Who’s crazy idea was this leaving Bali in the middle of the night to arrive in Singapore at 2:00 a.m. in the morning. Yes, we did enjoy a full day in Ubud and yes, we did save heaps of money on the flight…. but still@!. My evening hours should be silent from whining children, I should have the peace of the evening in a quiet garden somewhere, not be flying - especially not on Jetstar - am I really a flying snob already?. Kakapos really weren’t built to fly - coach class anyway-squawrk.a
So here we are catching a taxi at 2:00 am to the centre of Singapore to the Holiday Inn Park View. Like the children, I’ve never been to a big hotel. It’s in Orchard Road so perhaps there will be lots of fruit trees. I’ve become rather partial to Paw paw, watermelon and have like the children tried the odd bit of snake fruit, dragon fruit and star fruit.. I get some peace for a few hours, though after all the villas, a room with five people doesn’t leave much space for a Kakapo. Thank goodness for air conditioning and sound proofed windows. Apart from Toni and John snoring life is not too bad. The bathroom proves a respite though is devoid of gardens unlike the bathrooms in Bali.
Not too much relaxation for me and sleep for the family as the schedule in Singapore is fairly major and it is out of the hotel for a quick breakfast in the heat then to a long route through the MTR and constant air-conditioned underground malls. The family buy a Singapore transport pass for 20 SGD per person this gives them unlimited access to the MTR and buses for the next 3 days.
Talking to the birds, aside from Jurong bird park they reckon eating peanuts and throwing them on the floor at Raffles is really exciting. Toni remembers drinking Singapore slings for 12 SGD a few years ago, though no doubt things are more like 50 SGD now
The first stop on the MTR tour is Marina Sands hotel where you can pay to go to the 26th floor to view the city. This is not the tallest in Singapore there are three buildings with over 66 floors with the most floors being 68. Lucy is sure we are now in a frying pan. Perhaps she is right. Maybe I have been kidnapped and taken half way round the world as a unique delicacy for some foodie tycoon who want Kakapo chop suey. Squawk, squawk! get me out of here. I can see the very rich people in the distance swimming in the infinity pool looking down over the eliptical edge. Is this a pre-lunch swim. Thank goodness they took me out of there. Where to next. A bum boat to Robertson Quay. . So what is a bum boat. I had visions of sticking my bum in a hat shaped circular thing and paddling with a wing up the river. A bum boat is a fast wooden boat with open sides that seats about 30. They are really quite fast and convenient and the cool breeze is a relief after the frying pan experience.
We don’t quite reach Robinson Quay and again we are on a quick march to Boomerang restaurant to meet Andrew Roche who is patiently waiting after a time glitch on Toni’s Fitbit. Fitbits are not very good at International time zones and seem to have a time all of their own.
Toni really enjoyed catching up with Andrew. After a short period of lawyering in Auckland Andrew hit the big time in the Far East. His young family see good bursts of his time when he wings his way home to work in New Zealand, though he needs to be in Singapore most of the time near his customers. Where to next - my feet hurt and haven’t I only had a few hours rest.
The schedule continues to the Singapore Science Museum out near Jurong. Please can I go to the bird park.... No, more education and I have to say it really was good. Apparently John reckons you could spend a week here and even I have to admit I found the museum amazing. We continued the theme from Sydney with more light and optical illusions that left me wondering about dimensions, virtual reality and do we really exist or are we an arranged perception of molecules and maybe I’m just a virtual reflection of times past. Is a molecule real or perceived. Oh dear how does a Kakapo really understand String theory or Quantum theory. Perhaps I need to take a course in Quantum physics.
At six o’clock we were thrown out and we headed back to the hotel. The kids head for a swim in the pool with a perfect temperature. John happily lols about for 10 minutes until time is called! Not more…. Oh yes, time for Chinatown!
Off we head on the MTR to Dhoby Gaut to change for Chinatown. My feet, my poor feet. Chinatown is alive, market stalls, food stalls and exciting smells everywhere. We settle for the seafood restaurant where we promptly order duck leg - really - eating birds again!. The food was delicious especially washed down with two large Tigers (beer) and Watermelon juice for the kids. Not such a cheap meal, though fantastic flavours.
So shopping - all kept under control until now. Sammy sees a chicken that makes a ridiculous noise and promptly spends 3 SGD on it. These kids have no consideration for my sensitivites! Lucy grabs a bag for 3 SGD and some key rings for 2 SGD and everyone is then happy to finally go to sleep. 30 seconds after their heads hit the pillow life is peaceful. The night is all mine….
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