Postcard From Singapore Part 1We were so lucky as we flew at 9am Sunday morning just one day after Heathrow had been shut down by a power cut. So many flights to Singapore had been cancelled but Mr and Mrs Lucky Bunny took off spot on time. A switch of aeroplane was at Doha in Qatar and although we only had an hour it was quite fun. Right smack in the middle of the airport they have made an indoor forest with paths and benches. Lit up at night by fairy lights it looked really pretty. It really was a pleasurable break on such a long journey.
I must admit, it did seem a long old day by the time we arrived in Singapore—and slightly strange, as we seemed to have lost a day. It was Monday morning, 9 a.m., a full nine hours ahead of the UK. But just like anywhere new, the excitement fought off our tiredness—for now! With very few checks at customs, we were out of the airport in no time. As usual, we were picked up in a very nice air-conditioned limo with a very nice driver. It was a really interesting thirty-minute drive through the city and, to both of our surprise, so very green. It seemed vegetation—and notably flowers—would grow literally anywhere, and the mixture of ferns, palms, and grass seemed so lush and healthy. Even the central reservation was divided by flowering bougainvilleas of all different colours. We picked out a few landmarks on the way, like the F1 pit lane, Marina Bay Sands Hotel, and the Singapore Flyer, before arriving at our hotel in an area called Orchard.
No time for jet lag—it was chuck the cases in the room, decide we probably don’t need a jumper, and let’s go explore! As we stepped out of the hotel lobby, it was like hitting a wall of heat. “Oh my god, it’s like a sauna.” “And you said, will I need a jumper?” I replied. There’s no two ways about it—the heat was unreal. Although only 30°C, it was so humid you just immediately sweat. From the hotel, the backstreets were really lush and interesting, and within a few yards, we’d already spotted exotic birds and a couple of lizards. It was only a ten-minute walk to one of the main Singapore streets, and we soon realised that popping in and out of shops and malls was the best way to survive the heat. We had no idea, but the Orchard area of Singapore turned out to be where a lot of people want to stay, as it’s full of high-end shopping malls—and it really is very high-end. Our very first introduction to the streets of Singapore, and very little was under the price of a good car! Wow! Eventually, we found a more affordable area and discovered a food mall. It was amazing—probably fifty outlets indoors selling every imaginable food from the regions of Asia. It’s so hard to choose when everything looked so appetising and exciting. The colours were extraordinary, and it was this that tempted me into ordering from an Indonesian outlet: vivid yellow chicken curry with coconut rice for me, and from another outlet, Pad Thai for Wendy. It sure didn’t let us down either—delicious.
The eating area was obviously communal, and on the table was a small sticker declaring: “A FINE OF $100 FOR NOT CLEARING THE TABLE” An introduction into some of the rules and regulations in Singapore, which over the next few days we began to really appreciate. I’ll digress now and explain. Just like Japan, you cannot eat while walking or in any public space. If you litter, you’ll be fined heavily. Chewing gum and bubble gum are a big no-no. You’ll be fined for graffiti, bad drunkenness, and any brawling—you’ll be dealt with harshly! There were some brilliant public signs near bars that had a man on the floor with another about to punch him. Underneath was written: “One moment of anger, a lifetime of regret.” From a distance, it all seems very draconian, but when you experience the things we took for granted at home when I was young, it’s beautiful and respectful. The UK is now littered—including where I live, the New Forest—where the animals are poisoned from eating rubbish. But quite simply, there’s no fine whatsoever for throwing your crap out the car window or on the pavement in town. We didn’t need fines years ago—we just didn’t do it out of respect! After lunch, we failed badly. We had every intention of staying out, but with the food and heat, we just couldn’t keep our eyes open anymore. It was back for an afternoon snooze First Night Out Clarke Quay is a modern section of waterfront on the river, just near the financial district. It’s slightly overpriced, and as you walk past the endless bars and restaurants along the water, it’s rather like “running the gauntlet”—hawker after hawker pushing menus at you, declaring: “Table for two, sir! Happy hour! How are you, sir? I’ve been waiting for you!” To be honest, it’s not my cup of tea—even though I used to be a hawker myself! But it’s one of those places you really must go once in your life.
