Ecstatic beyond words. This is, in a nutshell, how my sisters and I felt upon learning that we’ll finally get to visit Singapore. Too bad though that in the end, my ate (older sister) can’t come with us due to her pregnancy. It’s her husband’s fault! LOL. But kidding aside, we were thankful that we’ve had ample time to prepare for this escapade. Including saving money for our allowance , we’ve had 10 months to buy all the things we wished to wear or bring to Singapore. But somehow, I feel that I have failed in that department. Don’t even ask why. haha!
Waiting in Vain. Or not!
The waiting game is usually the most tiring part of any premeditated trip. The weeks and months to count before traveling’s just nerve-wracking for anybody as excited as us. But since everybody in the group has been very busy i.e. school and work, time quickly flew by. Next thing we knew, it’s just three weeks before the date of our departure. My sister, a first-time traveler abroad, may have been a jinx to the trip (HAHA! we teased her a lot) because we’ve been met by quite a series of unfortunate events on D-DAY. I’m not gonna even start, it’s BV so…yeah! I just couldn’t be grateful enough when God’s good grace finally took our side. I felt so relieved. And the same goes for my travel buddies.
A Tad Different from Ours
Aboard the aircraft, we all experienced some light to severe turbulence due to the weather but the skies cleared up when the plane finally started its descent towards Singapore. I must admit that the environment that greeted us on our arrival was truly remarkable. As soon as we deplaned, I’ve noticed how vast and well-kept Changi airport is. It’s very posh and orderly unlike ours. As a Filipino, my heart hurts thinking we could do the same– that we can be the same. But with the kind of people we have in the government, I know it seems impossible because those in power make everything towards progress really difficult. I felt even more sorry for my country when I saw the streets as we were driven to our hotel. They were very pleasant to the eyes. Well, I’ve heard how clean and beautiful Singapore is but it’s different when you actually witness it in person. Here are some of the photos I took:
Comfort and Class You Can Afford
The hotel we stayed in may not be the best out there but it kept us comfortable. Well, if there’s one thing I liked about it that would be the feel it gives off. Yes, the facade may be a bit disappointing and to some degree a bit of an eye sore but the catch is: it’s nothing like what you can find inside the hotel. The coziness, comfort and the familiar hospitality of the hotel staff (few were Filipinos) won my heart. The room also looked lovely and homey. The bed was made up nicely and the color of the walls was a scene stealer. Every time I take a look at it, I yearn for a scoop of an ice cream (HAHA!). Over all, we’ve had a good stay. But I think it would have been better if there had been a free Wi-Fi provided. HAHA! Just my wishful thinking. But yes, considering their rates, I believe that we’ve had a very good deal.
Go Ride the Movies
Of course, this trip won’t be complete without stopping by the famous Universal Studios. This place brought out the kid in me.
Like a child, I fell in line and have had my pictures taken with some of the popular characters in the theme park. We were thankful for the sunny weather that day. Even though the scorching heat has permeated through our clothes, we couldn’t care less. It’s better than rain, right? Otherwise, we won’t enjoy as much as we did.
Our goal on that day was to ride as many rides as we can and to visit every stall or shop in the USS. However, for an acrophobic like me, I avoided anything akin to a roller coaster. Let me tell you this: I was tricked to try Transformers 4D, I thought my heart would stop beating. I closed my eyes halfway the ride because it scared the hell out of me. I know. I know. Even my thoughts screamed COWARD but whatever! HAHA!
Thankfully, my sister, cousin, and brother-in-law were braver to give every ride a go. Since I can’t, rather, won’t ride them; I took photos instead. On the latter part of the day, all of us decided to watch some shows including that of the one in the water world. May I also add that it was also that day the Street Boys held a performance in the USS.
Sashaying in the Streets of Singapore
Whenever we could sneak out or if we have free time, we would roam around the city to explore. Our only guide so that we’d never get lost is a map.
On our first night though, we didn’t have much time so we only walked around the vicinity. We went as far as three blocks away from where we were billeted and yet we were still able to go to quite a few shops. We even stopped by a fancy French restaurant to buy some sweet treats. 
But on the following days, we were already able to go strolling and pasalubong-hunting in Orchard and Bugis respectively. Not only that, we would spend time walking around from where our guide would drop us off. To cite an example, from Bugis Junction, we’ve managed to walk all the way to Orchard. Of course, not without stop overs. We bought milk tea as we went along our way and ate snack before going back to our hotel. Of course, the MRT, was of big use to us when our feet felt tired.
On one particular night that we were out, we happened to stumble upon an ice cream vendor selling the cold dessert for just a dollar. What amazed me was that he doesnt sold the ones individually wrapped but one that has to be chopped off from an ice cream block and then to be sandwiched in between two wafers. Amazing, right? The purple yam flavor did suit my taste. Plus, it was refreshing to eat on a tiring night.
Maybe Next Time
We hoped to see more of Singapore but because of the time constraint and also the F1 race (some roads were closed leading to tourist spots i.e. Merlion and yes we travelled last September), we weren’t able to make the most out of this trip. I should be sad about it but I wasn’t, a bit regretable but sad? not really. I actually thought of it as my driving force to go back again in the future. If and when I do, I’d make sure to wander and visit those places and restaurants I originally wanted to go. Putting these thoughts aside, we were still fortunate to have visited some tourist attractions aside from the USS. We’ve been to Clark Quay except that we weren’t able to go at night and so no night life experience. Another attraction we went to is a temple by the way. Our stay may not be that long to have seen all the wonderful places, but it doesnt mean that we did not enjoy Singapore. The experience itself and the thought that we’ve been to such country is a treat already. And so for now I say, SEE YOU NEXT TIME SINGAPORE!
Spill the Beans 