Nov 24, 2007 12:11 PM
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We had been to Singapore in the first week of November .The flight thru jet airways saves lot of valuable time but can be physically tiring unless you plan nothing to do on the first day at Singapore . Changi Airport is fabulous! It has obtained the best airport in the world award every year for the last 20 years . There are hundreds of shops selling all the possible things in the world . There are numerous eating outlets with cuisines from all over the world .One striking feature of this country is that it is extremely tourist friendly . We had arranged our trip on our own . However we never felt lost from the moment we stepped at the airport, although we were faced with many new things like automated ticket vendor machines, sky trains, metro train etc . There are very clear instructions everywhere and you cannot go wrong or get confused if you can read English or Tamil .
Singapore is commonly described as a fine city .And there is a pun intended in the word fine - it is a beautiful city and there is fine charged for any misdoing . Somehow the city is so spic and span that you don’t feel like spoiling its cleanliness. The metro train, better known as MRT, is the main transport . It is very efficient, fast, very cheap and you can have beautiful views while traveling . I would suggest all travelers to use only the MRT to commute .
On the first day we had booked the hop on hop off bus for city tour which you can catch anywhere and leave anywhere as many times . The tour guide gives valuable information while traveling . It has two routes - city and heritage(colour coded), however you can get into any bus anywhere anytime . However I feel a day is less for city tour if you want to see everything leisurely . The botanical garden is nice . It is nice to shop, for curios, at many small shops in Chinatown .
Our second day was dedicated for the inhabitants of this world other than humans and aquatic animals . Jurong bird park a 7 minutes drive form Boon Lay MRT station has a good collection of birds in natural surroundings . Unless physically handicapped, don’t take the panorail inside - it is more enjoyable(and tiring also!?) on foot . Don’t miss the bird shows . The birds and buddies show was interesting .The Singapore Zoo is quite far away from the Bird Park . If you are covering both the places in a day, don’t spend a lot of time at the bird park, and better go via Jurong east interchange and later to Ang Mo Kio to catch a bus which takes 20 minutes to the zoo . Walking across the entire zoo is fun provided you have stamina, otherwise you can get into the tram as many times as you want . The night safari is across the zoo . The famous Orchard street is along the MRT route . So one can stroll on the street after visiting the zoo . It is fun visiting the malls on Orchard and food stalls at Lucky serve nice food .
Sentosa island tour is a must in the agenda as it offers several entertainment options . Better leave for the tour in the afternoon, so that you can cover everything including the Songs of the Sea . Cable car ride, particularly while returning back in the night is romantic . Underwater world is one of the biggest attractions and is fabulous . Dolphin show is lovely . 4D Magix show is nice, but not for the weak at heart .Butterfly Park and Insect Kingdom are fairly good . Siloso and Palawan beaches are good but somehow look too artificial . A small island connected by rope bridge is a nice place to lay your hair down if you have spare time - it is referred to as the southernmost tip of continental Asia and it has two pagoda like erections which serve as watch towers .The Songs of the Sea show is definitely a spectacular extravaganza . Should not miss it . The show involves Laser projection over a water screen made by multiple jets of water with animation characters which interact with live humans enacting over the sea shore. It also involves beautiful fountain and pyrotechnic show .The conveyance in Sentosa is fantastic . There are trams and buses for moving around inside - they are free of cost .
Mustafa, in Little India is good place to shop . You feel like you are in any of the old city shop in India, as it is too crowded with people pushing you .The staff is also a little less courteous as compared to people in Singapore - which makes you feel more at home. Accommodation everywhere is good and inclusive of breakfast .Let your purse decide where to stay . Singapore is very very safe and clean, so need not bother of hygiene or thefts . Food suitable for your taste is available everywhere except at the abovementioned tourist spots . Better carry packed food there if you plan to spend a day out or settle down with Subway or MacDonald’s . Singapore people, an ethnic mix of Chinese, Indians and Malays, are all very helpful, peace loving and disciplined people . Language is never a barrier . We have gardens in our cities . However, while moving in Singapore, I always felt that it is a city in a garden - it is so clean, green, well planned and beautiful . Not that there is no traffic or population; but the heavy traffic also moves smoothly because of efficient planning . Pavements are full of people, but at busy places the pavements are very wide so you feel comfortable walking in the swarm .
There is lot of importance given to life in general - so safety, comfort, good food is not something for which you have to pay through your nose . So, I think, that a visit to Singapore is a must to learn a way of living .