“Special offer, special offer, sir! Happy hour! Come on in—table for two!” “Look, I’ll come in if you do half price on your bottles of Erdinger German beer,” I replied casually, walking on, as there was no way he’d do that. “Don’t go, sir! Table for two and half-price Erdinger, sir!” Oh shit—I hadn’t even looked at the menu, and there we were, sat by the Clarke Quay harbourside with two beers and a table set for two in an outdoor Indian restaurant! As it turned out, it was one of the best Indian meals I’d had in years—and what a location: in the warm open air, right by the water, and surrounded by the bright lights of Singapore City. With the skyscraper lights reflected on the still water, it felt almost surreal that we could afford to be there. Each time a waiter came up to see if I wanted more drinks, I’d explain I wanted half-price Erdinger. He’d look puzzled and go ask the boss! It was an absolutely wonderful experience—and to cap it all, when it came to the bill, he’d kept his word and presented us with one last free bottle of beer. He basically said, with a smile, I had politely made him laugh.
Sentosa Island Waking up quite late from jet lag, we set off to visit Sentosa Island. From Orchard, we caught a $20, twenty-five-minute Grab car to Faber Peak to travel on the cable car to the island. It was pretty enlightening, as we struck up a conversation with our driver, Samad, who was a massive Valentino Rossi fan—like me—and agreed Rossi was robbed of his 10th title! On his dashboard, he had a model of #46 Yamaha glued in prime position—or should I say “pole position.” We chatted MotoGP and about the Singapore F1 Grand Prix. He then asked me the world’s most asked question: “What football team do you support? I dream of visiting Manchester City and seeing Oasis. England sounds so wonderful!” He then went on to tell me some of the injustices of living in Singapore and how the middle classes are stung by high living costs and property prices. He was literally gobsmacked when we described the injustices of England, where in my hometown Bournemouth, it’s filthy dirty and there are literally thousands of people homeless or using food banks. Oh, how the grass is always greener on the other side! At Faber Peak, we waited in line for our pod, and I smiled and pointed out that it looked like we might get the cabin with “Hello Kitty” on it.
We immediately caught another cool cable car across the tree canopy that took us to the far end of the island to Siloso Beach—one of three man-made sandy coves. Man-made, yes, but very well done, with golden sand and little atolls just offshore, all lined with glorious mature palm trees. Me being the colour of a snowman, we decided it was probably best to walk the shaded promenade in the midday sun. All sorts of activities are available along the route past Palawan and Tanjong Beaches—from canoeing, snorkelling, swimming, bungee jumping, and tons of stuff for kids.
At Tanjong Beach, we went across a rickety rope bridge to a lookout tower at the southernmost point of continental Asia. It’s worth noting: if you go to the island, take a water bottle, as there are refilling stations at the many public toilets along the way—something we didn’t see much of in Singapore. The humid heat was relentless, and even the locals sweat buckets. I looked like I had a fever!
There were many other, much bigger attractions on the island, such as Universal Studios Theme Park, a water park, golf course, and aquarium. I was going to visit the aquarium, but sadly, from the cable car we’d seen below us the tiny tanks containing performing dolphins. Just something that makes me very sad—but that’s just me. If you’re visiting the island with children of any age, there really is so much for them. I know my granddaughter would have loved it—especially all the free things around the waterfront. A kids’ paradise, and so safe! Sadly, we had again reached Beer O’Clock, and our time had run out on a great day on Sentosa Island. Notes:
Keywords:
airport forest,
Asian cuisine,
Bougainvillea flowers,
Clarke Quay,
cultural contrast,
F1 Grand Prix,
food mall,
Hello Kitty cable car,
humid heat,
Indonesian curry,
jet lag,
Marina Bay Sands,
Orchard Road,
Pad Thai,
public rules,
Sentosa Island,
Singapore Flyer,
Singapore travel,
tropical forest,
Valentino Rossi
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