Xin Jia Po

Before I landed back on home soil, I decided I would spilt my 24 hours journey with a stop over in Singapore for 5 days.

I stayed with my Aunty in Serangoon, who, although lives in a 2 bedroom flat, had more than 3 guests staying with her nearly the whole time I was there. It felt like I was staying in a hostel.. a 6 star hostel, that is! She is a very generous and accommodating lady!

My first meal in Singpore.

Another generous person that I spent most of my time with was Hendry. He took me to wherever I wanted to go, whatever I wanted to eat and whatever I wanted to do. He was my personal tour guide... only better! :)

So with no time to waste, Hendry suggested that he take me back to his home country for a visit. When he asked me, I wasn't too sure whether he remembered I was only going to be in Singapore for a short while and going to another country may be slightly ambitious. But it shows how little I know. Most of his relatives live in Batam, Indonesia. And it was only 40mins from Singapore! Did we go by car? No. By plane? No. By ferry? Yes! :) One minute I was in Singpore, after the next 40mins I was in Batam, Indonesia :)

Wavemaster - the ferry

When we got to Batam, Hendry took me to eat traditional Indonesian food at a restaurant called Pak Datuk.

(*One thing I noticed when I arrived was that they always have parking attendents to help you park and get out. And it didnt take me long to realise why. The streets aren't very big and the car spaces are even tinier. Lucky Hendry was a good driver :p)

We entered the restaurant, sat down and I waited patiently for a menu. However, it never came. Instead, Hendry and I were greeted with a trolley full of food - similar to a yum cha trolley. So just like I was at yum cha, I looked at what foods appealed to me and was ready to order but the guy started putting ALL of the food on our table. I looked at Hendry waiting for him to say something like 'No, sorry, we didn't order all this' but he just smiled at me. So when I finally got over the shock of so much food for just two people, Hendry explained that like yum cha, you eat what you want and they come and total the number of plates. However I don't think it is very hygienic. How do they know if you have touched the plate of food or not? Someone could have tasted it and put it back without them knowing. And later, I was told by one of his cousins that the food that people 'don't touch' is put away, ready to be brought back out for other customers! hrmmm...

Anyways, to take your mind off that thought, we drove to one of the most beautiful resorts that Batam has to offer. Although Batam is known as an industrial city, it is attracting more tourists with its seafood, cheap massages and beach resorts.

Pretending I stayed at this resort :)

The beach

Isn't it gorgeous?

I'm staying here next time (Hendry's shout :P)

I thought I knew Hendry quite well before we met up in Singapore but one thing new I discovered about him is his love for his little niece and cousins. He absolutely adores them and didn't mind sharing them with me while I was there. I got to meet Giselle, his niece (photo below), who is apparently the cute one compared to his cousin, Misha (no photo) who is the smart one :) I think they're both just as cute and very shy!

I got to practice my Mandarin as the two 2 year olds had the same level of Chinese as I did :)

She's so cute! She loved posing for the camera! :)

I'm proud of this photo as she wouldn't take a photo with Hendry but she did with me! :D (Had nothing to do with the fact that I had the camera :P)

For dinner we took a trip to a open restaurant called Golden Prawn. Famous for fresh seafood... so fresh it's caught in front of your very own eyes! They have tanks filled with different fresh live seafood which you go and choose from. They then scoop it into a bucket, take it away, and the next thing you know it's on your plate ready to eat! :)

Before...

...after.

Before...

After :)

Of course I had to have a coconut drink with my dinner :)

The cousins.

Hendry and I before we headed back to Singapore.

Unfortunately I had to let Hendry work the next day so that meant I tagged along with my family friend, who I was staying with, to the Science museum in Singapore. He had heard that the exhibition that was on at the moment was based on the TV show CSI.

It was pretty cool as they had three different scenarios for you to solve. It was just like been on the set of CSI! :)

Dinner was with Hendry, sister and other cousins living in Singapore.

"Follow the yellow and blue lit road..."

Clark Quay is beautiful at night.

Reminds me of the Docklands/Southbank back home but only funkier :)

I got a good night's sleep that night which I needed as Hendry and I were going for a bike ride the next morning. 'A ride around the beach...' Hendry said. There was no mention of the distance so I assumed it was going to be a short casual ride around beach and then we would relax on the sand, maybe even go for a dip in the sea.

Breakfast was in a place called Dakota where I had the best tau foo fa! :D Doesn't look like much in the photo but it was so smooth, silky and just the right amount of sweetness. Other places I've tried are always too sweet or not sweet enough. This was just right! (said baby bear :P)

So on our way to the East Coast beach, Hendry decided to be honest and tell me that it was going to be a 40km bike - 20km up and back. At first I thought he was joking but no, he was serious. Not only had I not ridden in ages, I did not like the idea of riding 40km in Singapore's heat during midday. All signs were telling me to hop back on the bus and go back, but I'm glad I didn't. As tough as it was towards the end, I had lots of fun and felt good afterwards.

We rode all the way past Changi Airport...

to Changi Beach park.

What was waiting for me at the end of the 20km bike path?

This tree.

Seriously, the bike path ended right here.No wonder there aren't many people riding down this path. This tree isn't much of an incentive!

When I go to Singapore, one thing I must have is an ice cream sandwich. I had been wanting one since I landed in Singpore and thankfully the tree wasn't just my reward. We found an ice cream man!

Me, with sweat dripping from my face but excited about to enjoy my ice cream sandwich! :)

As we rode on the path, every few 100 meters there would be signs to tell you how far you had travelled or had left to go.

This was one of them on the way back.

And just when I was ready to collapse, Hendry recharged me when the most refreshing, ice cold coconut drink :) The best I've had in my life!

It tasted sooooo good!

We... well more like I survived! :)

This was the place we hired our bikes from. Hendry paid for 2 hours but forgot that he was riding with me. Instead it too us 3hrs+. But we did stop to take photos and have my ice cream sandwich so let's say just under 3hours :P

Last meal with my family friends.

A quick trip down Orchard road.

Marina Bay Sands - the hotel I'll stay at next time :)

(Hendry's shout again :P)

Singapore's equivalent to the London Eye.

The Esplanade.

Mr Merlion :)

Hendry and I went to a funky restaurant/cafe that had these cool chairs.

Reminds me of that chocolate sweet... Pods?

A quick change back at my Aunty's house, last minute packing, a short trip to the airport... and then it was time for me to say goodbye Singapore, hello Melbourne :)

Thank you Hendry for an amazing 4/5 days in Singapore. You were the perfect host! No doubt I will be seeing you real soon! :D