Our first destination on our latest trip is Singapore. We only have time for one night in Singapore, so we take the opportunity to stay at the rather expensive Marina Bay Sands in order to hang in the instafamous infinity pool (only available to hotel guests).
Checking into Marina Bay Sands leaves a bit to be desired for a hotel with that price tag: the check in is a bit impersonal given it is located in the absolutely vast atrium which is crowded with people (the hotel is somewhat of a tourist attraction in its own right). It’s then a long walk to the elevators and an even longer wait for one to turn up. Still, we got given an upgrade to a balcony room on a higher floor so can’t complain too much. We don’t waste too much time in our room before heading up to the roof to check out the pool. It is pretty incredible – huge and with great views of the city – and only half full of people taking photos for instagram in awkward poses.
Our entire plan for Singapore was pretty much just to stay in the pool for as long as possible, but it turns out that the pool is actually surprisingly cold, particularly after evening falls. We therefore tear ourselves away for a late dinner. There are two Michelin starred hawker stores in Singapore, one which we had already eaten at when it ‘popped up’ in Melbourne. The other one, Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodles, sells Bak Chor Mee – a minced pork noodles topped with dumplings and fried sole fish, which sounds pretty darn delicious. It’s close to closing time, but we decide to rush there and hope for the best. While we make it there before closing time, a large sign out the front of the stall alerts us that they are sold out. We’ll have to try again next trip (or when they pop up in Melbourne, whatever comes first).
All is not lost of course, we end up having an excellent dinner in nearby Arab town. Dinner is venison murthabak and chicken biriyani, which is delicious and exceptionally cheap. It’s a hugely atmospheric location, parked on plastic chairs on the footpath across from the Sultan Mosque. The only drawback is that they don’t sell beer, which is, as everyone knows, the best way to finish a long travel day.
We start the next day back in the pool, where it is unfortunately still freezing. At one end of the pool, they are filming some kind of TV show, the ability of the presenter to not look cold in the pool is highly impressive. (Later that day we are absolutely sweltering and wish we were able to retreat to the cool Marina Bay Sands infinity pool, but alas with a one night stay you will miss spending the hottest part of the day in the pool). Our verdict on the Marina Bay Sands – a bucket list item ticked off, but no need to return.
There isn’t long before we need to head back to the airport, but we manage to have a late Kaya Toast breakfast and scoot around the city on the shared system of electric scooters. There’s also time for one more food quest, so we turn back to the Michelin guide, which has listed heaps of Singaporean Hawker stalls on its Bib Gourmand guide (a guide which offers awards for good quality restaurants offering low prices). A sardine puff sounds interesting enough to make a quest for, so we head to J2 Famous Crispy Curry Puff at Amoy Street food centre. The stall has no line, as the food is already prepared, we choose a sardine samosa and a chicken samosa. We eat at a long plastic table which appears to have two free seats (Singaporeans ‘save’ seats by placing a packet of tissues or other non-valuable paper item in front of the chair). Our verdict: okay, perhaps a little greasy, but hardly Michelin guide worthy.
We head to the airport relatively early, in order to spend some time lounge hopping ahead of our flight to the Seychelles.
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 I have been waiting and this was all I had been waiting for!
Then you will be very pleased to find that there is another scheduled for 3 days from now, and another after that! Things are going to get crazy. Hope you kids are having fun in NZ.