Trusha Ganesh
Rishi Valley, AP
Oh my granolabar,” I mumbled, my lips letting out an involuntary whistle. Sleek sedans zipped by me as the pavement glistened in the early morning sunlight; sophisticated skyscrapers dotted an azure skyline; rows of perfectly manicured shrubs and bushes lined classy street dividers.
Now THIS was more like it!
I had emerged from the glitzy Changi airport just moments ago and was already overwhelmed by the sheer [for the want of a better word] flawlessness of Singapore. For me, a country bumpkin, buildings so tall that you wonder if they even have a top are not common sightings, so you can see why I was dazzled by the place.
I’d barely touched down half an hour ago, but was already assuring myself that this was going to be the best two weeks of my entire life. I mean, I could picture myself.
“Trusha! Your suitcase!” My Dad cried, snapping me out of my reverie.
Momentarily confused, I spun around, only to behold my carefully-packed holdall pick up pace as it rolled farther and farther away from me and closer and closer to the oncoming traffic. I yelped before bolting over to rescue my portmanteau from the clutches of suitcase-death, making it in the nick of time, seconds before it would have tumbled onto the slick roads I was admiring seconds ago, and be run over by the wheels of the fancy cars I was lusting over not minutes ago.
Sheepishly, I trotted back to my [now fuming] father and my little sister, Trikaya, firmly gripping the handle of my travel bag. “Not a great start,” Trikaya muttered under her breath and I bit my tongue to stop myself from adding a “you can say that again!” Fortunately, though, the holiday only went uphill from there.
During the course of our eleven-day trip, the three of us were to stay at the cozy apartment of our internet friends, David and Yvonne, a lovely couple we’d met through Home Exchange, a travel website. That meant that not only did we get to have a more “authentic Singaporean experience,” we were also lucky enough to be able to cat-sit David and Yvonne’s two felines, Zen and Angel, which was a major source of excitement for us animal lovers.
Apart from the comfy nights we spent snuggled between the satiny comforters of our ‘Singaporean condo’, Dad, Trikaya and I spent most of our time outdoors, soaking in the relatively-modern culture of a land so different from ours.
Of course, we did a bunch of regular, “touristy” things like shoot photos in front of the magnificent Merlion and have a blast at the truly enchanting Universal Studios in Sentosa. That’s not to say that we didn’t have our fair share of casual outings, though, like exploring the streets and alleys of Kovan [our district] at twilight and catching up with a couple of Dad’s friends over crackling dosas in the bustling Little India [another district]. It was a perfect blend.
The Singapore Flyer, an enormous Ferris wheel in the heart of the city, is a must-try for it provides an unparalleled bird’s eye view of Singapore in all its glory.
The Gardens by the Bay [a hop, skip and jump from the Flyer] is arguably Singapore’s key attraction, with its elegant OBC skywalk and its twin domes, each housing a vibrant variety of natural vegetation that’s so beautiful, you spend your first fifteen minutes there in a daze, wondering whether you’ve fallen off into one of your day-dreaming trances, until the centrally locate waterfall sprays you with a cool sprinkle of water and you realise that this place is real. It actually exists [a shocking “but in a very good way- realisation, indeed].
Another attraction that is worth the while is the Marina Bay, a gorgeous strip of sparkling, high-rise towers and eateries, overlooking a glittery, snaking river. The food is fabulous, the view is phenomenal, the atmosphere is buzzing... What more could you ask for, really?
The diverse Singapore Zoo, the thrilling Night Safari, the fascinating River Safari and the famed Jurong Bird Park are all part of a chain of wildlife sanctuaries open to the public, made to raise awareness about endangered animals, and are guaranteed to entertain with their jaw-dropping animal shows and displays.
The Singapore Museum was recently renovated for SG50, [Singapore’s 50th birthday] and visiting it was definitely one of the main highlights of my trip. Not only did it teach me so, so much about this little red dot’s past, it was all done in such an engaging way, using music and art and LED exhibits, that you found yourself wanting to wander its hallways forever, shuffling from one chamber to another.
And, of course, there was the MRT or the mono-rail train, that made travelling from one place to another so efficient. Being strangers in a strange land, the three of us wanted to get out and explore as much as we could, but had no idea how to start and so the MRT proved to be a huge blessing. Public transport has never been so easy, I can assure you!
Alas, all good things must come to an end and so did this holiday, but I wasn’t complaining. We’d had the best time of our lives [as I’d predicted “not to boast, or anything], discovered so many new things and besides, there’s always next year...
