Singapore

So many new things.   Yesterday, after an afternoon nap, we went to Sentosa island - by monorail.   Never been on a monorail before.

Sentosa Island - very touristy place where you can spend lots of money although there are free pleasures too - like dabbling your feet in the warm sea.   Warmer than Durban but remember, we are on the equator.   the atosphere is like a sauna.   Yay for airconditioning- in monorails, trains and, most importantly, our accomodation.



The beach we walked on




Christmas is everywhere.   Christmas music is playing constantly.   I don't think there is the slightest idea of what it is about





Merlion.   People get to walk around in the mouth

 When we woke up this morning, we switched on the light to see the time.   11.45!   We had wasted half the morning sleeping.   Must be one of the effects of jet lag.   So it was about 2.30 before we found our way (with some difficulty and I'm sure some help from the Lord) to our hop on hop off bus.



Drinking water in the bonsai gardens




Little india was beautifully decorated for Deepavali




Singapore skyline from the bus




Christianity is also represented




Strange looking constructions




Hindu temple near our accomodation

Tomorrow we are setting both our alarms for 5 so we can get to the airport in time.   We do not, under any circumstances, want to oversleep.!!!!!

Off to Singapore

It was not an auspicious start.   On Monday night Brian's left ear suddenly "popped" and something had changed.   Most noticably, when he put in his hearing aid, instead of hearing a jingle, he just heard a buzzing.   No time to contact an audiologist and investigate.  
Then yesterday when we got dressed,  the button of his brand new, just been bought denims came detached from its backing piece.   So there I was waiting outside Mr Price in Cresta for it to open, an hour before Chris was due to take us to the Gautrain bus stop.   Needless to say, we left late with Brian stressed.

However we had allowed buffer time and we had luck with both the bus and the Gautrain and got to the airport in good time.   The flight was good and uneventful (best kind) and the lunch yesteday was excellent.   Breakfast this morning, however was served to our section of the plane last and our preferred breakfast of scrambled egg and sausage ran out so we had to have fried rice and seafood or nothing.   I left the prawns and although the rice was tasty, it was not the best way to start the day.

Changi Airport is stunning and has such a relaxed, open and airy aspect.   We got here at 6.30ish this morning (feeling like 11.30pm last night) and spent some time going through baggage, immigration, customs.    although people did look at me strangly.My little fold up 3 legged stool came in very handy for waing in long queues.



The plane from the disembarking tunnel

 Now we are resting in a tiny little cubicle at 5Footway Inn in Chinatown which has clean sheets, internet and, most importantly, air conditioning. 



Statue in the large arrivals hall



A. prayer for our overseas trip

Tomorrow we fly.   Lord reign in me.   Holy Spirit, please conform me more and more to Jesus.
Lord, please give me:
Love in all my interactions with people.
Wisdom  in all practical things.
Peace in my inner life.
Trust in you in everything.
Power to have enough energy, especially to cope with jet lag.
Joy to appreciate every moment - to wonder at your creation, to revel in an adventure shared with the wonderful husband you have given me.
Self control  as I try to eat healthily and to zip my lip when necessary.
Kindness and consideration at all times.
Integrity  of heart in all my dealings and thoughts.

Waiting

Only 6 more days then we are heading off to New Zealand via Singapore.   I'm hoping to keep this blog as a journal.

We will be away for two months - never been away from home this long before.   We are trying to plan and think of all eventualities.   I have heard when going on an overseas journey you should take half the number of clothes you think you are going to need and twice as much money.   I think I have been very consrvative in my clothes packing:  wearing denims and hiking boots and carrying all weather jacket, taking 2 three quarter pants, two pairs of shorts, two dresses, 8 tops including one long sleeved, a light jersey to match the dresses, a pair of slops and smarter sandles and the jacket's inner fleece.   Then, of course, pyjamas, underwear and swimming stuff. I look forward to revisiting this list in two months time and seeing where I was wise and where I was foolish.

We have organised a motorhome swop with a couple who live in the Netherlands but bought a motorhome in New Zealand and keep it stored there so much of our holiday will be like a motorhome holiday.   Of course, the reason we are going so far away from home is that our eldest son, David, his wife, Gayle and new baby Nathan live there.   This might be the only time we can afford to go - we're using money from my husband's pension payout so we are trying to make it worthwhile by spending two months and getting to see what everybody assures me is a a beautiful country.

Two weeks today we will be in Singapore, spending two nights there to try to do the jet lag in two stages.  I am not looking forward to the jet lag.   We leave at 1pm and arrive in Singapore at what our bodies think is midnight, but is actually 7am in the morning.   My plan is to try to sleep as much as possible on the plane but my sleep does not come to order although it is true I can fall asleep more easily in the afternoon than at night.   Here's hoping.