Friday 30 June 2023
We arrived at Dubai airport at midnight, local time. What do you do when you have to kill 3 hours? You walk up and down the length of the terminal and do a lot of window shopping. It's amazing all the things you see that you don't need... 😁
I finally remembered to use my Strava app and noticed I'd walked 1.37 km. I so wish I'd remembered to use my app from the beginning of our trip. 🥴
Still Friday 30 June 2023
We arrived on time in Singapore (3pm), and it didn't take too long to clear immigration and customs. We found a taxi and made the trip to our *** hotel. I've never been in a *** hotel before and will never repeat it. Didn't think to check the itinerary because no travel agent has ever put me up in less than ****!
Anyway, we're surviving. A good night's sleep will do the trick, although I slept for quite a while on the plane. That was a first! There was nothing much else to do on the plane, because in our row the entertainment equipment wasn't working.
After having settled in, we went for a walk to explore the neighbourhood.
Saturday 1 July 2023
We are hampered by having just one credit card and thus can not take the train for transport. Obtaining a card would be a bus ride away. It's not worth the trouble for 3 days... A taxi drops us off at China town in the morning and at the Bay of Gardens just before midday.
We spend the whole afternoon and early evening wandering through the gardens with the Super Trees and hundreds of sculptures and other things to look at, besides visiting the 2 domes. The entry to each is expensive, but in particular, the Cloud Forest dome is well worth the money.
After dinner at a kind of food court, we settle in for the long wait for the light show, which starts at 7.45pm. After this wow-factor, we get a taxi to our hotel and go for a good night's sleep.
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| Singapore China Town |
Gardens by the Bay
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The Cloud Forest Dome
The Flower Dome
Outside in the gardens
The light show
Sunday 2 July 2023
After a very full day yesterday, we stayed in for most of the day. A short 10 minute walk in the afternoon to shopping centre Great World. Very much like our own shopping centres with even the same shops here and there. We also noticed that Singapore is no longer "the cleanest city on earth" as we used to call it. The only good thing left: no graffiti!
Monday 3 July 2023
Wow! Changi Airport! Quite a change from the 80s. The last time I was here (2015), I only saw the waterfall from the train that travels between terminals. It actually slows down at the waterfall so the passengers can have a good look.
Monday 3 July 2023
Disaster has struck. I'm stuck at this beautiful airport, which doesn't feel so beautiful anymore when you're being held against your will! I have unwittingly been travelling on an expired resident return visa. No indication whatsoever until I wanted to check in. Have applied for a new visa, but no way if knowing how long it will take. I have a room at the airport hotel. Kevin has gone home. No need for two expensive re-bookings and he can do things at home. Next step in this disaster could be the cancellation of my planned eye operation on Thursday.
Tuesday 4 July 2023
A few photos of my hotel room at the airport. Very compact, but very clever and comfy at the same time.
And here the last glimpses of Changi airport. Photos are of the rooftop cacti garden and waterlily garden, I believe both are at terminal 1.
I was granted a new visa in the afternoon, so didn't loose time re-booking a flight. This happened to be the same one as Kevin's, but a day later. All is not lost. It looks I can get my eye done on Thursday!
Wednesday 5 July 2023
Back home again! Except for the drama at the end, this was a wonderful trip.
