🎶🎶 Singing Tour – a Swimming Tour: Starting in Singapore.

May 27, 2025 / brisbanefrannie / 3 Comments

We decided on an overnight in Singapore. To break the journey. Is it worth it ?

I am starting to love my visits to Singapore. Having recently been with Pete and 5 year old Ollie I feel I’m getting to know it a little.

We stayed at Capri by Fraser. In Chinatown Square a block from the Mecure where we stayed last time. I love this area. Lots of good food markets, interesting little streets and with the train you can get everywhere quickly.

The taxi from the airport was quick and efficient and we were in the hotel in 45 mins. Cost $31.

Drummed the bags , a quick change into some cooler clothes and off to the Lau Pa Sat food markets with its infamous Satay Street. Always busy it’s great for a quick meal under fans ……with a big beer. Also a major people watching place. There are piles of plates on every table, amazing smells and locals hunched over

Our hotel is great but we don’t usually include breakfast. We like to go out away from buffet breakfasts. We went to a cafe nearby m. Had a great coffee and watched the passing parade on their way to work. They all wear comfortable shoes and the girls often carry a little portable fan.

At first I thought one girl had an ice cream. But it was a little battery run fan. It looked funny. Can’t say I blame her. It’s very steamy.

I wanted to walk around some of the quiet narrow streets of China Town. We discovered a little oasis of greenery. Very quiet and a bit different to the big broad streets with traffic.

Singapore has sorted out lots of problems associated with dense living! They charge a fortune to have a private car on the road so it does limit car traffic. I can’t imagine if they allowed anyone to drive a car. It would be at a standstill.

I had checked before booking that our hotel offered a baggage hold after checkout and then use of showers later in the day. My new best friend at the concierge desk took our bags and we set off walking. It was a little overcast so bearable.

We crossed the river towards Parliament and the arts precinct.

New building vs old on opposite sides of the river

Some beautiful buildings lots of shady trees and places to sit or go inside to some aircon.

I checked out the Fullerton Hotel. It’s a beauty but would cost $$$. Lovely for a visit or a cool drink.

Zig zagging across the walking bridges we went back to the arts area

The Fullerton Hotel with Marina Sands behind it.

Another lovely gallery with a Pagoda exhibition

Statues are everywhere – this outside the Fire Museum.

Lots of walking led to a big thirst so we stopped at Clarke Quay for lunch. A beer and prawns by the water under a fan. Perfect.

We’re now at the airport. Being early to a flight in no problem in Singapore. The amazing ‘The Jewel’ is adjacent to Terminal 1&2 and easy to access from terminal 3 , it is the perfect place to spend time.

There is a great big waterfall in the centre with lots of seating. Not too comfortable as people would lie down. I certainly wanted to!

I was here 6 weeks ago with son Peter and grandson Ollie and he did the dinosaur hunt.

The attraction for kids this month young and old is Mario Kart.

Now the big flight to London. Lucky we’re in business! Soul Song choir here I come.

Awesome Legoland

April 5, 2025April 6, 2025 / brisbanefrannie / 3 Comments

If you are looking for a full on child experience that even adults can enjoy then it’s Legoland

I wasn’t sure what to expect but it is extraordinary.

We left our Singapore Hotel at 8 for a quick taxi ride to the bus centre for the Lego express to Legoland.

It was $13 and the coach was so comfortable and wasn’t crowded Singapore is a delight to drive through. It’s green with great roads and not as much traffic as you’d expect from this huge city. The reason being there is a tax on having a car permit. It costs about $130,000 before you even buy a car And cars are super expensive here. Most people simply can’t afford it. So the money made out of taxes is used for public transport. And the trains, buses and taxis are all super efficient and clean.

Arriving at the border to Malaysia you leave the bus to go through immigration then take your bags through customs. It was quick and efficient. I heard it can be busy on the weekends. Back in the bus we are in Johor where Legoland is located in 15 mins. All up about an hour.

Seeing the Legoland Hotel resort is like a dream. It’s big and colourful and you know it will be fun.

Ollie was in a state of excitement!

We went to the hotel and as it was 11am our room wasn’t ready. We had our bag of swim gear ready and stored our other bags.

It was off to the Waterpark. Once again it’s big. Lots of different rides of various levels of difficulty. But basically all for kids. Not so much big teenagers. So parents and kids having fun.

We were among the few foreigners there and I. My swimmers and rash vest felt underdressed. Most were Muslim so were head to toe in black.

