by Alan Kendrew
"How about Singapore for Christmas", said Christine. "I need to do a bit of shopping." I managed to retain a calm exterior while my heart missed several beats. She had caught me in a weak moment. Well, I thought, the kids will have a great time. Orchard Road will be ablaze with Christmas lights, the family can do all the touristy things and I can wander around bookshops all day. So, it was decided, Singapore it was.
We decided to leave Pascal, our handicapped six year old behind, as we know from experience, that despite its modern first-world veneer, Singapore is definitely not a pushchair friendly place. Danny, our other six year old, was more than happy to come, after we promised him copious quantities of ice-cream, along with our 13 year old, Louise, who seemed to have her mind on the clothes shops. I don't think your allowance will stretch to Gucci!
We booked on Singapore Airlines and then also booked five nights in the New Park Hotel, just on the edge of Little India, in itself an interesting area to stroll around. This was quite a way from the main centre and that did prove to be somewhat of a disadvantage at times. It was cheap at only $85 a night with two breakfasts, but it did entail a fair bit of walking. Taxis are plentiful in Singapore but sometimes it would have been nice to have an easy stroll back to the hotel, rather than wait a long time in a queue for taxi. The nearest MRT, Lavender, was about 15 minutes walk away. However, a new line is being built which will go right past the hotel by the middle of this year.
There is certainly no shortage of things to do in Singapore . Sentosa Island was a favourite, with the rather unnerving cable-car ride across. Plenty to do for a day, but like many things in Singapore , it is very easy to lose track of what you are spending. Danny particularly enjoyed the dolphin show and was deeply upset when his request to ride one was denied. He also enjoyed the walk-through aquarium, and was most impressed by the sharks. The butterfly park was another favourite.
The Zoo was a particular treat. If you are not really a fan of zoos, this is one which might change your mind. The enclosures are all quite open, although rest assured that this impression is only illusory and the tigers cannot escape to feast upon your offspring. After a couple of days staying with a teenager in one hotel room however, this might not have been such a bad thing. An entertaining show with various animals was much enjoyed by the kids. Next door there is also the Night Safari, which we had visited on a previous trip. This, as the name suggests, is basically a zoo in the dark. Impressive however.
There are several other interesting places to visit. Danny's favourite was Snow City , the name of which is indicative of its attraction. For our children, both brought up in tropical climes, sliding on a tyre down a snow slope was a rare spectacle. A half-hour taxi-ride takes you to Jurong Bird Park , a pleasant enough distraction, followed by the Crocodile Park to watch somebody place his head in a crocodile's jaws. Danny was dissuaded with some difficulty from coping this particular feat.
The Science Centre and the Discovery Centre are both a must. Danny was fascinated by everything and it was very much a hands-on experience.
My own days were spent in quiet contemplation. Christine did most of the tourist attractions with the kids, after extracting a promise from me that she could spend a full day shopping on her own. I spent many happy hours browsing through Borders bookshop on the corner of Orchard and Scotts Road , which is one of the best I have ever been in. Every book and magazine you could possibly want, and they let you just sit there and read them all day, with absolutely no pressure to buy whatsoever. Times bookstore in Centrepoint is also very well-stocked. Booker in Gadong should hang their heads in shame. As well as the bookstores, I also spent many happy hours in the Funan Centre, which nirvana for techno-nerds like myself. I also frequented the various museums which were interesting enough, but perhaps a little dull.
Singapore does have a reputation for being just that little bit too well-organised and squeaky-clean. Fair comment, but for a few days this is quite welcome. Toilets are clean, no one smokes in restaurants, and things work! It was also rather surreal in such a tropical climate, to see Santa Claus and Christmas trees in all the shops. However, as mentioned above, when everything is so available, it is easy to lose track of spending. Christine stocked up on all those "essentials" which are unavailable in Brunei and the credit card had been "swiped" so often it was like a deadly weapon. When I subsequently received the next credit card bill I thought they had made a mistake and billed me in rupiah.
All in all then, it's a great place for a short break, with many and varied activities for all the family, but a bargain, it certainly isn't.
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