14th October

Wow - what a full day.....

Got a text from Kylie to meet up for breakfast so we did that, but unfortunately she's working today so we didn't get to hang out.

Rebecca, Kerry and I had a really big day though...we started at Orchard Road, a shopping precinct - bought a small souvenir gift in one of the souvenir shops - but we seemed to be a little early for the rest of the shops - so we wandered up and down for a bit, taking in the sights.  They do seem to have all the BIG names here - but since that's so very much not my style, I wasn't interested in going in to any of them (seemed to be the same, since nobody made a move to go into any of the stores).

From there we went to a shopping centre and had a look around - didn't buy anything though, except a juice.

The day was stinking hot and horribly muggy.

We went on to Raffles Hotel (short history: http://www.raffles.com/singapore/history/history/)

We did not have a Singapore Sling there though - it seemed we couldn't get in without actually staying there - but there were also 4 weddings on, so maybe on other days we would have more luck.  I did manage to find a thimble for my collection in the shop though.  In my LIFE I have never paid so much for a thimble. I prevaricated a great deal, but thought in the end that I would regret not buying it more, than the rip-off price. I believe it has now taken over as the most expense thimble in my collection - outstripping the one from the Queen Mary II that Kylie bought me. (but I need to check to verify).

After looking around what we could of Raffles Hotel, we went across the road for lunch - simple chicken crepe - very nice.  Had a lovely chat with our German waiter.  So now I am starting to believe that I DO speak German without an accent.  Okay - so I've been told it before - but always from friends and family - so, all due respect, they are a little biased.  Plus they are used to my German - who was to say I really did have an accent, but they just didn't really hear it anymore...  I think young Marco hadn't spoken his mother-tongue in a while because he was quite the chatty-kathy.  I'm always happy for the practice, but it did feel somewhat rude to be excluding Rebecca from our conversation - so I was ducking in and out of it and translating for her....

Afterwards we went to Gardens by the Bay where we explored the Flower Dome and the Cloud Dome, which were really interesting. We tried to go to the Marina Bay to have a drink at the bar on the top of this amazing structure - but we got there at 5 and the bar/restaurant didn't open until 6pm (plus there was a dress code that we thought out t-shirts and shorts probably did not quite meet).  We will come back during the week.

By this time our feet were killing us and we were ready to call it a day.  After a quick dip in the pool to cool down we had a little down time before meeting back up for dinner....and more Singapore Slings... think I will sleep pretty well again tonight :)  Kylie had joined us by this time and was trying to convince me to have a third - but I think I would not have been able to walk if I'd had another!