Friday 6th July
I am gawking in total awe at everything I see. My eyes flicker at a million miles per hour as I try and absorb each and every finite detail. We are standing on the MRT speeding through the clean, crisp, modern streets of Singapore to make our way to the hotel. It has taken us less than thirty minutes to get through the airport and onto the train, which is just incredible. This is definitely the most efficient place we have been to thus far.
Standing on the train and looking out of the window onto Singapore is like looking into the future. The buildings sparkle like clean cut diamonds in the glow of the street lights. They each have unique shapes that are minimalistic and contemporary standing out from one another, but somehow amalgamating from the same form. Each direction I avert my eyes to brings a new and exciting view.
The MRT is like no underground I have ever encountered. It is efficient. It is easy to use. It is spotless. This is a world away from the London underground or the New York Subway. You step through the automatic sliding doors and the carriage literally shimmers with cleanliness. There is a map which lights up to inform you which way you are going. It even flashes green for which doors will be opening on the next stop.
The streets gleam as we take the steps down from the MRT station. The air of the night feels hot and sticky as we start the short walk to our hotel. When we arrive the refreshing cool of the air-conditioning blasts us in the face and we are shown to our room. Like the cohesive thread of Singapore, the Fragrance Hotel is clean and modern with great facilities, it even has a roof top pool. However, we have no time to enjoy it as we need to head out straight away.
The slightly annoying part of having an afternoon fight is that you feel like you have spent an entire day waiting. So even though it is already 9pm, we decide to head out for some food and to enjoy the remainder of the evening. We head directly to Chinatown where we have been informed that they have great hawkers. They are food markets where you can get incredible tasting food for a very low cost.
The streets are bustling with people as we make our way to the hawker. I look up and can see red Chinese lanterns that dangle in rows above me across the street. There are so many shops and markets selling everything from clothes to fruit. We spot a large building with lots of stalls and head to the 2nd floor to see what treats they have in store.
We are not disappointed. The aromas of different, enticing food fills the air like a turkey at Christmas. Walking from stall to stall my mouth waters with hunger. With so many options we are a little spoilt for choice as we try to decide what to eat. After walking around for a while we decide on dumpling noodles. They are amazing. The noodles have been made fresh in front of our very eyes. The dumplings are soft with a perfect mix of spices to compliment the soy sauce. I am astounded by how good this food is for how little we have paid; for two meals it has worked out at $9.
After feeling suitably full, we decide to go against our usual sensible natures and stay out a little longer. We have had a long day of travelling but want to see the Gardens by the Bay. We only have 2 full days here so we have to make to most of every second.
We step out of the MRT station and walk towards the gardens. I can see the tree like shapes glistening in the distance like brightly coloured fireworks. There is a short pathway that leads you closer to them. The view becomes even more mesmerising as we walk over the dragonfly bridge towards the super tree grove. The super trees light up in the distance over the water like space ships hovering in the sky. They take on the basic shape of a tree; with a trunk that spirals up and looks almost like a funnel. With pink branches that stretch out and glitters at the tips, like a lady spreading her arms and fingers that are laden with sparkling jewellery.
It is not until we walk into the super tree grove that this magical garden truly comes to life. I feel like I have walked onto an alien planet that fuses both nature and technology. It is simply breath taking to see. I walk towards of one of the trees and can see that it is made of a pink steel structure that has been planted with a vast array of plant life. These plants make up the base of the tree and continue all the way up to the top. The trees have twinkling lights that change colour: ranging from green, pink, and blue, to orange.
We learn that the gardens are completely self-sufficient. They have been constructed from recycled materials and each section of the garden provides power to the other. So, they do not rely on any outside materials to function. This is incredible. To be able to see technology entwined with nature is beautiful. To have evidence that there is some way we can work with nature to help the planet, rather than constantly taking its resources is amazing to witness. It drives me to want to strive for this in my life.
The next morning we wake early to head back to the gardens to see them in the daylight. In the light of the sun you can see so much more detail. The flowers are bright and beautiful as they climb the base of each of the super trees. We decide to start our day by completing the Skywalk. The gardens have a bridge that is attached to the super trees that is stationed 22 meters above the ground. Enabling you to see the views from higher ground.
