This morning we woke to torrential rain and lightening which hardly eased up all day - so a change of plans was necessary. We had planned on going into Orchard Road and then spending the afternoon at Universal Studios on Sentosa Island.
At times we were walking through ankle deep water, but it failed to dampen our spirits.
At times we were walking through ankle deep water, but it failed to dampen our spirits.
We decided to still go into Orchard Road so we walked to the Harbour front MRT station and were promptly almost arrested - Arnold's fault of course!!!!
We attempted to use the automatic ticket machine and it will not give change for more than $4. The cost of our two tickets was $5.20 so using the only notes we had - $10.00 - our transaction kept being rejected - and the queue at the ticket window was 100 metres long so we were reluctant to join it.
Then Arnold had the brain wave - ding - just go back to that little shop we saw as we came into the station and buy a can of diet coke - so easy really - he opened it and casually walked back into the station sipping the coke, back to the ticket area and got the tickets and change - no problem - feeling very proud of ourselves for mastering the technology..
I could see a security guard watching us very closely - when the can was finished we looked around for a rubbish bin. Since the guard was taking a friendly interest in our progress to get tickets - I went up and asked him where the bins were. He turned - gave me the death stare - and said quote ‘Madam, it is against Singapore law to eat or drink on MRT property, so obviously there wouldn’t be a need for rubbish bins’!
Suitably contrite, I apologised and explained that we had bought the offending item at the station to which he replied -’of course madam, we buy food on our way home and consume it AT HOME!!’
Suitably contrite, I apologised and explained that we had bought the offending item at the station to which he replied -’of course madam, we buy food on our way home and consume it AT HOME!!’
Oh - oh!! I sensed trouble and I could see Arnold getting a bit hot under the collar so I asked the guard for his suggestion as to how we should dispose of the illegal aluminium cylinder - it was taking on a life all of its own!! He tersely told me to take it back to the ‘store that sold it to us, cause the disposal was their responsibility’.Feeling suitably chastised, we slunk off to the store and handed it over, then ran to get on our train, carefully avoiding eye contact with the guard!!
After visiting Kinokuniya, my favourite bookstore - a smorgasbord for book lovers over three storeys, we enjoyed a cup of coffee, exchanged some money at a little Indian guy in Lucky Plaza that Arnold had befriended on previous visits, a bit of shopping (I finally found my new ipad2!!). As we ventured back onto the MRT to Harbourfront, we hoped that the guards would have changed shifts and we wouldn’t be recognised.
The MRT is incredibly efficient - it was $2.60 each way and when you reach your destination, you put the ticket into the machine and get a refund of $1 - stops littering and the NEED FOR BINS!!
In the afternoon, we took the monorail from Harbourfront to Sentosa ($3 each) and although the rain was still falling, it had eased up so we had a great lunch at Chili’s -great Mexican food and wandered around the Plaza - it was a special family Sunday - and everyone was out with their families - a wonderful crowded carnival atmosphere. The photos show the smallest beer available on the menu - and very enjoyable nachos!!
Arnold gave me another moment of panic when he said he would wait in a particular spot while I went to take a photo. I was only gone for two minutes, I swear - and when I came back he was nowhere to be seen!! He had my card to get back on the ship, my mobile and my passport and money in his pocket - for safety of course!!
My heart really pounded cause I was sure that I was back at the right place and I wondered what I could do if he didn’t come back soon. I took another walk around the plaza and got back to the allotted spot in time to catch him creeping out of the Hershey’s chocolate store! Had I looked around, I would have guessed where he was!!!
Back onto the ship for a great sail-out from Singapore as the sun finally came out. It is easy to see why this is regarded as the busiest shipping channel in the world as the bay was full of ships waiting to berth.
We had a wonderful day in Singapore despite the weather and just reconfirmed the reasons why we like it so much.
Tomorrow is Kuala Lumpur - and more rain is forecast. Fingers crossed that they are wrong!
Cheers
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