Hello Singapore! Finally not only a quick greeting after I breeze through Changi airport, but a proper 3-night stay. And where am I staying? Apparently, it’s all about “pods” these days. To the extent that some hostels sell beds covered with a curtain and call it a “pod”. But as I stay in a sleek, large business hotel nearly every week, an actual tiny-living pod seemed like a refreshing experience.

And so, jet-lagged and sweaty from carrying my gear through the hot Singapore night I arrived in a quirky, new pod hotel in quirky Kampong Glam. I had upgraded the “pod” experience to a “capsule” experience and found a little cube just for me, in light, wooden, Japanese minimalist style, with sound-proof walls and slat pull-down blinds for privacy. Inside is a decently sized bed, power outlets, USB outlets, a light with a dimmer, a safe, a fold-down table, space for a big backpack, and hooks and racks for hanging clothes. The capsule is not much more than a meter tall thus it was sitting and crouching only.

The hotel is new and stylish, with a number of sections including wards for capsules and shared, spacious, modern showers and toilets, one set per section. The breakfast room and all of the hotel has fast wifi, and the breakfast is basic but fresh. 30€ per night of this feels infinitely better than 100€ per night in a  dingy old hotel on Bencoolen street.

After a shower I crept into my capsule for the night. Jet-lagged, and still a little dazed and amazed that I will not be returning to my apartment in Finland when I come back. Perhaps I will stay there for a few nights while I get my affairs in order and everything packed and carted off to long-term storage, but most likely that will be it. When I return I am going to take a leap into a slightly frightening unknown, once again.

But first there is Singapore. Which to me equals noodle soup.

(Singapore; July 2018)