Located 1º north of the Equator, Singapore experiences two monsoon seasons, so pick your month carefully. Hector and Marg arrived, en route to places further east, on the day of the Spring Equinox 2024, the tale end of one monsoon, with dry days promised for the duration of our stay. With temperatures still in the high twenties at night, even Marg didn’t need a cardigan. However, ubiquitous air-con commanded otherwise.
The story of our four nights in Singapore is given in full – here.
From a Geographical perspective, life was so much easier when – Britannia ruled the waves. The military and convicts aside, relatively few travelled to the far reaches of – The Empire. We knew the pink coloured far away places on the World map and what they were called. Give them independence and they start changing names and fall out among themselves.
Singapore is a city state lying at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, so not Malaysia then, but in 1963 it was. Two years later, Singapore became independent, yay!
The British heritage: English remains the Lingua Franca, power sockets are British three pin (universal sockets too), and they drive on the left!
Arriving at Singapore Changi Airport is a breeze. There is an online form to be submitted within the three days before arrival. The passport gates are electronic, the system knows who you are, a thumbprint later and your through. Simples.
On departure, do check-in early and enjoy – Jewel – the mall opposite Terminal 1 which features the World’s highest indoor waterfall, higher therefore than the one in Cloud Forest.
MRT – the metro, runs from the airport, but after a fourteen hour flight from that London, having a taxi meet is more comforting, and for two people reasonably priced. Arrange for driver to contact via WhatsApp and switch on the airport wi-fi in the arrival hall. There are numbered bay doors two escalators down from the arrival hall to the pickup points.
To use the MRT, one may purchase an EZ Link card or, for short stays, just tap on/off.
You need a SIM card asap. Electrical stores are aplenty, we used Vision 11 opposite Sim Lim Square (Rohort MRT), most helpful. S$20.00 secured 100Gb of data, which lasts four weeks, with unlimited local calls/texts on the SIMBA network, and then a huge surprise, 1Gb – roaming – in Australia and New Zealand and beyond is inclusive.
The full account of our days in Singapore is told – here.
Notable places of interest visited:
Merlion Park
Helix Bridge
The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands
Maxwell Food Centre – Ren Min Tap
Breweries, Taprooms, Bars and Restaurants visited:
Hospoda Microbrewery : 180 Albert St, #01-19, Singapore 189971
LeVel33 : 8 Marina Blvd, #33 – 01 Tower 1, Singapore 018981
Wing Seong Fatty’s Restaurant – 175 Bencoolen St, Singapore 189649
Alchemy Bistro – 128 Prinsep St, #01-01 Singapore 188655
Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beers : 10 Bayfront Ave #L1-80, Bay Level, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, 2 Bayfront Ave, Singapore 018972
Welcome Ren Min : 1 Kadayanullar St., Unit No. 01-33 Maxwell Food Centre, Singapore 069184
Heart of Darkness Singapore : 1 Keong Saik Rd., Singapore 089109
American Taproom, Waterloo St. : 261 Waterloo St, #01-23 Waterloo Centre, Singapore 180261
SG Taps : 13 Duxton Hill, #01-01, Singapore 089597
Xiang Xiang Hunan Cuisine @Chinatown : 8 Mosque St., #08/09/10, Singapore 059488
Kebabchi Charcoal BBQ : 3 Temasek Blvd, #B1-146, Singapore 038983
Khansama @Little India : 166 Serangoon Road Junction of, Norris Rd, 218050
Wok of Wonders : Sim Lim Square, 1 Rochor Canal Rd, Singapore 188504
Rain Vortex – Jewel, Changi Airport