Singapore 29.12.2017 - 1.1.2018

It's very special to pack a backpack instead of a suitcase! For example, think about the different climates in different countries and also remember to remove the license plates from the car because of insurance. Don't forget the list of things to do, etc. An hour on the train to Zurich Airport and an hour and a half later in Amsterdam or another city in Europe, it won't be easy. This makes us aware that we're really going on a trip! The adventure begins...!!

Singapore

Even the farewell is a bit different, more emotions than usual! Now we really have to be quick when we land. Visa, passport, vaccination records, money, credit card, etc...yes, everything is included! Now it's time to explore a new world. This also includes sitting still for 13.5 hours! 😊

With both feet on Singaporean soil, the adventure and freedom begin! The tropical heat greets us outside and the air conditioning is running at full blast inside! The airport is very structured and organized. Also extremely clean. There's carpet everywhere, and it's so clean that you can walk barefoot on it and your feet won't get dirty! We got the electronic public transport card from a colleague, had to quickly top it up, and then we were already standing in the subway with our backpacks on our backs. Among all these different Asian faces, we naturally stood out with our backpacks and everyone looked at us! We made ourselves nice after the flight. 😊 Singapore, the land of rules. Even in the subway, there are strict rules, no eating or drinking, but it doesn't look like there's a ban on using mobile phones at least.

So, the first night is over, shorts are on and a toast with some fruit is also in the stomach. For everything else (noodle soup, rice, chicken nuggets, etc.) it's a few hours too early for us! 😉 When we went outside, it was already pouring! We thought someone had forgotten to turn off the hot shower. So we went to the nearest store and bought two umbrellas for 4 Singapore dollars each. Turns out it was the best investment for a long time!
And off to Marina Bay with the impressive and famous Marina Bay Sands hotel. Incredibly impressive. The rain had stopped, so we decided to take a look at the city from above. 56th floor, unbelievable! Unfortunately, the famous pool on the 57th floor is only accessible to hotel guests, so we could only see it from a distance! Let's see if I can convince Ilse to spend a night at this hotel so that we can also experience the pool. 😊

Singapore is a city that has a lot to offer and is carefree, for example, in Chinatown, Little India, and Arab Street, certain parts of the history have been preserved and are really worth seeing. Without knowing it, you get on the subway and suddenly feel like you're in China. Including cheap souvenirs (made in China 😉), disguised sellers, and the charming accent when they try to speak English. We had the famous Tiam Tam Chicken in a food court.

In Little India the next day, it was chaotic and the women were dressed beautifully. The streets were filled with vegetable and fruit shops, as well as all sorts of things. But what is Little India without gold, gold, and more gold!!! One after the other offered their gold jewelry, unbelievable! The streets are full of people, Indians, and curious tourists! Ilse was hungry again and couldn't resist stealing something from a street restaurant. Instead of plates, everything was served on a tray with a sheet of paper underneath, very special! It's like McDonald's but without the cardboard packaging! Chicken Masala, rice with an egg in the middle, and onion salad. It's no wonder anymore why Indians have a certain body odor 😉.

Of course, we also visited the promenade of Singapore and other modern parts of the city. From one wow to the next...! Unfortunately, we had to skip some sights due to the rain. We will probably come back to Singapore a little earlier in late January to see the city with sunshine and blue skies?! Thank you, dear Petrus...

In the evening, we went on a night safari at the Singapore Zoo. Thank you very much, Ayse, for this wonderful birthday gift! It was a special experience to ride through the zoo on the small tram and see the various animals! It seems that we weren't the only ones with this idea, as there were a few thousand other people, which unfortunately led to long queues!

And then New Year's Eve. I actually had a nice table reserved in the Japanese restaurant at Marina Bay. To be sure, we wanted to confirm the reservation, but we couldn't find anything about the 7-course fish menu, neither on the internet nor elsewhere! And certainly not for that price! I thought we had to buy the restaurant. So we quickly cancelled the reservation and arrived without a plan around 8 pm before midnight! In the end, we had spare ribs 😉. At around 10:30 pm, we almost swam to Marina Bay to the Helix Bridge with a view of the fireworks, surrounded by dear family who welcomed the new year in style! Happy New Year!!

Tomorrow we're off to Vietnam. A 3.5-hour flight from Singapore to Hanoi! Here we come!