The river raft was a big hit. You float on a river and can build onto your raft with the floating Lego. Then the slides. Ollie eased into it on the small slides before Pete talked him and me into climbing up the staircase to the big red slide.

You sit in a round ring and hold on as you wind your way down the hill.

Pete was approached by the lifeguard who wanted to examine his prosthetic Lego. They were concerned it was sharp and could damage the tubular life rafts. He good humoured them and persuaded them it was all fine!

After awhile thunder started and it was funny watching the attendants talking into the walkie talkies deciding what yo do. It took some time but they eventually closed the rides.

The lunchtime queues started. Ollie had a Legoland meal ; nuggets, potatoes in the shape of smiling faces, a drink and a paddle pop.

We headed back to the hotel for donut decorating! This hotel is all abut the kids. From the minute you arrive there are Lego play areas. The lifts are decorated and music pumps out dance music.

Our room on the 6th adventure floor is great.

Family room perfection. The big double bed has the big windows. It’s separated from the kids bunk area by sliding doors. The carpet has treasure maps , the bathroom two height sinks perfect for little people. Lego spiders, animals and a big box of Lego are scattered around. Ollie loved the treasure maps. He had to fill out the clues to get the combination for the kids treasure chest. Inside a container of lego.

Donut was decorated. Then it was a dance party in the big foyer which has a Lego castle and Lego pit where lots of dads were rediscovering their inner love of Lego!

Ollie danced up a storm but not as much as the adult staff who love this joining in atmosphere. Pete says when he went to uni in KL the local boys there loved all this dance fun and loved nothing better than parties not with alcohol but games and dancing.

Pete said the hotel was a bit like being on a big ship devoted to kids. Lots of activities. The parks outside and the hotel activities insides. Some people come for the day from Singapore but it’s fun to stay.

Dinner was an adventure as well. We went for the buffet. Beautifully presented, Ollie got his money’s worth. He had fresh prawns, muscles and scallops along with satay sticks. He was free! Pete and I were restrained. But enjoyed the variety. I don’t normally enjoy buffets in these hotels. Takes me back to taking the boys to Las Vegas and staying at the Circus Circus hotel which was good but didn’t quite extend to this Lego overload. It had the ‘world’s biggest buffet ‘ and it gave me food poisoning. I’ve avoided them ever since. But I’m fine this morning. So all is ok.

A Long but Happy Day in Singapore

April 4, 2025April 4, 2025 / brisbanefrannie / 5 Comments

I’m sitting writing this post at Singapore Zoo. It 9.35 and Pete and Ollie are having one more walk around the night time trails and I’m admitting defeat and having a beer under a fan.

After a long day yesterday and the night hawker markets we were up and out at 8.30 after Pete and Ollie had had a swim in the big pool. This 5 year has stamina ! Takes after me I like to think.

We had breakfast at Maxwell food markets. Ollie wanted eggs and they come half runny boiled eggs that you open into a saucer and dip toast into.

I prayed the eggs were fresh as he polished them off and drank his fresh orange juice.

Following a walk around Chinatown we got the train to the Gardens by the Bay. These gardens are spectacular. It was hot walking along the river to get to the gardens but once there it was an oasis. Cool inside with multi levels you start at the top and walk down gradually.

There’s a magnificent water fall, crystal gardens, a forest room. All beautifully presented and not crowded. I bought our tickets through Klook, an online discounted ticket agency.

It worked beautifully. I bought a combined ticket for the Gardens, the flower hall and the night safari at the zoo. We’re going there tonight.

Ollie loved the gardens and Pete and I are so impressed with how everything works.

We moved onto the Flowers of the World and they had a Japanese gardens exhibition. Perfect as I’m going to Japan later in the year.

The cherry blossoms exhibition was like being in Japan.

Back out side the heat was picking up. We stopped for a beer and gelato before heading into the Science Museum. the building itself is worth visiting. Shaped like a lotus flower you enter via a bridge over the most beautiful lotus flowers.

The lotus by night. From the taxi after the zoo.

There were a few paying exhibitions including the Iris Van Herpen fashion exhibition I saw last year in Brisbane.

We opted for the kids activities which kept Ollie occupied for quite awhile.

Hunger was getting to us now so Ollie and I headed back on the blue downtown train line to the food markets where we polished off dumplings for lunch. Pete was keen to have his bone broth soup so went a bit further to another hawker market specialising in that dish. $10 he said and he couldn’t eat it all.

We met up back at the hotel for a swim in the very large hotel pool. What a treat. Into the room for a rest before our nighttime booking at the Zoo.

