Amazing city... Uniquely Singapore.. (Day 4,5,6,7,8)

Day 4 : (8/12)

So now my frnds and me dusted the exam off... and 4 dayz of complete fun awaited me (2dayz for them) ..

Uptil now v havnt used any public transport... and was determined to use only tht hence forth of my stay in singapore... not only its cheaper but its chance to really feel the city.. the ppl... and the mad rush (if there was 1) ..

After nice early mornin breakfast vch included the customary maggi and cheese sandwich... i loaded my bagpack vth a camera & a handycam... and to add to the fun.. there was a slight drizzle.. vch went on.. for most of the day 2day...

The area v stayed in... there was a LRT stn called COVE ... its in the ring route of the Punggol area... ok... this singapore public transport has.... MRT (normal railway... vch has 3 routes of vch is undergrnd running on normal broad gauge tracks like in India) ... LRT (there 3 of it in punggol, sang keng and 1 other area .. vch is basically short round routes vch hav 1 boggie units running on magnetic track) .. and lastly bus services... (LRT Photo below)

So coming bck to day 4... v left for Santosa... frm cove to punggol via LRT and then frm punggol to harbour front via MRT.. u get these card ticket frm vending m/c and u return bck the card to get bck S$1 as deposit... hmm...

most of these MRT stn exit into a shopping area and.. so did harbour front... into VIVO city.. supposedly singapore's biggest 1... and.. train service to santosa gate was frm 3rd floor of the mall....

Santosa an island vch has been developed by singapore govt into tourist spot ... v strted vth the Underwater world... it was amazing to b so near to these fishes... quite amazing... tht was followed up by dolphin lagoon.. a dolphin show... wow... i was actually seein stuff vch i hav alwayz seen on TV for so song...

inside the santosa island as well... there r these busses vch take frm one attraction to other... then.. v had a lunch break.. the all so familiar Subway Sandwich (nothin else Veg was available :( ) ... then v bought a ticket vch included 7 attractions of santosa island...

V strted vth Tiger tower.... a round disc vch seats around 40 ppl.. goes up and rotates.. and u get and u get panoramic view of santosa island and a bit of singapore mainland...


v left for 3D magix... and... tht was 1 hell of an experience... the hydraulic seats were totally tuned to the movie.. and.. it was 1 experiece i can never forget.. then v moved to... 4D theater.... the seats here were ok... there was some lag.. but.. the water nd.. insect effect were spot... on.. totally gr8..

then.. v enjoyed the luge ride done a slope.. and a open cable car ride bck up... the luge was really thrilling fun.. and i won the race out of the 3 of us.... doin my inners and outers along way.. as if.. i was burning rubber on formula 1 track.. 1 apex to other... yeh... tht was some fun... :)

then.. v moved on to... images of singapore.. a museum in santosa... frm the word museum.. i generally am not tht excited.. kinda boring for me... but.. this 1 was a pleasant surpirse... it strted vth a show vch introduced to how singapore came into being by culmination of 4 diff cultures.. the AV was amazing done.. and.. special effect were rite in front of ur eyes... the best part of the rest of museum is tht.. 1 cud touch feel the things put up.. w/o restriction... the diff carts.. the houses can b seen frm inside.. and the detailin of each and everything thing was amazing....

then v moved on to Merlion.. the icon of singapore... it also strtd vth a small AV.. how merlion came into existance.. and the journey abt 12 stories up... to the top of the lion.. and view frm there was totally totally gr8.. better than... tiger tower...

and v rushed to the main attraction of the nite... the most talked abt thing in singapore... Songs of the Sea... v entered the theater facing seawords... and.. i thot.. yeh.. i wud b sum normal.. song and dance stuff.... but next 30 mins... i my mouth went wider and wider in astonishment to wot i was seeing.... it was a sound,light, lazer, fire.. etc etc show.... like the one .. again hav seen on TV... during openin/closing ceremony of olympics and stuff.... cant express wot i saw in words...

the trip to santosa ended vth a cable car ride frm santosa to singapore mainland on a cable car ride... a fitting end to amazing experince in santosa...

then again... it was 8.30ish pm... saw a subway... had a sandwich... better than... not finding any veg food for the day... and tht was our dinner...

then v moved to clarke quay... a happening place.. vth lots of pubs and disc's... as it was a monday.. most disc's were closed... but v had a pleasant 1 hr at pub vth nice live rock band... was a nice end to a gr8 day... and v headed bck home...

MRT's shut by 11.30-12ish... a few buses were running... took 1.. vch passed near to punggol and then took a cab... and bck home by 1ish...

