Friday 25th September cont'd

Immigration and baggage collection were not quite a quick as they have been in the past but there was no real delay and there was a man waiting to greet us as we came out. He took us to the pick up area and we had a short wait while he went for his car but then it was an easy drive into the city. The driver was telling us all about all the problems with the haze from the Indonesian forest fires and was quite entertaining.

We checked in and got into our room, made a quick cup of tea whilst removing essentials from the suitcases and got to bed about 1am (3am Oz time).

Saturday 26th

Slept until after 8am. Got washed and dressed and then had breakfast. Breakfast is served a few yards from our room so it’s quite handy - we don’t have to go into the main hotel building across the courtyard. The only drawback is that there’s no apple juice - only orange.

Over breakfast we were looking at the map to see how to get to The Gardens by the Bay. The lady supervising breakfast came over and spent a long time chatting and giving us advice which was very useful. Back to the room and sorted out our unpacking before going out about 10.30am.

Unfortunately as Anne was about to style her hair the straighteners sparked and died!

Following instructions we walked to Bugis Station. This involved going through various shopping areas ranging from open malls to tiny indoor lanes. We eventually found the station and bought some cards with money on them and set off. We went straight to Bayfront and then followed the signs out of the station and found ourselves at one of the entrances to the Gardens. It was difficult acclimatising to the heat. We made our way round a few areas and then went to the ticketing centre and had coffee. We found that our tickets didn’t cover the Skywalk but as it’s only S$5 pp it didn’t really matter.

We decided to do the Skywalk first as we thought it might get busier later on a Saturday with families out. After getting the tickets we queued for about 5 mins to go up in the lift. We found it quite scary at the top. You’re quite a log way up and the walkway moves slightly. Also you can see through the floor. For some reason it was more worrying than the Capilano Bridge, even though it’s much lower and moves a lot less. We walked fairly briskly all round and didn’t stop to take photos.

After coming down we took a little while to find our way back to a café we’d seen and we had sandwiches and a drink. After this we set off for the Domes. We went first to the Cloud Dome. This was really good featuring a seven-storey ‘mountain’ with a waterfall coming from the top. We made our way to the top and then down. Strangely the mid-air walkways on this were less worrying than the tree-top one, even though they were probably higher. Very interesting seeing all the plants and explanations.

Next stop was the Flower Dome which was a complete contrast. A mixture of plants from arid regions - lots of cacti and Australian stuff whilst the lower area was largely occupied by chrysanthemums. We spent a long time slowly working our way round the whole lot.

We’d walked quite a lot by now so decided to start heading for the hotel. As we followed the signs for the MRT we found we were alongside the shops at Marina Bay Sands so we went in. We had a cursory look for Anne’s hair straighteners, but no luck. We went into the food court, which we don’t think was there on our last visit and had a fresh apple juice and a cup of fruit. Very refreshing. There was also an ice rink.

We noticed a Crocs shop above the ice rink so we tried for Anne’s shoes but again no luck. Set off for the hotel walking past all the very smart shops. We made our way back on the MRT to Bugis and tried again at the Bugis Centre but still no luck with the straighteners.

Back at the hotel we downloaded photos etc. Anne decided to have a brief rest and listen to an Archers Omnibus through the TV. Les went for a walk to try to find the Little India MRT Station which should be closer than Bugis. He actually walked into Little India itself which was very interesting. Very very crowded and almost everyone there is clearly Indian. Lots of little eating stalls in the back streets. Diwali is coming and there are lots of lights strung across the road.

We looked at the menu in the hotel and it looked OK and we didn’t want to travel very far. However we looked at the restaurant immediately next door and spotted cuttlefish on the menu so decided to eat there. Very nice small restaurant which appears to be run by just two people. Spent most of the meal talking to a party of four Australians at the next table who were at the end of a six week trip taking in a lot of Europe.

After we’d eaten we took a short walk round the area. The lights were on across Serangoon Rd through Little India and looked fantastic. We also found an even closer entrance to the Little India MRT Station. Again the area is full of restaurants and you wonder how they can all make a living.

Back to the room by about 9pm and did a quick diary update.

Sunday 27th

Woke quite late having been disturbed around 7am by people talking in the corridor outside. By the time we got into breakfast they were starting to clear away even though they advertise breakfast as continuing until 11am on a Sunday.

Another interesting chat with Josephine who runs the breakfast bar. She told us how to get to the Singapore Art Museum (SAM) and about another museum nearby, the Peranakan Museum.

