Our last day in Singapore

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Geo: 1.3, 103.85

It's now 5 days since my (for want of a better word illness) and I'm still no better and feeling weaker as each day passes and certainly I'm not looking forward to the 12hr or so flight home.

Jacob was upset this morning as there were no pancakes at the buffet today, so he settled for cereals, and fresh fruit followed by pastries all washed down with fruit juice and coffee, the rest of us had a wonderful breakfast again with lashings of fresh fruit.

After breakfast Shell took the kids to the pool whilst Linda completed the last packing of the cases and it was off to the pharmacy for me. When I get there, it was more like a
pharmaceutical warehouse than a store, after 5 mins I had to give up and get assistance, chose my medication paid £17 and went back to the hotel.

When we checked out we were pleased to be given a pass key for the 6th floor giving us free access to the gym suite and showers so we could freshen up before our evening flight back home. We dropped off all the luggage with the concierge and confirmed our private transfer to the airport this evening.

Caught the metro to Clark's Quay had a wonderful stroll along Singapore river, took a bumboat trip along the river taking in all the sights, the kids loved to see the figure of Merlion spouting a cascade of water out of his mouth. After which Linda and Shell opted to go to the shopping centre to cool off they said, yeah like I believed that, having cooled down we stopped for lunch at riverside restaurant, not that I had much and Linda & Shell finished off with cocktails. On the way back to the metro we stopped at an ice cream parlour we'd seen as Jacob wanted to try a Durian flavoured ice cream but then decided on coffee one instead so Shell ordered a Durian flavoured one but it wasn't very nice so had a coffee one as well. All in all it's been a lovely and relaxed day and end to our holiday.

Arriving back at the hotel we made our way up to the 6th floor with our change of clothes for the flight home Linda & Shell took the kids to the shower with them and I went and had mine, the showers were great nice and clean with plenty of hot water, having towelled off and changed I went outside and was met with workmen and staff all crowded around the entrance to the women's showers I asked one of the staff what was going on to be told that one of the guests had had an accident inside! Fearing the worst I told her my family were inside and she went in to get the manager who had been called in, at which point Linda came out.

When they all went in their showers were not as clean as the gents with water everywhere, soap all over the counter-tops and basins and generally not in the condition you'd expect. Linda went to shower Jacob when she heard an almighty crash and came out to see the remains of the shattered soap dispenser all over the floor. (the soap dispensers in both the shower rooms were enormous, as large if not slightly larger than a football) With that a couple of workmen who were painting outside came in having heard the crash and were concerned someone may be hurt, they then called down to reception and all hell broke loose. The manageress and her entourage went in by which time Shell had cleared the floor (cutting herself in the process) as best she could as she was worried for the kids. With little sympathy the accused Shell of damaging the dispenser and that she'd have to pay for it, despite Linda and Shell's protest that it was an accident caused by the messy state of the room the manageress was having none of it, she'd already rang down to housekeeping and ascertained that the dispenser cost $300 just under £200 but she would reduce the price to $150, Not a chance in hell I said they're a family they weren't playing around it was clearly an accident attributable mainly to the poor state of cleanliness, when Shell pressed the pump at the top to dispense the soap either because of the slippery pump top or the counter-top it was on the whole thing slid off, fell to the floor and smashed to smithereens.

I told the manageress she needed to rethink her position as there was no way I was paying for the damage and that I'd come downstairs with her whilst the family finished off getting changed. When we sat down the manageress told me housekeeping had confirmed that in the eight or so years they'd used these dispensers none had ever been broken, I said that's irrelevant as the only reason it broke this time was due to the poor cleanliness of the shower room, she countered by offering to reduce the price further to $150 I told her that sum was immaterial as it wasn't new and if anything her starting figure should be $75 reduced by more than half as we would dispute the damage was caused by carelessness, but may accept a reasonable charge based upon accidental damage, providing they accepted it was without prejudice on our part. After a bit of back and forth we settled on $30 and the receipt clearly stated for accidental damage without prejudice.

You may ask why I agreed to pay when in truth it wasn't our fault, simple we were in a foreign country, had a plane to catch, and hadn't got time for the police to become involved with all the potential delays and costs that would entail. Sometime you have to take stock and pick your battles wisely.

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Photos

Cooling Off
A brilliant piece of work by Chong Fah Cheong (born 1946), this sculpture depicts scenes of early days of Singapore. Singapore River was once the lifeline of our country in the past, when the first migrant communities settled around here. It was not an uncommon sight to see naked boys swinging from trees beside the river and jumping into the water with gusto.
The boys learned how to avoid the muddy depths and the dangers of bumboats crossing the river, and had no fear of the polluted waters that were sometimes filled with garbage. When the Clean Rivers project was launched in 1983, families, hawkers and bumboats were removed from this area, and the innocent laughter of the swimming boys were heard no more.

Cooling Off

Marina Bay Sands Resort
Built on top of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel in Singapore,is the amazing sky park it sit on top of the 3 buildings, at the height of 200 meters. And a magnificent infinity pool from where you can chill and enjoy the views

Singapore Flyer, and the Art Science Museum
Singapore Flyer, Double helix bridge and the Art Science Museum