Silver bullet

Saturday morning in Singapore and once more we are on a train, a superb, gleaming, squeaky clean silver bullet. No need for safety signs as the waiting passengers are sealed off from the platform edge by sliding doors which only open when the train has arrived and is stationary.

Even more perfect than the trains are the passengers who do not chew gum and do not drop litter. The $1,000 penalty for first time littering is probably for the benefit of foreigners - I do not believe the residents would even think of doing such a thing. On each journey young people rose to their feet to offer their seats and smiled at our surprise at being treated with such respect. More stunned shock than surprise.