Before setting out for the day we went to Reception and negotiated a 6pm checkout for tomorrow for S$30. Good value as we’ll be able to have a full day and then come back for a shower and finalise packing, and then just have an hour until our car comes.

We were able to walk to SAM and when we got there we found that a tour was starting in 15 mins. We had a quick look into one adjacent gallery and then did the tour. This was good because there was only one other (German) couple with us. It was a brief tour of the main current display, Utopia. SAM is devoted to contemporary Asian art and it was great to have the guide putting into context what might otherwise have been inexplicable.

After the tour we went to the adjacent Dome café. It was 12.00 but we weren’t hungry enough for lunch so we just had a drink and a cake and then returned to the museum to take a longer look at some bits and go to the areas that we hadn’t seen.

Leaving SAM we walked down to the Peranakan Museum. This is devoted to the Peranakans - the people of mixed race origins who make up a significant percentage of Singapore’s population. Singapore’s obviously originally populated by Malay people and these have intermarried with Chinese, Indian, etc. Most of this was foreign traders coming and marrying local women and most of them took their brides home. Those who remained became the Peranakan. The museum concentrates on the lives of ones who have become significant members of Singapore society. There are also exhibits on various aspects of domestic life of the various groups - worship, weddings, eating etc.

When we came out we were adjacent to Fort Canning but we decided instead to go to Suntec City as the internet showed Sephora as a GHD stockist (still looking for Anne's hair straighteners). We walked back to Bras Basah (next to a Manulife Building which we photographed for Bob). We found a bus map and realised we could get a bus straight there and we only had to wait a couple of minutes for one.

We slowly realised that Suntec City is much bigger than it was when we last went to it. Even more shops. We found Sephora quite close to our entrance, but sadly no GHDs. We then decided to look for the Croc shop and found it at the opposite end which meant we had to walk past loads of shops. To our great surprise it had exactly the model and colour that Anne was looking for. After buying two pairs (15% off) we stopped for a sorbet before walking on and going to the Fountain of Wealth. Unfortunately access closed for the session just as we got there at 4pm. We looked round a bit more and stopped for a cup of fruit and a fresh apple juice before setting off for home.

We couldn’t find a bus map anywhere but at the bus stop we realised that we could get a 36 back to the Rendezvous Hotel, which is close to ours. We took this and had an easy journey back.

Typed up the diary and downloaded photos. Nice email from Ian & Sheila in Chicago. Spent quite a while on Facetime to Tracey, as it was mid-morning in UK. Didn't see Niamh as she’d had a friend round for a sleepover and they were still in bed. Tracey’s kitten spent a lot of time attacking her iPad. Vey funny from our end.

Went out around 6.30 and walked to Little India MRT. Tried to top up the travel cards at the machine. It wouldn’t accept either of our credit/debit cards. In the end we did one with cash and had to queue at the window for the other as we had no more small value notes for the machine. An easy two-stop ride to Clarke Quay. Spent a long time walking round. Half the river is dammed off and emptied at the end of Riverpoint - all part of the new MRT line that is under construction. Disappointed to find (rediscover?) that our favourite area of waterside ethnic restaurants on Boat Quay seemed to have been swept away by a redevelopment. No crispy fried octopus for Anne or duck with pineapple rice for Les. Settled for HotStone at Clarke Quay. Your food comes raw and you cook it on a very hot stone. Worked out OK - very good salmon for Anne and steak for Les, with Tiger Beers. Probably the most expensive meal of the whole holiday.

Got back easily on the MRT about 9.30. Had time (and energy) to update the diary a bit before going to bed.

Monday 28th

Last day. Slept until 7.45. Up and off to breakfast. No question about this although our paperwork says it is not included for the third (free) night. Another jolly chat with Josephine who runs the breakfast.

Back to the room for Les to type this while Anne starts the miracle of the packing. Got packed as far as we could and went out around 10.30am. Walked down to the entrance to Fort Canning by the National Museum. Seemed a bit daunting at first but after going up a long flight of steps we came to the Information Centre. On the way up we sat down to use the cooling spray. We saw a cockerel so Anne took a photo and it was at this point that Les discovered he hadn’t put his camera in the rucksack.

Spent a short while at the Information Centre looking at a video display and talking to the staff and then set out to walk round. Started by going up past a bit of the old fort wall to the entrance gate. Normally at this point you would see the bunker but it’s closed for refurbishment. Instead we walked across to the brand new Museum (Singapore Pinacothèque de Paris). We didn’t think it worth paying to do the whole thing as we had limited time but they let you in to the first gallery for free. We looked at this after having a coffee in the café.

