Since seeing the love of my life, Anthony Bourdain, head to Singapore in an episode of No Reservations, I have been dying to visit this unique and bustling city.
As eating is one of my favorite hobbies of all time, and I love Asian cuisine, I thought Singapore could be my heaven, as it has a unique and delicious fushion cuisine of Malaysian, Chinese, Indian, Indonesian, and Western influences. In watching the episode, I drool over the Bak Chor Mee noodle dish with shrimp, fish balls, and pork (although I think I'll skip the Indian specialty Haji Kadir, a dish of bright red dyed meat and bone marrow).
http://www.travelchannel.com/TV_Shows/Anthony_Bourdain/Episodes_Travel_Guides/Episode_Singapore
I even purchased a travel guide on the small country so I could study up and start to plan my adventures there.
Then I received an email about the brand new Marina Bay Sands Resort, and considering how much I love to lounge and relax in a beautiful pool, and lay eyes on a great view of a new city... I think my Singapore visit just rose to the top on my priority list!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1289194/Marina-Bay-Sands-resort-opens-Singapore.html
What a resort! Now the most expensive resort ever built, it includes an indoor canal, opulent art, casino, outdoor plaza, convention centre, theatre, crystal pavilion and museum shaped like a lotus flower. I probably won't visit any of the other ammenities, maybe the casino, but I can already picture myself lounging in the 55 story-high infinity pool, some exotic drink in hand:
At about $600 a night, it's some expensive lounging. But I think I'll start saving now. Surely I already have a couple hundred in change lying around my apartment.
Singapore, here I come! Who's coming with me?
A few weeks ago, my coworkers and I arrived at our regional airport to prepare for our flight back to Chicago. We were about an hour from takeoff as we strolled through security and collected our belongings. We were pondering the usual question, "Drinkie? Or no drinkie?", when we heard our names over the loudspeaker.
My immediate assumption was, "Uggghhhhhh....", that our flight had been cancelled. When we arrived at the gate to inquire, the attendant explained that there was a jet that had been parked at the airport since early that morning, waiting for a part. And now, the part had arrived and been replaced in the jet, and it was ready to head back to Chicago. She asked if we would like to board it, which would give us an earlier arrival in our home city.
Of course!
We boarded, making fun of each other as always, and our mouths dropped upon passing through the door. The plane was not a regional jet - it was your normal, two seats on each side, two or more bathrooms, first class, jet! Since there were only nine of us, and nine seats in first class.... We chose the more plush seating with great views of the cockpit!
The flight attendants explained that they had been stuck at the airport all day, and as they presented us with margaritas (which were quite good) and bags of trail mix, we laughed at their stories and understood their desire to head home. We learned a great deal about the attendants, what their life is like, as they relaxed and chatted with the nine of us in first class. I felt relaxed and happy after my three margaritas, amazed at my good luck after three years of flying on such tiny, cramped little planes.
Thank you travel gods for one relaxing, enjoyable flight!
