We decided to fly Singapore Air this time. We have stayed in the Singapore Transit Hotel before and found it a good experience so we are going this way again. At our ages, we think those long-haul flights are best avoided. So this blog post is about Singapore Transit facilities.
The flight across from Auckland to Singapore was uneventful and on landing at Changi Airport we went straight to the transit hotel, checked in, had a shower and went to bed. Our room this time was substantially bigger than the one we had last time we were there. It had heaps of room but, as with any other room we’ve had here before, was nicely soundproofed so even though you’re in a very busy international airport, you don’t notice it. The beds have lovely fine cotton sheets; there’s a hairdryer and a TV (not that we have ever bothered watching TV while there).
The Singaporeans are really to be congratulated on the way they live out their values of hospitality and welcoming in the way their transit facilities are organised. They make the transit traveller’s life most enjoyable. They provide: free internet access both if you have your own device, and they provide stand-up computer access; there is a sizeable ‘snooze lounge’ equipped with lie-down sun-lounger- type beds in a darkened area; there are free leg and foot massage machines strategically positioned that give a great reflexology-type foot massage and squeeze your muscles right up your calves; there’s a long koi carp pond – described as good luck by the Chinese but as any kiwi will know, a complete pest since being introduced in New Zealand; and a walk-through butterfly aviary with the most beautiful butterflies flying about and completely unfazed by people wandering about among them. And, of course, there is a wide variety of restaurant facilities and shops. I managed to buy nothing; Himself purchased a new shaver.
In case you were wondering what the ‘sit up straight in Singapore’ heading meant, that was a rather hilarious peculiarity of the loos here. The technologically-savvy Singaporeans have figured out ways to get their loos auto-flushing. Unfortunately the technology is so finely balanced that if you chance to lean forward whilst sitting on the loo (think Rodin’s “The Thinker”) you find the autoflush activating! Bruce even noticed, when he was shaving in the bathroom, that his proximity to the loo was enough to set the autoflush off. Bit of a waste of water, but otherwise highly efficient.
Another facility that Singapore offers, but we didn’t use this time, is a free ‘see Singapore’ trip. You can take it straight from the transit area; you check in your passport and they put you on buses and take you either to the resort area, Sentosa Island, where on a previous trip we paddled in the ocean as well as seeing some of the sights of Sentosa; or you can choose to go downtown shopping. They even give you a free bottle of water to keep you hydrated whilst you enjoy their hospitality.
Ah yes, we do appreciate the Singapore transit facilities and will look forward to stopping off there again on the way home.
Pip at Singapore
Butterfly Garden