Deepavali party

(This blog is late and occurred before the last entry)
I awoke to a group of drunk revellers screaming "Happy Deepavali" as another breathy whistle brought me around. Deepavali is a Hindu celebration recalling a story from the Ramayana where good conquers evil. These guys were definitely feeling good but when they awaken tomorrow, evil will have triumphed judging by the slurred speech. They were laughing and lighting a strange kind of firework sounding like a very soft and wheezy bottle rocket without the "pop". It was the muted sound effect of a bottle rocket...even the fireworks in Singapore are sterile. I knew this campsite was too good to be true. I'm on an idyllic little corner of a beach on Sentosa Island which is the playground for all of Singapore: crowded beaches, water park, ski lift style tram, boat rentals. As I rode up to the park ranger booth I learned that my guidebook was outdated and that there is no longer camping on Sentosa. But seeing my disappointment the ranger instructed me where to set up my tent so no one would bother me. Happily cycling up the first hill I've yet to encounter I realized that for the first time in a week(save the excellent oasis of the Sing. Botanical Gardens) I wasn't surrounded by steel and glass and grinding traffic and shoppers, but by the color green. The effect was soothing and I took a deep breath...and coughed spasmodically. During these times, when Indonesia is burning, the air quality is measured and discussed more than the air temp. The indes today is 90-100 depending on which part of the city you are in. At 100 outdoor exercise is not recommended. At 200 the out of doors is not recommended. I can't emagine what it was like in '97 when the index hit >250 in Kuala Lumpur.
As I rode down the hill to the beach swarms of people were piling off of buses, standing in line for the live dolphin show and strolling up and down the promenade. Pleasant muzac was piped along the path every 100' or so from the hidden Bose speakers and each palm tree seemed perfectly placed. As it turns out each palm tree was perfectly place as was each grain of sand. It's an artificial beach...a Disneyland of beaches with salt water lagoons and mini island to swim to and a rope bridge to another island, and bars, and tiki torches. After a week in the city (and I'm embarrassed to admit it) it was alluring.
When I earlier mentioned that I had been awakened by partiers, it was more like nudged as sleep is too strong a word for the state I was in. Lying in my tent with nothing on but surf shorts, in a slowly growing puddle of sweat I was glad I had left the rainfly off to catch any breath of wind coming my way. Sadly there was none which accounted for the glassy water 75' from my tent. This sea, the South China Sea, acted more like lakedale back home than what I am used to in Kauai...sea indeed! The only "waves" noted were from the innumerable ships and smaller boats that passed by my tent all night long. More tham the heat or Indian Party Animals it was the constant drone of nautical engines that kept me awake. I forgot to consider that as Singapore has no natural resources (even the water gets piped in from Malaysia and then sold back to them bottled at a profit!) everything must be shipped in: food, water and the essentials of life like electronics and Calvin Klein. So on my front porch was one of the busiest shipping channels in the world. Think napping during a Seafare race.
And even though complaing about everything is a hoot, I must confess that sleeping next to a lapping sea, "awakened" by the calls of birds I've never heard before, (some haunting and some screeching) at the beginning of a journey that will lead to places unseen both internally and external, has moments of calm bliss. Or was that a cat nap?