planning to if I went down again and he's still there. My brother said that it doesn't matter if the guy is still down there or not, but that I should tell them. I ask him what happens if the hotel asks me for a description? I can't just tell them he was an Indian guy. My brother said that hotels have security cameras and I could tell them I'll point out the weird guy if I can see the video cameras. He gave me warnings and stuff and I said thanks and hung up.

I know, I know, I should've gone to the police. But living in the Philippines, I don't have a lot of trust in the so-called law enforcers. It just doesn't occur to me to run to the police if something like this happens. Also, I guess, I was too shy and I didn't really want the hassle. I just never wanted to see the guy again or have anything that had to do with him. I was thankful my mom was arriving that day and that I was spending the night with her. I don't think I'd be able to sleep if I stayed in the same hotel.

Anyway, as I was fixing my lunch, trying to get a grip on myself, my mom calls, saying that she's in Singapore already and what are my plans. I tell her. She makes plans to book the same tour so we'll be together. Okay, I say. I eat my lunch, then, about five minutes before 2, head down. I knew I couldn't hide in my hotel room forever. And I knew there were loads of people in the
reception so if something happens, I could yell and others would help. And yet, I was totally afraid.

I went down and before stepping out, I looked all over the lobby, checking to see if he was there. He wasn't. I went out, went to the tour person, got my sticker and asked if I could sit there to
wait for the bus. And I sat, coiled and ready, eyes alert and moving all over the place.

On an otherwise glorious vacation, that was the one stint that ruined everything for me. I hate that man.

Anyway, I'll fastforward this: went to Sentosa Island, enjoyed myself immensely and managed to forget the creep. Although I was wary and jumpy every time I saw an Indian guy - which was a lot of times as S'pore's population consists of Malays, Chinese, Indians, and minority. After the tour, went back to my hotel (roving eyes and the desire to go in and out as quickly as possible), got all my things, took the taxi to my mom's hotel (really great hotel!) and ate room service for dinner. Had way too much.

It was funny coz some of the food I picked was spicy and so I was eating rice - a lot of it - to wash away the spice. I also drank a lot of water. This one time, I tasted the rice by itself and realized that the damn rice was spicy.

Anyway, while eating, my mom had a quick business thing and after eating I took a relaxing soak in the bathtub, then got ready for bed. My mom arrived, ate dinner (I ordered two meals from room service), then my dad called and I knew instinctively, even before answering the phone, that my brother had told my dad what happened. Got told off that I should've told the police and blah-blah and was strictly told not to return to the hotel. After all, it's been already paid for before I even left the Philippines and all my things were with me already. He told me to check out by phone and if they don't allow that, explain that I got accosted by a guy the day before and refuse to go back. Then he railed on me for not telling my mom coz we've been together since 2-230 that day and I haven't said anything. I said I wanted to forget it for a while but that I was going to tell my mom tonight. Which I really was going to do. Anyway, he said that I should tell me mom and so I did. She freaked and she's really grateful that nothing happened and -again- told me I should've told the hotel security. Then asked if I was all right to go around alone. I said yes, I said that I wouldn't want the guy to ruin my stay there. Besides,
I can't hide forever.

[I'm lying on my bed here and the TV is behind that cabinet. And TV remote control is sooo cool! It's touch screen!]