We make our way up to the top and stand in awe as we take in the view around us. The gardens glow a luminescent green against the backdrop of Singapore’s crisp city. The bridge wobbles slightly as we walk from one side to the other. I start to get a team of butterflies invade my stomach as I look down onto the ground below. I really dislike heights. But, it is worth it for the spectacular view. From up here I can see the gardens in perfect detail. The bright flowers that crawl up the pink structure of the trees. The shrubbery that covers the ground below and the paths that spiral through this magnificent place.
We next head towards the two large conservatories that are situated in the gardens: The Flower Dome and The Cloud Forest. As I step into the Flower dome I am overwhelmed by the beauty that surrounds me. There are flowers in every conceivable direction. The glass ceiling, which looks like a huge see through chess board, stands proud over the beauty within. Its curved structure is the perfect backdrop to the blooming plant life. So many varieties of flowers glow in the green of the dome. We spend ages walking around and taking in the splendour of this place.
We next enter The Cloud Forest. We are instantly greeted by the impressive structure of flowers, plants and water. It is an enormous structure of plant life that sits directly in the centre of the huge glass dome and curves round almost like a giant, elongated egg. Water crashes down from the sky in different sections creating stunning waterfalls that cascade around the flowers. As I move closer I can feel the specks of water cool my face like a sprinkler on a hot summer day.
We make our way to the top of the structure to start our journey back downward. At each point there is something amazing to witness. Flowers, trees, crystals, and the waterfall. I skip merrily along each of the walkways gazing in admiration at the detail. Here we learn more about the effects of global warming and how it will quickly impact on our planet. Being here really enables you to see what is happening to this beautiful planet. There is so much to be lost and it always feel like there is so little hope. But, coming somewhere like this really ignites that desire to do what we can to help. What an inspirational place.
After a long day of exploring we spend the evening watching The Garden Rhapsody. Here we lie on the floor of the gardens and look up in wonder at the magnificence of the super trees at night. They mix a soundtrack of opera with a light show of the trees. The floor feels warm beneath my back as I lay back and watch the show. This is sheer bliss. We end the evening by enjoying a few drinks at as we watch our boys bring it home. Come on England!
The late night makes us feel a little groggy the next morning. But, that doesn’t stop us from making the most of our last day in Singapore. We wake a little later than usual so decide to skip breakfast and head straight for lunch. We enjoy the cheapest Michelin star meal we will ever have. Hawker Chan is in Chinatown and has been awarded a Michelin Star for their soy sauce chicken and rice. They started out as a hawker stall, but have since relocated to a small hawker style restaurant. For $3.80 we enjoy the most tender chicken we will ever experience. What a treat.
We finish our trip to Singapore on a high: The Singapore Flyer. I have never been on a city wheel before so I am a little anxious before we board. The Wheel soars high above the city at 165 meters. Which can be a little daunting when you suffer with a fear of heights. We wait in the queue and it is not long before we board. Obviously we are teamed with the bunch of irritating children, who scream as they climb aboard. Great.
However, even the sound of wailing children could not dampen my mood. Sat safely in our capsule we fly over the city. The skyline sparkles like a thousand diamonds scattered over the night sky. I shake a little as I walk over towards the edge and look down below. But, in all honestly I am surprised at how unafraid I am. I must be getting better at this. The view is out of this world.
From up here you can see the entire city as if it is laid out on a monopoly board. The Formula 1 track sits directly below us set alight by the street lights. Across the river I can see the glittering super trees that shrink the higher up we fly. The conservatories shine with the plants from within them radiating a luminescent green. The marina bay sands stands tall and proud beside us, curving slightly with is futuristic shape. Looking like a space ship that is about to take flight into a new world.
I will be extremely sad to leave this wondrous place. It is the city of the future and I aspire to incorporate elements of what I have seen here into my own life when I get back home. The phenomenal mix of nature and technology make my spine tingle in sheer astonishment. The crispness of the architecture combined with natural elements is something that I will aspire to do whenever I will eventually have a place that I can call my own. It is amazing how some places can impact you so immeasurably in such a short space of time. Singapore; you have been fantastic!
The rubberneckers. 