On arrival at Singapore Airport, we were greeted by the cutest baby you have ever seen (we may be a bit biased - but she is gorgeous). Gill finally got to meet her niece Chloe face to face. We were staying with Jenny and Simon whilst were waiting for our Vietnamese visas to be processed. Our first stop was back to their appartment and then off to the pub to catch up with Simon (who was in dire need of Gill's physio services as he had slipped a disc!!!). The next day all the girls went shopping on Orchard Road - [View Full Entry]

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I went to Changi prison museum and chapel today before going to the airport. The tour that I had was very touching, thought-provoking and of course, saddening. I'd read a lot of Changi, such as The Diary of A Girl in Changi, and other books from Australian men held there. Awful stories of 10,000 Aussie guys in a prison area built for 1,000. I'm getting more and more of a rounded view on the war, now having been to Hiroshima twice, Okinawa, the Battle Box and Changi Prison here, Nanjing (Nanking), the Australian War Memorial and other small sites and memorials [View Full Entry]

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I'm at Changi airport writing this. Leaving Singapore I thought it was a good time to go back and mention a few of the cool, funny and last things I've noticed and not written about yet. First of all, Dengue Fever There are big posters everywhere. Like at bus stops and inside train stations. They say "Stop it now Before it kills." "Get rid of stagnant water around your home or workplace." Buses I usually find catching buses in foreign places the most scary thing. I don't know why. Catching buses in Singapore isn't ve [View Full Entry]

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I had planned for a ten-hour lay-over in Singapore on my way to Capetown from Taipei. It was my second time in Singapore, having been there once in 1999, though it was with a tour group. First off, I hate tour groups. They control your time, and you always have to wait for the slowest in the group to get ready. And the Chinese ones at least, they always take you to eat at the Chinese restaurant no matter what country you’re in. I think I could get a more cultural experience from watching a foreign film than by traveling with [View Full Entry]

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I had a lovely time at the Botanic Gardens today. It is a large and very beautiful area, with a large variety though at least half the people DO come for the orchids. ORCHIDS The orchids ARE beautiful, ... and hopefully you can get some of an idea from the photos I've included here. The orchid - the Vanda, to be precise - is the national flower of Singapore. A hybrid of the Vanda hookeriana and Vanda teres. Some of the famous orchids can be found in the VIP Orchid Garden, where hybrid orchids, made here in Singapore, were given names [View Full Entry]

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Over my time away, I've been to a lot of museums. So I thought I'd tell you a bit about each one. They are all really fantastic. And I couldn't pick a favourite. THERE'S A LOT IN THIS ENTRY, AS I'VE GONE AND PUT ALL MY MUSEUM STUFF TOGETHER, NOT ON THE SEPARATE DAYS I'VE GONE. I WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED IF YOU DON'T READ ALL THIS IN ONE SITTING. BUT I WOULD BE DISAPPOINTED IF YOU DON'T GET THROUGH IT ALL EVENTUALLY... (IT IS ALL FASCINATING STUFF!! AND ALL PLACES YOU SHOULD GO IF YOU COME HERE)..... CHECK IT OUT WHEN [View Full Entry]

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I love parties! I love it that I can use it as one of my many justifications to break my diet, binging on wine, vodka, cheese, greasy onion rings and sugar-loaded pastries, without ever thinking about calories. (Because I tend to put weight easily) I also love hosting parties - organizing it, putting out invites, cooking and just chatting with guests. This may be because I grew up in a family who are sooooo into parties. In Tondo, Manila during the fiesta in honor of the Santo Nino (the Infant Jesus) - which is held mid-January, my parents, my aunts [View Full Entry]

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Hi everyone, just thought I'd kind of actually say hello. thanks to all those people reading and making comments and everything still. its good to read. i've made it safely back to Singapore and feel much better now. i was actually sick yesterday, just from the smoke and everything i think, but all the way on the train and into last night i had a headache, fever and felt like crap. luckily that didn't stop me getting through customs. it reminded me of when i was in china during sars, so i made sure i looked bright and chirpy for a [View Full Entry]

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Life's a cycle. One thing must end in order to begin something new and hopefully, better. I know that and I think most people do. The thing is, sometimes, I forget that this is how life works, which is why sometimes I tend to hold on and resist change. Farewells, to me, are always sad affairs. It was always difficult for me to say goodbye to anyone I love. But I had to tell myself, time and again, that this is a cycle. Someone will have to leave in order for a new person to come into my life. Or [View Full Entry]

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I'm leaving for Chiang Mai on Tuesday to join a backpackers group for a three week sojourn in Laos. To my friends and colleagues who are reading this blog: I may not be able to update this blog in the next few weeks. But I'll sure post new stories and pics once I'm in Bangkok (late-Aug). [View Full Entry]

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