March 20 and 21
Brisbane to Singapore
March 20
Brisbane to Singapore
I rose early, finished packing and was escorted through the maze of stairs and corridors by Cory. I had only been outside a couple of minutes when the taxi arrived.
I was offered the cheap route to the airport or, for another $5, the
route through the tunnel. I chose the latter and, half an hour later
through medium traffic, we reached the airport. Check-in and Immigration
were painless and I was soon in the Qantas lounge having breakfast. It
was a lovely day outside but the view wasn't breath taking.
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We took off more or less on time, landed twenty minutes early and nothing went wrong. Qantas done good. There was actually a queue at Immigration so that it took me about fifteen minutes to negotiate the formalities. The baggage was already on the carousel when I reached it but my bag arrived at the same time that I did.
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As the taxi was leaving the airport, spots of drizzle appeared on the windscreen. By the time we reached the city, the rain was torrential. I was in the hotel within an hour of touching down, the normal speed of progress over here. I washed myself, washed some clothes and stored some valuables in the safe. Suitably organised, I set off into the humid evening to walk to The Sidewalk, a couple of hundred metres round the corner. This was a bit of a disappointment as most of the stalls had gone home for the evening. The bar sold me a beer and the new Indian sold me a chicken biryani. Lots of flavour but more bone than chicken. At £4, however, I couldn't complain.
Left: The rain had been torrential |
March 21
Singapore
My room is smarter than usual and is on the corner of the building, with views in two directions. This meant that I could see the rain falling onto the Central Fire Station and St Gregory's Church and onto the hotel opposite (not as picturesque.) I visited the hotel buffet, free but not exciting, and had a light breakfast.
With much of Singapore not really opening until around 10.30, there was little point in going out early, so I returned to my room and watched the rain falling outside. A coffee (kopi) at Sidewalk seemed like a good idea.
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When I eventually walked to the station, it was dry and cool but very humid. The train, almost empty, took me to Woodlands, 45 minutes away. I walked slowly round the mall, waiting for the shops to start opening at 10.30. As soon as the man opened the sliding doors at the Hush Puppy shop, I rushed in, selected some shirts, all at relocation sale prices, and left again.
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A few stops away there is a large reservoir, the Lower Seletar Reservoir. On the fifteen minute walk there from Khatib Station, I passed some sort of entertainment centre. There were cafes and bars, almost all closed, and large ponds in which one could fish for prawns.
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I had visited the reservoir a few years ago. On that occasion, the clouds had gathered, thunder looked imminent and I had beaten a hasty retreat. This time, it was dull but the weather didn't look menacing. I took some photos and enjoyed the calm, although there was a constant rumble of traffic on the main road a hundred metres away. |
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I eventually saw a local, about two feet long, who looked frightened rather than frightening.
I caught a bus, any bus, on the main road and waited for an interesting looking stop at which to alight. After about fifteen minutes, we came upon an interesting looking collection of large buildings, so I decided to get off.
Not really knowing where I was, - even now I'm not sure but I was on Upper Thomson Road - I selected a fish restaurant, the Ban Leong Wah Hoe.
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It was large and a couple of large parties and a few couples were already eating. Perhaps not surprisingly, I was the only white face in evidence. Luckily, I ordered a small rice, a small prawns and a small greens. Large ones would have been enormous. The prawns were difficult and messy to eat but tasted good. They cost several times what I would normally have paid for lunch in a food court. The food was very good.
I caught another bus, ten minutes down the road to Ang Mo Kio, where I rejoined the train into the city centre. I stopped at the Information Centre in Somerset, where I managed, with the help of a very nice man, to identify the museum that I had tried to visit a few years ago. Reflections was then closed for re-building but has now re-opened.
I can combine a visit with a walk on the Southern Ridges, which should be good for me. I caught the train again and had a much needed ice lemon tea in The Sidewalk.
Back at the hotel, I unpacked my new shirts and then fell fast asleep for about an hour. I awoke feeling a bit better and just in time to make my 09.00 (UK time) phone calls.
Just before 18.00 I set off for dinner on Purvis Street, about three blocks from my hotel along North Bridge Road. I called in at Chijmes to check on the location for Friday's restaurant, and took some photos of Raffles.
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Purvis Street is narrow and lined with restaurants. At 18.00, many of them were closed, including Jai Thai, my intended source of dinner. It soon opened, however, and provided prawn cakes, red beef curry and fried greens. I have often eaten here before and it is always good.
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I walked home via the Padang, which is overlooked by some of Singapore's more memorable buildings. Saint Andrews still looks a bit sad, wrapped up in a blue blanket.
I called in at The Sidewalk to buy a lump of pineapple for pudding and then retired for the night.