So long (haul) Singapore

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I'm typing this from Copenhagen, but more about that later. Singapore still has some tales to tell. We planned a pretty low key day in preparation for our midnight flight and 12 hour mission. Couldn't resist another tilt at Toast Box and a bit more shopping. Deaks doubled up on the Milo with Milo Toast and a Milo Dinosaur and we adults hit the meal deals. Mine was an interesting combination of sweet kaya toast and hard boiled eggs but this combo seemed very popular. The girls was weirder still with soft boiled eggs - glad I dodged that one.

Once again spent the afternoon relaxing by the pool. Well every one but me did. I'd read you can get your GST/VAT refunded at the airport but you need to provide your passport to the vendor in order to get the refund processed. Sounded good to me! I traipsed back to the various shops with my passport in hand and gathered the necessary paperwork. It was an hour round trip in 38 degree heat with 99% humidity but that $14 was worth it! Paid for the donuts!

We sorted a late check out and arranged to hang out at Lisa's house until we were due at Changi. She was running about with kids soccer and tennis and would be home about 5. We grabbed a taxi at 5 and made our way to the expat part of town. Garlick St is off 6th avenue and the vibe is very diferrent to central singapore. Lisa says that all the ex-pats rent because the properrty prices are ridiculous. She quoted $35 million for the place she was in and that Chinese property moguls own them. It was a flash place with marble floors and a live in maid. Not that Lisa works. She is planning on doing a wine course! Weird set up if you ask me. Jenny, the maid, lives with them 24/7 and they pay her $600 per month!

Anyway that's not the best bit about our trip to Lisa's. It was great to catch up, the kids had fun in the pool, playing soccer and the wii, I got to ride Richard's bike to the wine shop and saw a very diferrent part of Singapore that the average stopover never affords, and I got to pay a lot for some French wine that really shouldn't be consumed in 38 degree heat.

The best bit was our "arrival". I wrote down 48 on the back of an envelope, in case my phone wouldn't work in the cab. The cabbie wasn't sure of the address so I typed it into his iphone to use his GPS. I typed 68 for some reason. Maybe it was 6th avenue in my mind. He new that road and Lisa was specific to tell him 6th avenue. I thought he was taking us for a ride (literaly) because he wasn't going the way I'd researched but he delivered us in the expected number of kms and on budget. He unloaded our bags and wished us well. I waved over the fence to the maid peering out of the window of #48, she opened the automatic gates and we dragged all our bags into the foyer. She told me her boss wasn't home, I said I thought Lisa wouldn't be long, she said Leslie was here. Leslie came out and introduced himself and he was an Asian teen. The maid offered us drinks and I patted the dog while awkwardly making small talk. It didn't feel right and I started to check my text message from Lisa while scanning the photos around the room. There was plenty of pictures of an Aisan family of 4 and none of a blonde kiwi, a pom and their two snow blonde boys. The penny dropped as I re-read the text - we were in #68 NOT #48! I apologised to the maid and Leslie and got Jules, Maggie and the kids out of there pronto. Apparently I'm now on 2 strikes. My cheif navigator days may be numbered...what a shame that would be!

Lateness of the flight was a test but the tiredness made Milla much easier to deal with as she was soon asleep.

Here we are in Copenhagen. Even the airport terminal has wood panelling and the freidnliest immigration officer I've ever met. This place feels nice!

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