Singapore Flyer

Had a really good sleep last night. It was all too exciting in Little India in the evening in the surroundings of the hotel to go straight to bed, so I had a little 'explore'. By the time it was 9pm Singapore time (1am Kiwi time) I was well ready for bed, and was soon slumbering soundly. Typical of my jetlag history, I woke at 2.30am, my usual bedtime back at home. But I was really pleased to find that I was able to doze off again- something that often eludes me when jetlagged, and woke just in time to watch the sun rising over all the buildings outside my 14th floor room. There is a Hindu temple right below me. Stunning view I have.

The weather was fine when I woke so I worked out which of the free entry tickets I had that I might use. Choices choices. I was able to use the SIA stopover bus for free too, but my hotel being right near the end of its first circuit it was going to be 11am nearly before I could get anywhere. So I took a few back streets to the Little India MRT and was pleased to find I could still work out how to find my way places on an underground system: I'll soon need that skill again on the Metro.

It had become very warm and humid, so I was sweating by the time I had walked the 300m or so from the MRT stop to the Singapore Flyer, my attraction of choice. But oh it was worth it. The capsules go around very slowly and it takes about half an hour or so, so you get plenty of time to look at things. I was in the capsule with two women from Russia and two men from Denmark, so feel I am truly entering the realm of the international traveller. The wheel doesn't 'stop' as such, but you step on while it keeps moving very slowly past.

The fascinating thing being up there was that you could see a thunderstorm developing very quickly. From just slight cloud at the start, the skies soon became very black and threatening. Sure enough, just as I was about to board the bus again, there was a huge clap of thunder, like a gunshot close by. Wham! So, some of my plans changed and I watched the rain coming down as I sat on the bus....

I got brave and decided to get off at Chinatown though, and brave a bit of wet. Of course it is so warm, you soon dry off. Will be a shock to hit the low morning temps when I reach Paris in the morning! Had a wander and lunch in Chinatown. Next stop was to see a little bit of the Botanical Gardens, then I wandered back through a different bit of Little India,

Am about to go check out the hotel swimming pool and hope it is good. Then a shower and a rest before going to the airport... All good!