Bargain from Little India, Singapore

The last time I went to Singapore, I was able to couchsurf at a hospitable Japanese man's apartment. I spent one day with another couchsurfer, a buff, frugal German guy, touring Chinatown and Little India. After having some Indian food for lunch and warm creamy Horlicks to drink, we went on an unintended shopping spree. He was looking for some plain black clothes (in addition to the many he had, like some kind of cartoon character) to bring to Australia where he will be working as a miner or something on a working holiday visa. In the process of helping him pick his clothes, in one shop this one shirt caught my eye.

Out of a whole bunch of clothes that looked used and of poor quality, this one shirt stood out. The pattern was unique and the fabric was top-notch. I bargained hard especially after seeing a hole on the side (where I later realized the original brand's logo was sewn in) and got the thing for like SGD 6 (USD 4). For some reason I had a feeling this shirt was H&M.

Fast forward a few months later. I posted another travel album on Facebook where a Thai friend of mine finally affirmed what I had felt all this time. This shirt was in fact, from H&M as he owned one himself. Sadly, some time after that I read online that H&M pays its Cambodian garment workers next to nothing, in very poor working conditions. I vowed never to buy anything from the brand again, and so far I haven't. I guess I was particularly affected since Cambodia is one of those countries that I have endeared myself to.

But as for the shirt, it's thin, a bit loose-fitting, and perfect for the usual hot days.

My new(, first and only) German friend and his giant... wienerschnitzel (I forgot what this was called)

My ex-workmate from the Philippines, me and my German friend

Family photo: A Chinese-Peruvian girl, a Taiwanese guy, our gracious Japanese host in Singapore and Chinese-Filipino me wearing "Paul Frank" socks bought in Hong Kong.