Day 1 - Hello Singapore

Hello everyone and welcome to Singapore.  Sarah is writing today’s blog and Alan will undoubtedly comment in red, which I’m sure I’ll have to correct his inaccuracies.

New lesson learned yesterday … don’t leave it until 2 hours before you leave to do the packing. If you do, you don’t get a chance to know what Alan has packed.  I later discovered he brought 17 shirts for 17 days (even though I will be doing washing) and he failed to bring his swimmers. I guess I’ll be having a lovely time in the water in Penang and on Langkawi Island while Alan stays nice and dry. I’m sure I can find a shop to buy some swimming gear. And why is bringing 17 shirts a problem? It’s probably not.  Now you’ve got no room to do any more shopping.

Thanks to Alex for taking us to the airport.  He dropped us off about 2.55pm and when we walked in we discovered a HUGE queue for check-in.  I had read an article just yesterday about how Sydney Airport was the worst in Australia.

So we started to join the queue when I (not Alan no matter how much he will try to say he did) saw a sign that said online check-in.  We had done just that so we joined the queue behind only one person, and four minutes later we were minus luggage and browsing through the shops. It was more of a joint effort really. Why did your nose just get longer?

After buying some donuts where the guy couldn’t calculate the change, making a mistake in our favour, we went to immigration.  There was a large queue to the left and no one to the right so we walked right up to the counter.  Next on to the security check. Of course, everyone who had gone left for immigration were now queuing for the security check but there was no one in front of us.  Much to my sister’s delight, who gets tested for explosives every time she flies (which can be 4-6 times a month), I got stopped for a test.  Not sure what she complains about … it’s a bit of fun and takes no time.

We watched our plane come in, the Qantas A380.  It really is huge.  Once inside though, I didn’t notice much difference.  The night before when I did the online check-in it asked me if I wanted to change our seats.  Having a quick look through, we found there were a row three available in a group of four so we moved there in the hope Alan would have no one sitting next to him.  As it turned out, it worked. Yay, room to stretch out!

One thing about the A380 I liked was the nifty little tail cam that you can watch so I enjoyed doing just that as we took off, during a bout of very heavy rain over Western Australia and then coming in to land in Singapore.

We normally fly the cheaper airlines but having flown Qantas twice now in 3.5 years, I don’t know why we ever fly anything else.  The food and service is much better quality.


After a reasonably smooth flight, we arrived in 30 minutes early but they were unable to open the economy doors.  After a 10 minute delay, they allowed us to exit via the first class door which gave us a good look at the first class cabin.  Ahhh, we can only dream of once flying like that.
Immigration was slow.  Someone must have gotten back at us for the ease we had in Sydney as we managed to get on a queue run by a very slow employee and a tour group who had failed to fill out their immigration cards.  When we made it to the luggage carousel 45 minutes later, our bags had been taken off and were waiting for us. Well it wasn’t me who suggested we join that slow queue.
A quick few minutes wait and we were in a taxi with the world’s fastest taxi driver.  He is the guy you want when you’re in The Amazing Race, or needing to use the bathroom badly like I was.  The speed limit of 90km/h was ignored as we bulleted along never hitting below 120km/h.  One very cheap taxi ride later we were at the hotel and shortly after in our small but thankfully cool room.

The beds are very small singles but sleep came easily. They’re very hard, but surprisingly comfortable and the doona is very snuggly.

Singapore Flyer with the grand stand for the Grand Prix.
Imagine being out in that sun all race

This morning we were up and out by 9am.  We stopped by the buffet breakfast in the hotel which was reasonably priced and delicious.  Then, with our newly acquired map in hand we headed out the door and were pleased to find it not too hot or too humid.  We went down a couple of blocks and bought tickets for the hop on hop off bus which does a number of different loops.  The upstairs had an enclosed air conditioned section.  As a plus we were the only ones on the bus.  We went by Raffles Hotel, The Singapore Flyer, The Merlion, got our first view of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel, saw the business district, passed the Botanical Gardens  which is huge and apparently takes 2 hours to walk through, passed the many embassies, the public housing and the private housing districts.  They have strict housing rules in Singapore, one of the most bizarre being you have to be at least 35 and married before you’re able to buy private housing!

We then headed to Orchard Road (where we won’t be shopping) where we hit a massive traffic jam.  We were quite impressed up until this point about how easily the traffic moves.  In most main streets the roads are 4 lanes wide each way. The bus tour guide said that the traffic is uncommon at that time of the day and we discovered further up that there was a car accident.

We got off at the Singapore Flyer and took a walk around.  We planned to go back this afternoon at dusk which I’ve read is the best time to go.  I also read that you never have to queue for it and certainly we saw that today.  The place was empty.

Merlion minus the water, surrounded in scaffolding

We then hopped on the bus again for a few stops, getting off at Merlion Park and a better view of the Merlion (which is, unfortunately, surrounded by scaffolding)..  By this time it was midday, 33 degrees but in the sun it felt more like 40. I think that every photo taken of me on this trip will feature a red face.  Looks like Photoshop will be getting a work out when I get home.

Us in front of the Marina Bay Sands

Alan's new job perhaps

Instead of getting back on the bus and doing the rest of the loop back to the hotel, we opted for a taxi.  Although we were stuck in traffic for quite some time, it worked out to be A$6! So cheap.  I think we will be using them more often. The same taxi ride in Sydney would have been over $25 because we were sitting in traffic for ages.

Dinner

We planned to stay in until about 5pm but around 4.30pm it started to rain and by 5pm it had turned into a nasty thunderstorm. Visibility got worse as the storm went on and we decided to leave the Flyer for another day.

Although still raining, we decided a food hunt was in order and we got as far as the lobby.  Who would resist a 5 plate sampler for approx A$16, and that was before the guest 25% discount.  The sampler fed both of us.  I was a little apprehensive over the BBQ stingray but it did taste just like fish.  We also had a chilli crab claw, noodles with seafood, duck with plum sauce and satay skewers.  Plus I had a chocolate fondant and Alan had an apple crumble.

We stepped outside after dinner and discovered the rain had disappeared, the cloud was gone and it was only about 24 degrees.  We were heading to 7-11 for a drink and decided to keep walking it was so lovely.  Just up the road and to the right is a market area and I made my first purchase; a magnet for my collection.

We then returned to the room, where we are now for the night.  Only 8.30 but we want to get an early night so we can get out there tomorrow before the heat of the day.

At the markets. They must have known he was coming