Europe

Have you ever played the board game: Ticket to Ride? In it, the player who has visited the most places on the game board has the first turn. I have never played it when Regina was not that person. To put it another way, Banjo Paterson said:
“He’d been there before;
he had wandered down
On a previous visit to Walgett town.”
Anyway, Regina had been here some 30 years ago, when it didn’t look anything like it does now. There is so much that’s new and shiny plus ongoing construction. Do Singaporeans, returning after a holiday even recognise it.

We avoided some of the cities newness for a time by a dive into its culture and history at the Asian Civilisations Museum. It’s story reveals fascinatingly blended cultures and Maritime and land based trade across Asia from China around to Iraq, plus of course, the many peoples of the Silk Road stopovers. An unexpected highlight.

We were anticipating yummy food and had it in bowls. Singapore is expensive but tips from locals halve the cost of meals. A treat was the local breakfast favourite: 3 Soft boiled eggs with S&P and Soy, toast with lashings of butter and Coconut jam, with Hot Ginger Tea for $6 (they do their eggs both ways. Soft and runny OR runny and soft.)

Unlike the “stranger” who visited Walgett, Regina’s prior knowledge didn’t stop Ian leading us out of Chinatown after a late dinner, heading 180° the wrong direction. A couple of misdirected K’s on Shanks Pony was retraced with a bus ride that eventually delivered us to our hotel. Brave and lucky for us since we didn’t know where the bus was going.

Walking, we zigged and zagged across the steamy city to take in the sites. Except where we were blocked by the Great Fence of Singapore. It’s not in Google Maps or travel brochures. If you want to see it, be quick because the safety fences are coming down after the Grand Prix night race at the end of the month. This must be a test of patience for the locals with many roads and access already closed. There is plenty of employment as a bonus.
Amazing how many places are underground and air conditioned.
The vibe of the city is relaxed. Even the traffic is calm. The riskiest aspect is that everyone, everywhere and always are focused on their phones.
You’ve heard of the Singapore Metro - it’s marvellous and took us here and there, charging our credit card SGD$0.10 per trip.
I’ll suggest that Singapore has more boutiques and designer brand stores per head than anywhere I have been. Certainly more than Walgett.Read more