We came out and started doing the Raffles Walk around the upper most terrace. This was fascinating. There really is very little sign of the whole hill ever being a military fort. There are just a few colonial buildings. It is extraordinarily peaceful being fairly heavy wooded for much of the way and with hardly any people. It’s certainly the quietest place we’ve ever come across in Singapore. Went to see the site of Raffles House with the Lighthouse and the Time Ball and noticed that there was a path down to Clarke Quay. Walked back to the Spice Garden via the Keramat (tomb) and then back along the lower terrace past the small spring.

Towards the end we saw a sign down to City Hall MRT so we followed that. When we got to the bottom we couldn’t see the MRT station but realised that we were at the edge of Clarke Quay. At this point we looked at a bus map (one of the few) and realised that we were near North Boat Quay. It took us about 5 mins to walk there and find the waterside restaurants that we couldn’t find last night and that we believed had gone with redevelopment.

At the first restaurant we spotted that they did ray (ie skate) so we ate there. Quite expensive - dearer than last night in fact but really delicious. Les had the smaller size roast duck - goodness knows what the large size would’ve been like. Quite hot and we had to move tables a couple of times to get under a fan to keep cool and we indulged in 3 half pints of Tiger between us.

Les wanted a new iPhone/iPod connection as one of the ones we’ve got with us is showing signs of wear. Tried in Central but couldn’t find anywhere so we took the MRT to Dhobi Gaut with the intention of going along Orchard Road. We went into the Singapura Place - an enormous shopping centre over the MRT station. Found one fairly easily and bought it. Fancied a last sorbet but couldn’t find anywhere so went back to the MRT and went on the Circle Line to Esplanade and into Suntec City. Found the place we’d been to yesterday so simply sat with a sorbet each and then walked back and got the MRT back to Bras Basah.

A short walk and we were back at the hotel. A final shower and then finished packing. Downloaded photos and typed this up with half an hour to spare before our 6pm check out. Luggage doesn’t seem any heavier then when we set out a month ago but doubt that we could actually fit any more into the cases.

Afterthought - it’s been very hazy all day today and seems to be slowly getting worse. PSI index was 213 when we got back to the hotel. Probably the worst it’s been all the time we’ve been here. When we sat on Boat Quay eating it was getting difficult to see the Marina Bay Sands building.

When we left our room and went to check out there was a thunderstorm and torrential rain. Anne stayed with the luggage in the breakfast area while Les went across to Reception to pay for the late check-out and tell them where we were waiting for when our driver arrived at 7pm.

Whilst waiting a British couple who had just arrived asked our advice about the MRT and where to visit. We had a long chat and they said they love Dorset and had recently stayed in Lulworth. We told them about Krissi & Bob’s holiday let and wrote their phone number on the couple’s Singapore map.

Our driver arrived a bit early. It was only then that we discovered that the hotel has an underground car park. Traffic was quite heavy as it was rush hour and still raining hard. We got to the airport in plenty of time and checked in quickly. We then had a drink and a cake and Anne had a quick look round the shops. We went to the gate 45 mins before our flight. We couldn’t take water through, but could take an empty bottle and refill in the gate lounge. Boarding was orderly and the plane was not full - Anne had an empty seat beside her. Flight to Dubai uneventful.

Had only 1.5 hours between flights at Dubai so by the time we’d disembarked and walked to the gate it was almost time to start boarding. This time we could take water through the gate!!!

Flight was full this time. Journey uneventful and we landed at Heathrow on time, 7am. There was a bit of a queue at Immigration but it moved fairly quickly. One of our cases was on the carousel when we got to it, but we had to wait at least 20 mins for the second one. Joyce and Bruce were waiting in the Arrivals Hall and we went straight up in the lift to the car park. Joyce and Bruce had impulse bought a new car - another Renault Captur but this one is bright red!

We stopped at Fleet Services discovered that Harry Ramsden's do a very good value breakfast which we all enjoyed. Got back to Wareham around 11.15am. Clive was working on the outside of the windows, so we couldn’t go straight to bed. He agreed to pack up at 1pm, so we had a cup of tea, opened the post and pottered until he left. We then went to bed for a couple of hours, getting up at 3pm. We had a shower, or rather Anne did and then the pump failed. Les had to use the guest room shower. Also the garage door wouldn’t shut automatically without keeping your finger on the button. We also found a leak under the sink in the Utility Room, so not a great home coming.