From Sleepy Sam's in Singapore

I've only been off the plane a few hours but I've done a lot of walking and I need a good sitdown - suppose it's not too early to start journalising. I got into Singapore early this afternoon, made my way by train to Bugis, and walked from there to the Arab Quarter, where I'm staying in a secluded but popular hostel.. It's so secluded that I was walking in circles trying to find it, and it doesn't look like an area very popular with tourists otherwise. A casual glance down Arab Street would suggest that this is the Rug District. Seems to be a pretty relaxed bunch of backpackers here, but maybe that's just the heatstroke. The atmosphere draws the sweat out of you by the bucketload and the place smells like Asia to me: wafts of clove cigarettes, a ubiquitous musk of rotting vegetables and car exhaust. I've strolled through some of the great sprawling street markets around Bugis, which sell everything from icecream sandwiches to sex toys (yes.) and it's definitely a very colourful place, but I'm happy not to dwell here. A sweaty British girl I met at reception mentioned to me that the Singapore Grand Prix is on tomorrow, but if it's a big event I can't tell. I have to get up at 5.30 in the morning to make my flight to Munich.