Singapore

Bakerlite.co.uk

Mid October 2011 saw Jean and I starting on the journey of a lifetime. We were on the way to Melbourne, Australia to see Caroline who was living with her boy friend, Drew in the suburb of Box Hill.

I had decided to break the journey on both outward and return legs. Singapore was our three night stopover between London and Australia. We flew with Qantas as their flights also allowed us to stay for three nights in Hong Kong on our way home.

Best of all, our flight from London to Singapore was on the gorgeous A380 Airbus. What a machine! We were on the upper deck in premium economy, but it was as good as some business flights I have had in the past.

We are told by an enthusiastic Captain that every 8 secs the engines take in as much air as a human being would breathe in 100 years. That doesn't sound too good for the planet. However, every seat is full so I console myself that we are all sharing the blame.

'Champagne or orange juice, Sir?' as we sat down. A good start.

	I decided to opt for the champagne, after all, this was a holiday and we were to be taken to our hotel in a Limo. Mind you, that was 13 hours in the future.		The view from our hotel room was pretty impressive although the high humidity did play havoc with my lens until it had adapted itself.
It didn't look quite so impressive in daylight the following morning, but it was a very different view from our home where we look out onto green fields.		Our hotel, the Marina Mandarin was seriously big with its 22 story high atrium and glass lifts gliding silently up the sides.
	Same hotel but seen at night. Not at all like the bed and breakfast accommodations I used to stay in during my working career.		Seen from the outside it looked just as huge.
Once settled in, we go out to explore the area nearby.		It is impressive, buildings of a grand style, it reminded me a bit of Vegas but with an Asian stamp.
	It was very hot and humid, but then, it usually is hereabouts. As the Qantas captain had said on our flight: ‘The temperature in Singapore will be the same as it has been for the last 2000 years.’
It really is a very visual city, shapes, texture, lights all combine to impress.
	Oh yes and there are shops. Zillions of them. I don't do shopping....		Jean manages to find us a nice Thai restaurant where we eat for just a few dollars each.
I love the tubular steel construction of the footbridges.
	We have signed up for some tours which help us get used to the geography of the city.		Jean does the standard touristy thing by letting the fountain splash into her hand. Mmm, more Photoshop work required methinks.
A Temple visit is inevitable on an organised tour such as this. They look impressive, smelling of fragrant candles and incense.		Now that's one heck of a long tongue.