Are we there yet??: September 2019

Although it was a random decision to extend our stopover in Singapore for 6 nights - it turned out to be a good one. Singapore to us seemed safe, clean, well-organised and its people considerate and polite. Getting around was a breeze too, because although there are four official languages, English is the common one. Actually, a breeze is what we most desired when out and about in the heat! We did a lot of walking each day from our little air-conditioned apartment to the air-conditioned MRT. We also walked along the harbour front past the ritzy restaurants and high-rise buildings; around the pleasure island of Sentosa; through the world-class Singapore Zoo, and we sweated our way through the fish market and stalls of Little India. Then when the heat got all too much, we walked the malls – not in search of food or retail therapy – but just to enjoy the cool air. At the end of each day we returned to our apartment sweaty and exhausted, took a nap and set off again after dark when temperatures were marginally cooler, to explore the colourful streets and eating houses in our neighbourhood of Geylang. (Supposedly the red light district - but I didn’t know that when I booked). There were so many hawker stalls and restaurants, all well patronised, that it seemed like Singaporeans must never eat at home. Chinese, Malay, Singaporean or Indian – take your pick.

The Singaporean MRT (underground rail) system is extensive, efficient, easy to navigate and it delivered us to some wonderful places such the Asian Civilisations Museum where the featured exhibition was by Guo Pei, a Chinese fashion designer we had never heard of until watching Rihanna on Graham Norton. It delivered us to Gardens by the Bay with its fantastical Great Tree Grove and Cloud Forest. On continuous loop in the MRT is a video showing what to do in the event of a terrorist attack. It is hard to imagine anything like that in Singapore as it is such a well organised and polite society. Every time we travelled someone would stand and offer us their seat. No one looked like copping the $500 fine for eating or drinking on the underground or $5000 fine for spitting or littering? No sign of trouble anywhere as most were glued to their phones! The taxi driver who delivered us to the airport told us that soon all cars will have a device that tracks them by satellite – giving instant fines for speeding and parking infringements. Big brother is certainly watching – but for us it felt safe and easy.

What really amazed us the though was the spectacular design and construction of buildings and public spaces. Changi Airport has its own rain-forest and spectacular waterfall while The Marina Bay Sands hotel consists of two towers of hotel suites topped by a platform with rooftop garden, viewing tower and lap pool. It lights up at night and beams down a sound and light show on to the waters of the bay. Underneath are 3 levels of expensive shops, a casino and food outlets – good luck finding a flat white for under NZ$7.00! High rise towers of every conceivable height and shape ring the central downtown basin, including the Science and Technology Museum shaped like a giant lotus flower. Only a few of the original hawker stalls remain to show the tourists what Singapore used to be like. Part of Lee Kuan Yew’s vision of turning Singapore from a third-world country to a flourishing urban city was to embark on a program of tree planting and establishing lush gardens and public spaces. This makes it a great place to visit – but only if you can tolerate the heat! And damn - I never tried a Singapore Sling!