Singapore. Day 2
If you really have to take a 12 hour flight then Heathrow at 10pm is as good a starting point as any. It's quite, efficient, calm. Yes - I did say Heathrow! Apart from argument with car hire firm - which I lost- all went ok. I wanted to drop car at Terminal 4, they insisted I brought if to Terminal 1. I agreed if I could check in on time. I was all for leaving the keys at their empty desk. Dorrie, you know what I'm like when I feel a complaint coming on! well, the thought of the bill when I returned from Oz made me see sense and I took the car to them. to their credit they rsuhed me back and I got through checkout with time to spare. So glad I booked Premium Economy! lots of leg room, nice service - the people next to me were whalloping the free booze before they got their seat belts on! Mind you they did sleep nearly all the way. i foresook the booze and stuck to water. I slept badly. You do the maths. plenty of leg room, but I am too long for getting really comfortable. Numb bum syndrome I'm afraid. I still just don't get the physics of flying. How the heck can a thing that big be up in the air for over twelve hours! Still, glad to say it was and we landed safely in Singapore just after six local time. 32C.
Journey to hotel uneventful. first imp[ressions of Singapore - very like Chicago in terms of skyline, coastline etc. lots of tall, brightly lit buildings. all road signs in English. cars right hand drive. saw the Singapore Flyer - allegedly world's tallest giant observation wheel. felt a tad sick looking at it! memories of Goose Fair! Perhaps? perhaps? arrived hotel abour 7.30 and did the settling in bit. by 9pm had decided that I was going out into town for a while. Chinese taxi driver was aNeil Diamond fan - said good music transcends all....or something similar in a heavy Chinese accent. Nice man. In a rash moment I said " Take me to the Singapore Flyer!". Half an hour later I was 165 metres or the equivalent of a 42 storey building above the Singapore night sky. the view must be fanatastic if you have your eyes open! tried lying on stomach and holding on to the floor but no better! no, you will be pleased (especially Mary!) to know I managed it ok. great views, took lots of photos. when I got to the photo booth was a bit miffed to find that the only decent photo they had of me was in a "Happy Halloween" frame that they could not change. Oh well.
Moved on from there by taxi to Clarke Key, passing Outram Street and Upper Pickering Street. Thought I was back in Sutton in Ashfield! Clarke Key is riverside restaurant center. Very busy even at 10 at night. Had a bit to eat then set off to get taxi to hotel but ended up getting bicycle taxi instead - ten dolla! fun if a bit hairy at times. no brakes or lights. cutting across lanes of traffic. all the time smiling and chatting in version of English I could hardly follow. somehow in a mad sort of way relaxing. and very environmentally friendly - not a Sinagapore strongpoint I feel..
asleep by midnight. Woken at 3 by message from Tess who had forgotten time difference. back asleep about 4.30. woke 9.30. missed breakfast. one thing. room service efficient. phoned for plug adapter and it arrived before I had put the phone down!
it is now 11.38. I am running out of time as booked half an hour at exhorbitiant cost - 10 dolla again! plan is to go on City tour this afternoon and on a guide tour of China town tonight - including meal. enquired about Raffkles Hotel. was told in no uncertain trems that I would not get in dressed like that! hope I have suitable clothes as will try tomorrow.
one image I cannot get out of my mind is Japanese troops and bicycles. it's about the fall of Sinagapore in the second world war. I will have to come back to this.
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