Day 5 : (9/12)

After the late nite last day... v had a lazy morning... the same customary breakfast.. and left.. quite late around 12 ish... for mustafa center.. its mall.. completely indianized items of more than 1 lakh.. and most ppl of indian origin shop here.. also the exchange rate here is best in singapore .. i wasted no time for tht activity.. ;) .. also saw.. SBI branch in tht area.. :P

2 frnds vth me.. where leaving the next day.. and wanted to chk out more places... so.. didnt c much here.. left by cab to juron bird park... v reached there by 3.30ish... and.. most bird shows were over.. accept 1.. at 4... 2 of them... got into the bird park.. but.. i decieded i wil c the complete park next day.. and left for singapore zoo....

needed 2 train changes... 2 bus rides to reach there... last bus made me wait for 30mins.. unsual as per singapore std's.. but wot i saw theere was.. quite nice... a public bus.. completely branded vth.. incredible India campaing :D..

reached zoo by... 5.30.. bad time... closes at 6... didnt get entry.. but.. had heard.. the zoo isnt much diff... and... singapore night safari happend there itself.. next door...

entered the night safari area... the activties strt at 7ish... and frnds were to join me here.. had time to kill.. lingered around the food courts... in hope to find some veg food... havnt had good indian veg food... the local food is anywayz non-veg to try... and Eureka... an indian restuarant.. "Indian Tandoor"... most of the menu was non-veg.. but reading veg biryani set.. put a smile to my face... also added a naan to tht.. and a huge meal my 1st one at 5.30pm... for the first time.. i didnt convert it into indian rs. b4 buyin it.. did tht after buyin.. lol... costed me 18$... but.. was worth every cent.. not only had hot, veg indian food... but the taste was seriously amazing.. wil competition to nice restuarants in mumbai...

the timing was perfect... i finished my meal... frnds arrived and.. v entered into the activity area... moved straight to Amphitheater for show... the presenter was amzing.. quite funny at most times.. and... again.. the show was just mind blowing... recorded the entire on my handycam..

then moved to tramride.. the actual safari... the experience was too gud.. saw so many animals in their natural habitat... and yeh i saw... LIONS and TIGERS !!!! (unlike Chilla :P )

then v moved on to orchard street... the most talked abt street.. many of them had sumthing or the other abt it... especially SB and MS frm MD's office !!!.... and.. the place was amazingly decorated for the chirstmas season stuff .. the place has all big label showrooms.. and the most amzing and expensive stuff can b seen here... there also is hardrock cafe here !! (quite a few of u wil b smiling on this)

and... bck home by 1.30am.. as public transport shuts off by 11.30ish... the journey bck home was by cab..

Day 6 : (10/12)

I bid adieu to my frnds.. as they left at 7ish in morning... a bit of cleanin up and.. again the customary breakfast.. packed bags.. and left for jurong bird park.. but this time via public transport.. but 1st made my way to harbour frnt... there got tourist pass for 2 dayz... these passes r of S$8 for 1 day... and can b used in bus, MRT, LRT... the odd thing is.. u get these passes not at all stn's... only 7 prime locations.. vth diff timings... but i finally got 1... 2 day pass.. + 10$ deposit... 26$.. and move to jurong.. again 1 change and a bus ride.. and i reach... by 11ish...

most of u knw.. my fear of birds.. and... i was shivering vn i entered.. litterally ducking even if a fly went by.. lol.. yeh... slowly gathered courage to visit various parts of the park...

1st 1.. being birds of the dark... basically owl's and stuff... there were enclosed in glass chambers... and the atmosphere was quite dark... very low lighting.. the owls were making noises and... flying.. too and fro.. and very near the glass wall... i was frieghtened.. cudnt complete.. literally ran out.. lol.. lol..

then.. moved on vth safety.. keeping safe distances frm brids.. even though.. they were caged... but.. the birds were amazing.. the variety was gr8... and for bird lovers.. it wud sure b a treat...

saw 4 showz... and.. in these shows... the birds r made to fly rite over the heads of audiences... a nitemare for me... and i lived on to write this blog.. lol... but yeh... saw talkin parrots.. painter parrots.. etc etc.. the best show was the eagle/hawk show.. again.. these birds were flyin rite over our heads... but.. the shows were completely amazing.. u can never see these birds so close to u.. quite brillant..

only bad part of the day thus far... my memory card... gave and error rite at the end othe bird park trip.. almost 150 odd pics.. r gone... and a few vth evidence tht i was there.. as few might not believe.. i was in bird park for 6 hrs !!!!! :( .. but yeh.. quite a few amzaing pics gone... on top of tht... handycam battery acted up and.. cudnt shoot any of the showz... :( ...

by 5ish.. i made my way out.. here too.. didnt get any veg food :( ... did a bit souvineer shopping... and headed to City Hall...

