From Singapore to Hong Kong

Several buses are waiting at the harbor. We board bus 52, a combined bus with English- and German-speaking travelers. A Costa staff member is on board to provide the German translation. We receive the information directly from Mawy, a local guide. He explains that Brunei is eight times larger than Singapore, yet only about 500,000 people live there. The country is ruled by the Sultan. Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah is the 29th sultan of the country. Mawy also mentions the full name of the head of state—an impressively long sequence. The Sultan is the king, prime minister, and all ministers rolled into one. He is among the richest people on earth. Yet Mawy is strikingly positive about the Sultan. Life in Brunei is good, healthcare is virtually free, and the infrastructure is in good order. The Sultan is 88 years old. Next year he will have been in power for 60 years.