In the heart of Little India lies a sacred treasure: Komala Vilas, a vegetarian restaurant that opened in Singapore in 1947. I have visited Singapore three times now (unfortunately not in 1947, but I would have loved to be there when it first opened). Each time I visit, I make it a point to experience this amazing food.
Although I am not a vegetarian, I could easily become one after tasting the dishes here. The rich flavors demonstrate that vegetarian food doesn’t have to be bland or tasteless; after trying this, you won’t hesitate to enjoy veggie meals again.
I ordered the No. 1 item on the menu, and I can certainly see why it’s ranked first. It’s a rice meal that comes with three vegetables, dhal, sambar, kulambu, rasam, thairu, raita, payasam, appalam, and pickles—all for S$8.50, which is about £4.80. I washed it down with Masala Tea for S$1.80. Whether for breakfast or lunch, it represents traditional Indian food at its best.
If you’re staying in a backpacker’s hostel located in Little India, I highly recommend checking out the Komala Vilas menu. However, if you’re only passing through Singapore and have just a day to visit, the restaurant is about an hour’s ride on the MRT from Changi Airport.
Directions from Changi Airport:
Take the East-West Line (green line) on the MRT for one stop and change at Expo to catch the Downtown Line (blue line). Travel approximately 13 stops until you reach Jalan Besar MRT Station. From there, it’s about a 10-minute walk to Serangoon Road.
I left England from Heathrow in September 2018 with the hope that I will travel around Asia visiting at least 14 countries on a 12-month travel plan.
I thought of it as a gap year for the older generation who didn’t have access to the internet when we were young.
Slightly overweight in terms of bags but underweight in terms of me personally.
So, maybe the clothes I am taking are going to be replaced soon by smaller sizes? 🤣
Anyway, I promise to share all my trips on this blog, mistakes, successes both funny and sad moments.
Along with the information that may well be useful to any of you out there who, are looking or thinking of doing
Something similar before this life of ours ends.
Enjoy!
TIP OF THE POST….
Wet wipes and a change of socks.
When we landed I headed straight to the bathroom, quick toilet stop and then changed my socks, bearing in mind we have been travelling for over 24 hours.
There is nothing better than a fresh pair of socks, makes your feet seem refreshed and ready to go again, even if the rest of you is tired.
Singapore is a city-state that blends Eastern and Western cultures, offering a glimpse into the beautiful traditions of Southeast Asia while providing comfortable surroundings akin to the West.
As I travel, I will do my best to describe the food I encounter along the way. They say a picture paints a thousand words (so expect plenty of those), but if you’re like me, you want to know more: What is the dish called? Does it contain meat, or is it vegetarian? Is it spicy or mild? So, wet your lips and enjoy!
For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return.
The View from my Apartment in the UK which I saw every day for 7 years
Travel Learning
Travel is an essential part of our lives, whether it’s the daily commute to and from work or the planned trips during our days off to explore new places. They say we only have one life to live, yet many of us wait until the end to pursue our dreams.
How many of you have parents or know people who have worked hard all their lives to save for that once-in-a-lifetime holiday, adventure, or cruise to create unforgettable memories?
It’s interesting how we often hold off on enjoying these experiences until it’s almost too late. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many people who either take the plunge early, sacrificing stability—like a home, family, or a steady career—or who patiently wait for the right moment.
Choices
Ultimately, it comes down to personal preferences, choices, and responsibilities that shape our decisions. For me, transformative events in my life gave me the courage to take that first step toward what I hope will be a great adventure. This blog documents all my mistakes and lessons learned as I travel.
These posts reflect my journey as I strive to explore as much as possible on a budget.
I was a Facilities Manager for a company in England.
Like most people, we’ve had tough times, and we have had to work harder to stay afloat. Every year, I organised an annual work night out where I treated all the staff to a meal and drinks. This was my way of saying thank you for all their hard work throughout the year.
Every year I would organise an annual work night out, where I would take all the staff and treat them to a meal and drinks. It was my way of saying thank you for all the hard work they did throughout the year.
We used to call it the Ozzies as I would give out awards and presents to the staff who did well. There were also a few fun prizes, just to make it entertaining. Like who “Pissed the Boss off the most” and “Best email,” it was part of my life. In fact, the staff who worked for me became like family.
However, back in 2016, a few major things happened.
(as well as a few minor ones)
Which got me to thinking how precious life is and how little time we have on this planet.
I took steps to explore other interests that I wanted to pursue. One of these interests was traveling; throughout my life, I have always dreamed of visiting faraway places that I read about in books or see on movie screens. Like many others, I thought I would wait until retirement to fulfill these dreams.
One of these was travelling; throughout my life, I have always wanted to visit faraway places that you read in a book or see on a movie screen.
But like most, I figured one day I would retire and do it all then.
However, as I got older, so did my dreams; I watched people older than me fail to fulfil what they said was their lifelong ambition.
I began to wonder what if this happens to me?
So towards the end of Dec 2016, I booked a 4-week holiday to South East Asia thanks to a friend who has travelled around there and knew the best places to visit.
He spent over a week helping me find the best deals, including the right flights, transfers, discounts, and extras to make it a trip to remember. Thank you, Emmett, for giving me such a wonderful introduction to travel!
Looking back at photos, I was going through a lot, as I am clearly not looking healthy. Carrying too much weight, red-faced, and grey hair all adding to a look that possibly would have made my life a bit shorter had I carried on down that path.
The following year, 2017, I did it again; this time I booked everything, found some cheaper places, and some different accommodations. Three different trips, approximately 5-6 weeks each time, one in Europe and the other two in Asia.
I tried a Hostel for the first time at 46 and loved it; it is a cheap but good, clean way of experiencing places if you are on a budget.
However, I still spent the usual amount of money as you would on a holiday, so I started thinking, what if I could still experience this travel adventure but on a smaller budget, which is more cost-effective and planned better?
Hence this blog: I have read lots of travel tips from the blogging community, the guys and gals who have been doing this for years, and they all say it can be done, give you a few tips here and there, so I decided to try it and blog as I go. It may work and be a success or an epic failure, but as with all things in life, you have to actually do it to find out.”
Graham, August 2018
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