The Big Trip 1 – Singapore

27 - 31 Jan 2018

On a little street in Singapore

This was to be the “Big Post-Retirement Trip” – travelling around New Zealand for a month in a motorhome. We booked the trip through the Camping and Caravanning Cub’s Worldwide Travel Service, who did an excellent job with all the arrangements. We were travelling with our old friends John and Jane and were taking the opportunity to see a few other places on route. First stop – Singapore.

We arrived at Heathrow on a damp Saturday afternoon to find automation was on the increase - we had to check in, label and despatch our cases ourselves! The flight to Singapore was unremarkable, just long, and we appreciated being met at Changi airport the following afternoon. On arrival it was pouring with rain, so very humid as well as hot.

Our hotel was located close to the river and gave us the opportunity of a short walk to get our bearings. A tour we had pre-booked took in Little India, the National Orchid Garden at the Botanical Gardens, the Thian Hock Keng temple, and the area around the colonial district to which we returned another day for a longer walk. 

Thian Hock Keng Temple

One evening we explored Chinatown, lit up with lanterns and inflatable dogs in readiness for the Chinese New Year, the Year of the Dog. 

We enjoyed a river cruise with an excellent English commentary on the history and development of Singapore including the old trading houses now restaurants of every ethnicity. 

Decaffeinated coffee has been hard to source and much to our shame we have had to occasionally patronise Starbucks.

There was also a visit to the Marina Bay area and the Skypark viewing platform on the 56th floor of the Marina Bay Sands hotel. The speedy elevator took less than 35 seconds to rise 55 floors!  Amazing views. 

Then on to the Gardens by the Bay where light shows in the gardens and on Marina Bay rounded off the evening. 

On the final morning we had a walk around the old colonial quarter, with its old buildings dating back to the height of the British Empire. 

Sadly, the Raffles Hotel was closed for refurbishment, so no Singapore Slings on the terrace! After an enjoyable farewell lunch in one of the “shop houses” by the river (mentioned above) we headed for the airport and our evening flight to Sydney. We left Singapore as we had arrived, in torrential rain.