An uneventful seven hour flight with all the films, music and entertainment one could want. That took up the first two hours or so; another hour for meals left just four very dreary hours in which to contemplate our own mortality!
The arrival at Changi Airport, Singapore, was as smooth and well organised as ever. We discovered that the benchmark for getting baggage from the plane to the carousel is twelve minutes. Beats hell out of just about anywhere else; including Hobart and particularly London Heathrow. Fifteen dollars for the taxi to our hotel, The Phoenix, on Orchard Road where we checked in and had a restful night's sleep.
Up early this morning for (I'm quoting Ginnie here) the big shopping day. Did Orchard Road first but I was canny: the shops don't open until 10.30! However she won in the long run and took us in a taxi straight out to Raffles where the prices are significantly higher than in Orchard Road. Two Singapore Slings in the Long Bar set my pension back by two full weeks and a bit but she promised to take me for lunch. We toasted Jane (after all it is Friday afternoon) and more importantly drank a toast in memory of my dear friend, Louise Goldhagen. Since I was unable to attend her memorial service today, I had promised Phil, her husband, that we would toast her with a Singapore Sling in the Long Bar at Raffles.
Fantastic Lunch - we went to the Seah Street Deli in the Raffles complex. Ginnie shouted me to a great New York style meal (which she then charged to my American Express Card). Served me right, I suppose. Besides, it seems a bit weird coming to Singapore for a great New York deli style lunch. Anyway, the alcohol knocked us out for the afternoon but by 5.00 we were ready for another round of fun and so started a really interesting evening in the company of Sam Wong (father of Ken, one of our Jane students).
Sam met us at our hotel and we then went for dinner at a very interesting, non-tourist, Japanese restaurant. Sam is the principal of Kranji Primary School (1,500+ students aged 7 to 12 years). He is doing some really interesting things within the framework of the Singapore curriculum and nothing shows it more than his success with his students both on their exams and in their personal and sporting achievements. A very inspirational man, and one we look forward to seeing again in Hobart or Singapore.
Tomorrow Sam and I are going on a photographic walk. He is a keen photographer and has promised to show me some of his favourite sites. We are going to the Marina which is about to be redeveloped in a really big way. It is quite controversial including as it will two casinos.
The weather is typical Singapore; hot and humid. Even Sam commented on it!
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