Although we had the alarm set for 6:30am, the ship was virtually alongside the wharf anyway. The usual steamy, humid atmosphere of Singapore, where it is generally about 30-33 degrees regardless and fogs up the camera lenses until the equipment has warmed up. After a quick look at the wharf from deck 12, we headed up to the buffet to feed up for the day and watched with long faces as the drizzly rain just got heavier and heavier.
An easy disembarkation (first time through) where you have to take your passport and a landing card and we just wandered off about 10am. At this time in Singapore, many shops in the various malls are not open until 11am.
We paid $3 each for a Monorail ticket to Sentosa Island, just two minutes away, then hopped off at the first stop – Universal Studios. We bought our tickets on line a couple of weeks ago at the senior’s rate of $36 each. By the time we hopped off the monorail, it was raining quite hard but we entered the park anyway. LA this is not, but that is more due to size than anything. The first (water) ride “Madagascar”, isn’t in LA but looked suitably tame – but it wasn’t operating... Shrek in 4D we have experienced already and next stop was to find shelter from the rain which was absolutely tipping down. After about 45 minutes, we called it a day and headed back to the ship for a change to dry clothes as we were soaked. The bargain “2 for $50” Princess foldaway anoraks are no more than shower-proof.
By this time – about midday, we thought a bite to eat on the ship would be ideal but bumped into Ros and Arnold who were sitting outside Starbucks, so we joined them for a (pricey) coffee and lo and behold, Tina & Trevor also joined us.
By the time we got back to the immigration checkpoint, the queue of people waiting to get off the adjacent ship and into Singapore was well over an hour long, so we took our time having a bite to eat and opted to go back out again to look for shoes. Paula managed 3 pairs at $12.90 each so was well pleased, whilst I acquired a yellow printed T-shirt, which will no doubt appear in someone’s photos at some stage – maybe even mine.
A bit of a queue to get back on, surrendering our passports to the ship’s staff.
The sailaway was almost dry and Garry filmed the whole thing from one spot, using his new wide angle lens. (He was cursing the fact he hadn’t bought it when he took the cable car that went straight over the ship, just an hour or two earlier.) His intention being to speed it up for the video production.
We then went to a 45 minute piano recital by the ship’s orchestra leader, Tim Barton, on Ragtime, Boogie-Woogie, Gospel and jazz piano generally. An extremely informative recital and exquisite piano playing. As part of the recital, Tim claimed that in all honesty, playing ragtime properly was every bit as difficult as Chopin for example. I videoed the concert for free, so felt obliged to buy his CD for $20.
After our usual enjoyable dinner where Casanova Arnold acquired the new nickname of “Big Mack” (don’t ask) we went to the so called comedian, Kenny Bennett, billed as “Master of Mirth, Australia’s Favourite Funnyman”. Based on the other acts we have seen so far, he would not be anywhere near the top of my list, Australian or otherwise. Even the Neil Diamond impersonator was far funnier – and he was billed as s singer.
So ended a day in our first non-Australian port. Tomorrow, Port Kelang (Kuala Lumpur) for a City Coach Tour.
Message to Murray W, Dave & Marilyn T. FREE soft serve ice cream on deck 12. Does that tempt you?
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