We have had versions of this trip planned for years and bought our one-way tickets to Kathmandu six months ago.  But about 10 days before we left, Will got a text that our eight hour layover in Singapore was now actually two and half days.  Huh?

I’m so glad it worked out that way!  The sixteen and a half hour flight from SFO to Singapore was relatively easy and we all slept ok in our coach seats, but rolling into our Singapore hotel that night to sleep was lovely.

Up at 4am on our first day, we got out early and searched out some fresh roti, curry and steamed red bean buns recommended in a googled article on hidden street food.  Kids were loving it and there were no tourists around.  When Kai tipped the whole plate of curry on his brand new traveling shirt, many locals came to the aid with tissues and smiles.

Roti with curry, milo, and steamed buns coming!

The object for the rest of the day was to stay awake and get some exercise.  So we headed across a causeway to Sentosa Island for kid-friendly fun.  It’s a cross between “Spirited Away” and Orlando, Florida on jet lag. Everywhere you looked was a semi-empty resort that requires a ticket or wristband.  There is a Universal Studios, zip line park and water park, but we ended up in a smaller section that required a “fun pass” and a map that was crazy-hard to reckon. (Or maybe it was the jet lag.)  We loved the butterfly pavilion, Madame Tussaud’s, Singapore Live! (an educational live show that traces Singapore’s history) and a 4D experience (Disneyland-style) of which we were the only people in the room.

Kai with the Chinese President and first lady at Madame Tussaud’s, Sentosa Island

Then we took a bus to the skywalk and my kids insisted on walking up the nine floors instead of taking the elevator.  Nine stories up, the crazy amusement park faded away, the surreal fatigue began to clear and I felt like I was actually in Singapore.  The city is mixture of jungle canopy, shipping containers and ultra sleek skyscrapers.  The architecture is the most futuristic I’ve ever seen – pools on top of hotels, 50th floor connecting walkways – while still feeling like you’re in the jungle with orchid-filled trees along the expressways and living walls of greenery both inside and outside of buildings.

Sentosa Island Skywalk

Next stop was Chinatown for vegetarian food and a foot massage, before heading back to the airport hotel pool and asleep by 7:30pm. Chipping away at jet lag bit by bit.

Lorna getting her foot massage in China town. Lucy is next to her giggling.

The last half-day was all about the Singapore Botanical Garden, possibly the most beautiful place I’ve ever been.  Monitor lizards, every variety of orchid on the planet and three story-tall palm trees.

Singapore Botanical Gardens

Random facts learned from taxi drivers:

• Every male Singaporean has two mandatory years of military service, followed by ten years in active reserves requiring refresher courses and a fitness test. If someone failed the fitness test, they would be required to attend evening classes until the could pass.
• It’s a Buddhist / Christian country surrounded by Muslim Indonesia and Malaysia.
• They got independence from England in 1965.  And with no natural resources, they went from being a third world country to one of the four strongest Asian economies in 50 years.
• The first priority for the new leadership after independence was to build the best airport in the world and a tax-free shipping port to attract trade and travel, and capitalize on their unique geographical position.  I guess it worked.