Singapore

We stayed in Johor Bahru which is at the southernmost tip of Malaysia so that we could spend our days in Singapore without having to pay Singapore hotel prices. This meant a trip through immigration most days and lots of stamps in our passports. Singapore is a very modern place, as well as being a very safe one. It was strange to see children, some quite a bit younger than me travelling alone on the MRT (railway). On the first day we set off to look around Singapore, starting with Marina Bay Sands which is three 55-storey hotel towers which are connected by a 1 hectare sky terrace on the roof, named Sands SkyPark and is built on reclamation ground. This is new land that has been made in the sea.

Our second and third days in Singapore were spent on the island of Sentosa, which is basically the place you imagine when you think of paradise. At the far

end of the island there is a rope bridge that leads to a tiny islet which is the Southernmost part of mainland Asia and also the closest to the equator in Asia. We had a fantastic time there playing on the beach and in the water.

Our final day in Singapore was spent at the zoo and we all had an amazing time. Singapore Zoo currently holds the title of the best zoo in the world and it’s easy to see why. Never in any other zoo that we have visited in the world, have we been able to get so close to the animals. None of the animals are in cages. Some are behind glass window, but most are just separated from the public areas by simple moats, with some even roaming free. These include Ring-tailed Lemurs, which Jack and I stroked, a few different species primates and even a sloth. As there were animals at Singapore Zoo that are not found in any zoos in the UK, Mum gave me a notebook and pen so I could read the boards and write down interesting facts about them. My favourite animals were the white tigers. They are such beautiful animals, with their off-white fur with light brown stripes and their piercing blue eyes. We managed to catch 2 shows towards the end of the day, the Animal Friends show, where I got picked to throw a frisbee for a huge Alsatian, and our favourite show, Splash Safari, which featured a sea lion called Carlos who was very clever and funny.


Singapore has two big events coming up, the first being its 45th Birthday on the 9th August, it being 45 years since Singapore stopped being under British rule and became an independent republic. The other big event is the Youth Olympic Games which begins on the 14th August. Unfortunately we leave tonight for Penang so will miss both.