Day 1 - Flight and Arrival in Singapore

Day 1 (06.03.-07.03.2023):

We started at Charlottenhof train station at 7:50am towards BER Airport. Once we arrived there, we had two hours to spare, so we sat in the airplane towards Istanbul right on time and in high spirits after the security check. Unfortunately, the pilot decided to wait 50 minutes longer at the gate, reducing our expected layover time from one hour to 20 minutes. Just before arriving in Istanbul, we mentally and physically prepared ourselves for our sprint to the next flight to Singapore.

Thanks to our sports studies, we arrived out of breath, sweaty, and considerably less relaxed than in Berlin, and just in time at the gate. This was followed by a 10-hour flight that felt never-ending. At least "Too hot to handle" kept us entertained. The regular meals and reliable drinks were also pleasant, although they lost their charm after the second serving of chicken with mashed potatoes.

Eventually, we made it and the exhausting flight came to an end (landing on 07.03.2023 at 8:50am Singapore time). However, we didn't have time to relax. Upon arriving at Singapore Airport, we had to acclimatize ourselves and surrender to being overwhelmed. We stepped out into 30°C heat and mild sunshine. Everything was loud and crowded, and we didn't even have a concrete plan, let alone our luggage. We continued to passport control. While Ann-Sophie passed through the digital security check with ease, Erik encountered inexplicable problems. Apparently, the journey had left visible traces on him, causing the AI to no longer recognize his face.

After waiting desperately for our backpacks at the baggage claim for almost an hour, Ann-Sophie eventually found them on the floor next to the baggage carousel. One less problem. Emboldened by this success, we felt the urge to take action. We booked a hotel and took an Uber (Grab) to the city. Even on the way there, it was noticeable how incredibly tidy and green Singapore is. However, we didn't have much time to look around, as the Grab driver bombarded us with tips and recommendations for our stay in heavily accented English. Our assignment for Phuket: To kindly greet his son at the local diving school (still pending).

Upon arriving in the city, we couldn't immediately check into our hotel room (Haising Hotel, 35A Jalan Besar, Singapore), so we took a look around the area near the hotel instead. It was located right in Little India, where there were small shops, restaurants, and street food everywhere. The unfamiliar smells and the new environment caused a minor culture shock. Additionally, we were still exhausted from the journey, so we were relieved when we were finally allowed to enter the hotel room. It was very, really very small and thin-walled (example follows), but at a price of 86 Singapore dollars (approximately 60€), it was relatively clean.

We used the next two hours to relax and plan our upcoming road trip. The anticipation grew.

At around 4:30pm, we decided to end our relaxation, leave the bed, and explore the city. It was a 45-minute walk to downtown, and after the long journey, we could use the exercise. Our first destination was "Gardens by the bay," a kind of botanical garden with a wealth of different plants and trees, winding paths and canals, and the famous Cloud Trees. However, getting there turned out to be more complicated than expected. Due to the various green areas within the city, it was impossible to spontaneously find the way.

We then continued to Madison Bay Shopping Center with its numerous and priceless shops and the famous water canal, which was traversed by gondolas and ran through the mall. Everything was accompanied by the backdrop of Singapore's skyline, impressed by many extravagant high-rises.

However, the long journey and the associated jet lag finally caught up with us, and we had seen enough, so we made our way back home. On the way back, we ate at a street food center. We noticed the helpfulness of all the people, who were extremely kind and accommodating, and almost all spoke fluent English.

After walking a total of 16 kilometers throughout the day, we ended the evening watching an episode of "Too hot to handle."