Singapore Surprise

Scenic, clean and picture-perfect, Singapore is a perfect tourist destination. It strikes an idyllic balance between the rising growth of metropolitan cities and traditional suburbs.

I travelled with a pre-planned itinerary as advised, which made my stay in Singapore a lot more organised and much easier. On the first day, I had the morning to myself, which I spent at Esplanade, a stunning waterfront location. It connects to Merlion Park, a popular tourist destination named after the national symbol of Singapore — The Merlion. The Merlion has the body of a fish, which represents Singapore’s humble beginnings as a fishing village, and the head of a lion, which symbolises the legend of the discovery of the country. Situated centrally, both Esplanade and Merlion Park are equipped with a mall, several restaurants and a breathtaking view of the city’s marina.

After a bit of retail therapy and picture-taking, it was time for the much-awaited Singapore night safari. It claims to be the world’s first night safari and offers an exhilarating display of the predatory and survival skills of wild animals.

Before I could start, I was warned not to step down from a moving tram and to keep my hands (and head) in at all times so I don’t get 
eaten alive!

With that in mind, I hopped on to one of the open trams for a 45-minute ride and tour of the jungles. Venturing deep into the heart of the wildnerness, I was in awe of the animals moving all around me, including leopards, wild elephants, giraffes, tigers and, of course, the king of the 
jungle: the lion.

Much to the despair of my mother, my father and I hiked across the marked trails to see more animals and study their nocturnal habits. We caught glimpses of Malayan bats hunting and giant flying squirrels gliding over our heads. Just when I thought I was done for the day, I came across a unique kind of pedicure. I dunked my tootsies in a tank full of Doctor Fish who nibbled away at my feet, enjoying themselves quite a bit, 
if I may say so. One man’s trash is indeed another’s treasure!

After the safari came a spectacular performance by the Thumbuakar Tribe who literally lit up the night with daring acts that included fire eating, tribal stunts, blowpipe demonstrations, and a tribal dance.

The next day started with a city tour that included visits to the National Orchid Garden and Thian Hock Keng, the oldest Chinese temple in Singapore. For a person not too fond of flowers, The Orchid Garden was a pleasant surprise. With more than 20,000 orchids and eye-catching flowers from around the world, I felt like I was in a fairytale. The flowers are designed and placed in the most beautiful and creative ways. However, my visit to Thian Hock Keng was more moving. My tour guide, Fifi, shared her memories of her parents sleeping in the temple along with 
hundreds of other people from Singapore’s Chinese community.

I also visited her old one-bedroom house in China Town which she shared with 40 other people. With hardly any room to move, Fifi and her sisters would spend their days there while her brothers 
attended school. It was heartening to see what a long way she has come from those days. I was told all three of her kids are now in university and studying on scholarships.

After a few more visits to historical monuments around town, it was time for some adventure. I was most eager to get to Sentosa, an island resort theme park. From riding the Luge, a self steering, gravity-driven cart, to the Megazip, one of the longest and steepest ziplines in Asia, to travelling 110 metres above ground on the Tiger Sky Tower, I was pumped with adrenaline. This probably explains why I befriended a python at one of the park’s kiosks and happily let it wrap itself around my neck for some photos.

After visiting a few more attractions, I was done for the day and was ready to get on the cable car to take me back to the main city. And on that high note, it was the perfect end to 
my trip.

Source: khaleejtimes.com/