This is THE PLACE of singapore.. the husttling business district... big tall buildings.... and an engineering marvel - SINGAPORE FLYER ... its tallest faris wheel and observatory cabin in the world

frm the City Hall MRT.. had a nice walk for abt 20-25mins to the singapore flyer... amist big buildings vth all the big names of the world having their office here...

it took 30mins to complete 1 rotation.. and my timing was perfect to reach there... around 6.30 ish.. as i saw the skyline change frm natural light to... aritifical... v were 6 in the cabin.. a young singaporean couple vth their UK frnd.. and a senior citizen couple frm australia... i wasted no timing makin convesation vth the natives.. and the showed me most amzing sites...

I saw malaysia, indonesia, ... and.. and... and.... THE SINGAPORE F1 track !!!!!!!!!!!.. wow... i didnt realize it tht track went exactly below the flyer vth pit area and strt finish strt below it.... latter vn i got out of the flyer... touch the tarmac vth my plams.. got an amazing high doing tht !!!.. wow !!.. tht was some feeling...

the skyline frm the flyer was also unique...


then i made my way bck home.. not had meals since morning.. got down at Little India... and.. jst u move out of the MRT stn.. the smell is very familiar... yeh... then.. u enter the street.. u r in india... yeh... completely... not for a minute i felt i was in singapore then... vth... sounth indian aorund... their flower shops.. and... their film music.. poster of rajni.. yeh.. typical southern town... entered an udipi.. had idli and rice place.. wow.. nice food.. complete satisfaction.. keep walkin on... saw a barber shop... strt laffing.. y... all the posters for hairstyles.. were of.. Rajnikaant.. lol !!!.. amazing.. truely.. Little India in singapore...

made my way bck home.. by 11.. jst b4 the last train service...

Day 7 : (11/12)

Last day in singapore... strt vth packing stuff... as had a early mornin flight next day... then bck to customary breakfast but.. enuff of maggi... only cheese sandwich... then called.. a SIMSR senior frm the phone booth.. and fixed time and place to meet him..

then.. made my way to Mustafa center.. needed to buy stuff like chocolates and souvieerns.. did tht... bought loads of it.. also got the much needed currency ;) .. the load was too heavy... so.. vnt bck home.. to keep it...

vn i left home in morning.. it was very hot!!.. also vn i left mustafa.. was hot.. but.. at punggol it was raining heavily... now.. i got to knw... tht typical singapore weather... so on the final day.. got taste of it as well..

got bck.. sumhow packed everythin in bag... and left vth still it drizzling.. 1st to china town.. typical.. all chineese ppl around.. and cheap stuff available there.. picked up sumtin frm a shop named "3 for 10$".. i guess.. u all got the message ;)

then went to raffles place... to meet the senior... Raffles place.. is close to city hall and of same pedigree... a financial hub.. u come out of MRT and.. u knw.. u r in a financial hub...


met him... for the 1st time... he took me around the place.. v made our way.. first to Merlion... the original 1.. vth water comin out of mouth.. the 1 at santosa is made later on...



then.. walked around in the area saw the famous hotel the fullton hotel... its same like the TAJ of india... on our way.. noticed ERP sigh.. vth some amount written on it... on investigation.. got to knw.. tht.. there is no toll system, like in india, in singapore. but.. all cars hav an unit attached to it... and on passing various roads.. the tax is automatically registered in tht.. and end of month u pay wot ever come in tht unit... tht quite hasstle free.. amazing to knw....



then.. walkin along.. v made our way to Boat Quay... its a bay area.. and fine dining restuarants all laid out rite on the edge of the bay... my 1st meal of the day again.. dinner at 7.30... now a indian restuarant called kinnara... again.. completely amazing.. vth the senior.. whu was a gr8 host for the evening.. had a gr8 time vth him...



aft tht.. made my way bck home... my final ride in the public transport... :)

Day 8 : (12/12)

The day strted at 3am got ready.. packed.. and left home by 3.45... saw a cab rite below the building... asked him... but he said he was waitin for a pickup at 4.30am.. so i made my way to the main road struggling vth 3 bags... the guy... sumhow felt sorry.. and honked.. and asked me to quickly hop in.... he will leave to the airport and come bck.. as airport is jst 20mins away..

i said.. wow.. wot ppl... the fare came out as 19.20 .. the guy took only 19.. and refused to take 20cent.. quite contrary to cab drivers in india.. i insisted on takin it.. and gave a bit extra to him.. i was totally floored by this cab driver... singapore waved a gr8 gud bye to me...

Changi Airport is one of the best airports in the world... and.. i dnt disagree to tht 1 bit.. u hav internet cafe's... family area's.. sleeping zones... thts normal.. but... shoppin at changi is amaizng... also... the plantations inside the airport.. wow.. w/o natural light.. how did they manage.. i dnt knw...



wow.. this 1 was amazing.. a renault F1 car @ the airport.. didnt waste anytime in clickin a few pics.. and asked sum1 to take mine vth it ;)



all in all... a gr8 trip... amazing city.. uniquely singapore !!!