Day 1 – Friday 11th September.

James and I departed Sydney, Australia mid morning to Singapore for 2 nights. The flight to Singapore was 8 hours and 25 minutes, it always feels quite quick to me as you can watch a few movies then sleep right through the flight. Flights to Singapore from Australia tends to encounter strong turbulence however this journey was much smoother.

We arrived into Singapore at 4.45pm and caught a 20 minute taxi ride to The Marina Bay Sands Hotel. The taxi cost approximately $27.00SGD. When we checked into our Grand Club Room with city view we were amazed by the view however the city was engulfed in smoke coming from Sumatra’s back burning. Such a disappointment as it made the city not look as vibrant as I know it to be. The hotel was booked out in February and the only availability remaining was the Grand Club room with access to Club 55 Lounge for breakfast and canapes and all day beverages. This is a hotel in demand.

https://www.marinabaysands.com/hotel/rooms-suites/grand-club-room.html#2Lf0bwOFS38ULXlF.97

Before heading over to Club 55 Lounge on Level 55 for our complimentary 5pm – 7pm canapes and drinks we went to check out the infinity pool. The infinity pool is huge with a fabulous view of Singapore, only accessible to guest. The pool is open from 6am til 11pm. The hotel has 3 towers, we were staying in Tower 2 the same tower as Club 55 Lounge.

It was close to 6pm by the time we arrived at Club 55 Lounge, the canapes and drinks were fantastic definitely worth paying a few extra dollars for the privileges. The view was spectacular across Gardens by the Bay and seeing all the cargo ships in Singapore Strait.

After quite a bit of overindulging in an hour and a few drinks, we caught a taxi to Orchard Road and can you believe it for shopping haha. I love Singapore for it’s buzzing city, shops and diversity. Even though time was not on our side that evening I managed to stocked up on a lot of my make up which is a tad cheaper in Singapore. Shops open til 10pm daily however Sunday is an hour earlier but it is best to check times online in case of changes.

There are quite a few shopping centres in Singapore therefore I suggest you stay in Singapore longer than a stopover so that you can enjoy the city as well. This stopover was one of many since 1998.

My preferred shopping complexes are:

• Ion Orchard – Designer stores plus Steve Madden shoe store, Crumpler, Mimco, Sketchers and the Sony.
• Far East Plaza – Great market place stores where you will find affordable unique items. If you are interested in tattoos be sure to stop by Johnny Two Thumbs, shop #4-15. I got a beautiful rose tattoo done from here in 2009 and still love it. I have shopped a storm in this complex on every trip.
• Nee Ann City / Takashimaya – Designer stores plus Zara and Mango.

http://sgtravelinfo.com/travel/shopping-singapore/shopping-guide/

The smoke surrounding Singapore was unbearable especially for me due to allergies so it was nice to use the underpasses to go from one shopping centre to another rather than crossing at the traffic lights.

After 10pm, we had the munchies and ended up at a local nearby restaurant. It was packed with majority locals. The food was delicious unfortunately I don’t remember the name of the restaurant.

Once back at the hotel I could not wait to fall asleep but somehow James managed to persuade me to explore Gardens by the Bay at 11.30pm! Gardens by the Bay is so pretty at night and definitely worth visiting. Please click on the link to explore Gardens by the Bay.

http://www.gardensbythebay.com.sg/en/plan-your-visit/gardens-map.html

Day 2- Saturday 12th September.

After breakfast, we went to the Sands Skypark Observation Deck access free for guests or $23SD per adult. The 360 degree view of the city, Marina Bay, Marina South Pier and Gardens by the Bay is great.

http://www.marinabaysands.com/sands-skypark/observation-deck.html

We then walked over to the Marina Bay Sands shopping centre, the shopping centre is huge and accessible through our hotel. We looked at a few shops including Louis Vuitton who is one of my favourite designers, the store is situated on the Singapore river. After spending probably way too long googling at Louis Vuitton handbags we walked to Merloin Park via the outdoor walkway from Marina Bay Sands shopping centre.  Along our walk we came across part of the Formula 1 track and we were able to walk-through it.

http://www.yoursingapore.com/see-do-singapore/recreation-leisure/viewpoints/merlion-park.html

After taking a few pictures at Merloin, we caught a taxi to Orchard Road for shopping. There are so many amazing shopping centres in Singapore and not just on Orchard Road. The haze was worse today and the air was unbearable. My throat was irritated and I knew at this point I could quite possibly be coming down with a cold. Singapore was out of masks but thankfully I had Difflam throat lozenges from home.

In between shopping we stopped by the Marriott hotel for a bite to eat. The restaurant is international cuisine and seating outside. We enjoyed a chicken salad and chicken tenderloins with wine & beer. A simple meal can still be quite expensive especially at the Marriott hotel when you compare it to a local restaurant but you need to know where to go. We continued shopping for another 2 hours then caught a $8SD taxi back to the hotel so we could enjoy the infinity pool before 5pm canapes.

The infinity pool is amazing on the 57th floor. We relaxed on pool lounges in front of the pool and sipped on cocktails whilst inhaling haze eek. Was a great way to finish an afternoon after a big day of sightseeing and shopping.

At 5pm, we enjoyed canapes and drinks at Club 55 lounge with a window view of Singapore Strait. The host even spoilt us with strong vodkas haha. After 2 hours of over indulging on Sushi, cheese, cold meats, samosas, spring rolls, dumplings, rice and more there was no way we could possibly eat dinner so we slowly rolled back to our room to reset before Ce La Vie lounge/club on the rooftop. Ce La Vie is open from 12pm to 2am, a cover charge applies after 9pm. Ladies are free and men have to pay yet we were told guests are free so make sure you check that the Marina Bay Sands concierge has the correct information as the door person insisted James had to pay.  9pm was quite early and not that many patrons, it is best to enter perhaps after 10pm. We enjoyed a drink then headed back to our room for an early night.

http://www.marinabaysands.com/entertainment/nightlife/nightclubs/ce-la-vi-club-lounge.html

Day 3 – Sunday 13th September.

Our last day in hazy Singapore was spent sleeping in, hanging out at Level 57 infinity pool and spa and one last shopping venture on Orchard Road.

After a relaxing morning on the rooftop we checked out of our room at 2pm. Reception was kind enough to give us a 2pm late check out free of charge as our flight to Paris via Dubai was at 9.25pm.  We were very lucky as check out is 11am.

Last minute shopping on Orchard Road was good as I bought a few more nice things.

If we had more time we would have liked to have visited Singapore Zoo but the zoo appears to be something you really need a full day to experience and is 25mins drive away.

http://www.zoo.com.sg/

By 5.30pm we were back at the hotel, changed our clothes and refreshed for the long journey ahead. Our taxi to Changi airport arrived at 6.00pm, there was a fair bit of traffic at this time and the journey took a little longer than when we arrived but we still checked into Changi airport in time for the 2 hour check in. Always allow extra time in case of heavy traffic.

The haze in Singapore was disappointing but we still enjoyed our stay at Marina Bay Sands. How could we not.

The next part of the 5 weeks European Adventure will be 4 nights in Paris.