No Monkeys?

Yesterday we went on a sweaty, wickedly steep, 1.5 hour hike at the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. It boasts the highest peak in Singapore and they are NOT kidding. I have never climbed something so steep. Rick loved it. Amanda & I were dying. The reserve is supposed to be home to macaque monkeys but we saw none. :( They are around, Rick's colleague says they torment his dog by running along their back fence. The highlight of the day for me was having to go potty in a "hole" in the ground twice! I have to say I prided myself in never having used one while living in China. That is now not the case. When you gotta go you'll go anywhere I suppose! There is an art to peeing into a hole in the floor. Let's just say I have not mastered this skill....not sure I want too. Amanda was appalled on Saturday when we entered a bathroom while shopping, they didn't provide toilet paper. I tried to tell her that was common and she needed to be prepared as I passed her the Kleenex I carry for just these type of situations.

Last night Rick and I put together the grill and our party cooler on the roof top. Although the temp. was bearable it's the humidity that really is killer. There was almost a cool breeze blowing but we were still sweating like two pigs! I don't mind the heat it's the humidity that gets to me. This afternoon a guy is coming from a gas company to outfit our grill so that we can use it here. Not sure if they use propane or what? Should prove to be interesting.

While cooking last night we realized some of my pans do not fit into our tiny oven. Most locals do not have ovens and only use a cook top. Hence the oven as quiet small. We are now thinking we should have brought a turkey fryer. I doubt a decent size turkey will fit into our oven! I think I may need to beg our friend Ken to bring one over to us in September, along with the wine. Did I mention we bought a wine fridge? It's so hot here even the red wine needs to be chilled. Rick felt this was a priority!

Forgot to mention that while having dinner with Rick's colleagues last week. They all couldn't get over that I don't drink coffee. They thought all Americans drink coffee! I guess I'm a freak? Tea for me or nothing please! Have been looking at dishwashers, but there is only room for one that sits on the counter and cleans 4 place settings at a time. Not to mention they cost between $700 - 800 sing dollars. Which is something like $500 usd. Rick has become obsessed with germs. He says it's because of all the H1N1 data that he gets each day. They are ramping up at work all their anti-bacterial products. After we take the subway we have to use hand sanitizer. He's concerned about when one of us gets sick and we are just hand washing dishes that they really wont' be "clean" enough. Hence looking for a dish washer.................. Amanda had a good time making fun of him.

I'm off to explore the neighborhood on my own. Today's trivia: The Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is said to contain more species of trees than the entire North American continent.

Hugs,