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More to Singapore than just a Sling

By Louise Hurst, consultant Travelscene Hay.

After many years of not visiting Sydney International terminal on my own, I must admit I was initially feeling a little bit daunted when I arrived there recently on my way to Singapore for an Educational. However, I had a couple of hours to find my bearings and happily wondered around looking in a few shops before finding the British Airways check-in counter and met up with our Qantas/Viva Holidays Representative who was one of our escorts for this educational.

 

Right from the first introduction, any sense of apprehension or nerves were washed away and I knew I was about to spend the next five days with a great group of girls who had plenty of life and good fun in them. We also were met by two British Airways representative who took our passports and went off to check us in as a group. Much to our surprise they came back with our boarding passes in Club World, or Business Class seating. What a pleasant surprise; this was going to be a fantastic educational! I must say that British Airways does have unusual seating arrangements in Business Class and if travelling on your own you could feel a bit exposed until you are able to put up your security screen between yourself and the passenger sitting in reverse position next to you. British Airways cabin crew were on skeleton staff levels due to the strike in London, however I was happy with any kind of service. A ham sandwich would have been fine. Just as well, because we did get a serving of ham and cheese sandwiches at one stage!

 

Upon arrival we were met and transferred to our first hotel by our Tour East guide and coach driver. The knowledge and insight into Singapore that these two guides gave us over the next five days was amazing. The whole group felt that we had gained more knowledge about Singapore than we could have ever imagined, due to the expertise of these two guides.

 

Our first two nights where spent at the Shangri-La Singapore, just off Orchard Road. This hotel has a large impressive foyer with a breathtaking orchid display taking centre place. If you were to lie out around the pool area, you could easily think you were at the Shangri-La in Fiji with very similar surroundings. The big difference is that any staff member who went by greeted you with a smiling “hello”, not “Bula”. The restaurant at the Shangri-La has a very impressive buffet which operates for breakfast, lunch and dinner offering a selection of over 16 different culinary choices from all over the world. Day 2 started with an early departure to

As Tertia is hosting our guided tour to Kakoda, we have a special guest in her spot this week, Louise. Louise is another of our friendly consultants, ready to help you with your travel needs.

Louise's story is from her experiences in Singapore.

Singapore’s newest hotel, Marina Bay Sands. This hotel does not officially open until next month; however the sections that are operating at present are certainly impressive. A landmark to the hotel will be its boat-shaped top covering the three high rise residential wings which will be home to Singapore’s newest botanical gardens. Later we enjoyed the ‘must do’ Singapore City Tour which includes a visit to Merlion Park with its impressive views and the famous Merlion - part lion part fish sculpture (pictured at right). We also visited Thian Hock Keng Temple in Chinatown, a working handicraft centre, the National Orchid Garden and Little India. That evening we enjoyed Tour East’s Singapore by Night tour including dinner by the river, a visit to the Bugis Night markets before finishing at the famous Raffles Hotel to sample their renowned Singapore Sling.

 

The next day we headed off for more hotel inspections at the Traders Hotel and then over to Sentosa Island where we stayed at the Capella Singapore. This hotel is built in the old English Barracks and truly has to be seen to be believed. It has to be one of the most impressive hotels I have ever experienced and staff take the meaning of attentiveness to a whole new level.

 

That afternoon we were left to explore Sentosa Island. Several of us decided to join the locals and take in the sites along the beach where we climbed to southern most point of Continental Asia, took a ride on the sky rail and came back down on the Luge track. Sentosa is a beautiful island with a great variety of activities and experiences other than Universal Studios. Whilst Universal Studios are very enjoyable, do not bother buying an entrance ticket unless you are going to upgrade to the express option, which allows you to avoid the queues at least once on each ride. That evening we went to Sentosa Beach to witness the most amazing water and laser light show, Sounds of the Sea.

 

Our final day started with Swissotel Merchant Court, the historical Fullerton Hotel, the Fairmont Singapore and the Swissotel Stamford. All these hotels are set around the famous Singapore Grand Prix circuit and offer great views of the city and the marina from many of their balconies.

 

Our finale in Singapore was a ride on the Singapore Flyer for our last look at the breathtaking city and its surroundings. As this was my first visit to Singapore I was really impressed with the city and the local people. Their main motto is not to stress and it shows in their happy manner. There is an endless supply of shops with many brands that I have never seen before, however all products sold are first class, even in the markets, so a bargain is fairly hard to find. Singapore’s rail and bus system is wonderful and very user friendly, with the local taxis being extremely affordable as well. All Singaporeans have a huge amount of respect in their country and President and this is reflected in their attitude and happy, friendly personalities.

 

It is a wonderful country to visit and once you get used to the humidity, it has some wonderful adventures for all ages to experience.