Doesn’t TaZte Like Chicken

Location: Singapore

Author: My Husband

Three weeks ago, on my way to India, I had to connect between flights at Singapore’s Changi Airport. I usually try to fly direct to mitigate the risk of missed connections and lost luggage, but alas direct was not an option between Vancouver and Kolkata. The travel agent gave me two choices: fly Singapore Airlines and connect in Singapore or fly Air Canada/Lufthansa and connect in Frankfurt. It was a VERY easy decision and I said “Singapore Airlines” before the agent could even finish saying “Air Canada”.

I think most long-haul fliers will find it easy to identify with my choice. Singapore Airlines’ reputation for safety and service has been second-to-none for the last two decades, and Singapore’s Changi Airport has consistently been rated the best in the world. Rankings and marketing propaganda aside, Changi is truly a very practical choice for connections as it offers transit passengers a huge variety of activities with which to occupy themselves. For passengers on a layover, they can: watch current release movies at the free airside movie theatre; or play video games at the free x-box stations; or catch a nap in one of the many free chaise loungers in the terminals; or take a swim in the roof-top pool; or go for some food and retail therapy at the many eateries and shops spread between the three large terminals; or take a free guided tour of Singapore; or… why don’t you take a look for yourself at Changi’s website. Even with a long layover, chances are you will not run out of things to do at Changi – it really is that good of an airport!

I remember my first visit to Changi shortly after it was opened in 1981. I was just a wee lad then and everything about the airport – from the now iconic control tower to the multi-story waterfalls, travelators, shops, and check-in counters in the terminal – was ultramodern and exciting. For me, that first visit to Changi held out the promise of adventures in far-flung places in the future; even now, many years and trips into/out of Changi later, I still feel a sense of excitement whenever I set foot in that airport. Since 1981, four additional terminals have been built, passenger traffic has increased multiple-fold, and Changi has become the major air hub in SE Asia, but it still manages to be the most user-friendly and efficient airport that I’ve traveled through.

On this trip, my two colleagues and I landed at Changi T3 at 6am, but our connecting flight did not leave until 10pm that day. Since we had sufficient time to pop into Singapore proper for a quick visit, we decided to do just that. A ‘quick’ visit was sufficient for me as I had a two-day stopover (the topic for another post) planned when returning from Kolkata.

Terminal 3, which was officially opened in 2008, is one HUGE terminal. It takes a full 20 minutes to walk from one end to the other, and houses many shops as well as a bunch of eateries. I’ve heard that there is a very good basement foodcourt landside, but I did not have the chance to visit it during this trip.

As one of my colleagues has never been to Singapore, we decided to avail ourselves of the free Singapore tour for transit passengers. While it wouldn’t have been very illuminating for me, it was the easiest and quickest way for my colleague to get a feel for the city. Getting through immigration was painless and literally only took half a minute. It actually took me longer to fill out the immigration form than for me to clear immigration! My personal record at Changi, set in 2007, for disembarking from the plane, clearing immigration, picking up my checked luggage, getting cash from the ATM, and hopping into a taxi was 15 minutes. 15 minutes!!! That is not likely to happen anywhere else, not even at HK’s Chek Lap Kok.

The tour took 1.5 hrs, and quite honestly, was a bit of a time waster. For the price – free – I won’t complain. But suffice it to say, if you had a few hours to spare, take the hop-on hop-off bus (free for transit passengers) or purchase a ticket on the MRT (the subway) into the city and do your own sightseeing instead.

Juxtaposition of old and new

We ended up having lunch at the Food Republic, my favourite food court chain, at Vivocity. More on the food at FR in a later post.

Decorated in the style of days gone by

Then we took the Express to Sentosa, which is a resort-like island just off the Singapore mainland. My colleague M commented that it felt very much like a place run by Disney.

The Sentosa Express - $3 gets you a return ticket

Palawan Beach

Siloso Beach

Bridge leading to the southernmost point of the Asian continent

We then went for a quick shopping expedition to Orchard Road. We paid Ngee Ann city – specifically the food hall in the basement of Takashimaya – a quick visit.

Bengawan Solo = favourite place for kuehs and Bee Cheng Hiang = favourite place for Singapore-style jerky (the bacon is fantastically tasty!!!)

We then found ourselves at the Singapore river, but didn’t stay long as it started to rain. As it was getting late, we grabbed a quick dinner in the vicinity and headed back to the airport.

This place really comes alive at night. Pub row in Singapore - can’t remember if this is Boat Quay or Clarke Quay

View of the Fullerton Hotel

Before hopping on our Kolkata flight, I decided to have a quick snack at the Toast Box in Terminal 2.

It may have been the paper containers, but I didn’t enjoy the taste of this much. The toast tasted quite bland compared to the food produced at other Toast Box outlets, and there was a paper-y aftertaste to the eggs.

After finishing the snack, it was off to Kolkata for two weeks. India, here we come…