I was incredibly lucky last night, having just arrived 5 minutes before the Melaka Express left from the Singapore bus station.

The big issues yesterday were:

1)  Go to the Chinese Embassy and get a visa.

2)  Stop at a drug store and buy Lariam, an anti-malarial which can be purchased without a prescription here, at 1/3 rd the price of that in the US.

3)  Get to Melaka.

I got the Lariam. I caught the last bus out at five. A Chinese visa takes three days to a week. My only chance will be in Manila then. Otherwise, I am sunk when my plane arrives into Guangzhou.

Not too much to say except fortune smiled upon me, I have a hotel for 67 ringgit a night and am out this AM to explore the Straits of Melaka. Or at least the streets of Melaka.