It rained heavily – typical tropical downpour. A bit a rumbly thunder. it was great to look at lying on bed by the huge window.

It was still rainy when we left so caught a taxi. It took nearly an hour to get there by 7pm and cost $45 Singapore. It’s well organised and I stood in the line for the night train while Pete bought some satay chicken for Ollie. He’s also hungry a lot of the time. The line took about 20 mins. Perfect timing.

We got the front three seats and had a perfect view. It was amazing. We saw animals standing quite close to where the train crept along the narrow road in the ‘jungle’

It was hard to get a good photo but we saw lions, cheetah , rhino, elephants, bison, bears, deer, the list goes on.

From the train we went to the Creatures of the Night show and saw, and owl fly in, hairy pigs, hyenas, cheetah. All visited the stage on cue to eat something planted for them then quietly leave.

The show finished around 9 and Pete and Ollie de used to walk the night loop setting once again the animals we’d seen from the train.

I sat having a beer waiting. One tired little boy and his tired dad arrived back so we made our way out to the taxi and after 5 minutes in the car Ollie fell asleep.

Singapore is quite beautiful by night.

I wasn’t far behind!

Singapore for 3 Generations

April 3, 2025April 3, 2025 / brisbanefrannie / 1 Comment

When Pete our son suggested we might like to go to Singapore, Legoland and Penang for a short holiday with him and his 5 year old son Ollie. Then bring Ollie home while he went into a wedding in the Philippines, I really want sure what to think.

Would it be too much? would I get Covid? would we all agree on a plan each day?

I decided it was a great chance to spend some time with 43 yr old Pete recently facing a broken relationship and his gorgeous 5 year old.

Over Christmas we booked. It was real. We talked hotels, adventures and food. Pete has always loved Asia and its food. He’s lived in Malaysia attending uni and Cambodia as a teacher. He’s adventurous and a foodie – in Asia.

We went to the airport at 8 for an 11am flight. why are airports – Brisbane in particular so expensive. The food is overpriced, general goods ridiculously overpriced. I only noticed this time as we weren’t in a lounge!

The 8 hour day flight was great. We had a row of 3 and Ollie is a great little traveller. We watched a movie or two and poor Ollie only had cheese and crackers. We forgot to order a child’s meal. But he was so happy just to be travelling he didn’t care!

We landed at 5.15 Singapore time. Two hours later than in Brisbane.

We got our bags and left for the train to get us to the city, passing a robot cleaning. Ollie loved it.

The train was quick and easy and we got to our hotel the Mercure Icon in Chinatown easily. Great little rooms side by side with a great view and a 4 min walk to the night hawker markets.

We had a beer as it was very humid after some rain earlier in the day. Then satays. Chicken & prawns. Then dumplings. Then ice cream. We walked home tired but happy.

Singapore in a Day ( with a bad knee)

August 1, 2023August 1, 2023 / brisbanefrannie / 9 Comments

A flight to Singapore from Brisbane is pretty painless. We left at 10.30 had a nice lunch on board watched a movie had a nap & arrived in at around 4.30.

We decided to stay at Changi a village near the airport.

Not far from the airport, it is good for a walk by the water and an easy dinner at the Hawker Markets. I love these markets. Open air. Only locals. Pretty lights and so cheap and tasty. 10 satay sticks, a plate of tom yum fried rice and beef rice, some lime sugar sodas and it was about $20. Not bad for Singapore prices.

One man show. He took the order cooked on a single wok, took the money. 5 min. And no we didn’t get good poisoning.

Heading into downtown today we thought we’d explore all types of public transport. We caught a local bus to the station and the train into Marina Sands.

I love the public transport here. It’s efficient, clean, on time and has the best signs to amuse you.

See the top sign. No eating – fine $500 No smoking – fine $1000. No flammable good – fine $5000 and No durians !
Poor fruit. Just too smelly and Stand up Stacey there to remind you to give up your seat.

My favourite was watching the little movie showing what to do in case of a terrorist attack , a bag caught in the door, leaning on the door. All these little scenarios. So much fun.

Arriving at Marina Sands is a complete contrast to the Hawkers markets. It’s a hotel, shopping centre, sightseeing centre and a haven for the rich, and the poorer travellers trying to think rich.

Starting with coffee near the indoor river where we thought about a ride on a gondola. Deciding that was a was a bit much, we took a ride to level 57. I’d booked ahead for Lavo the lovely restaurant with a view.

The hostess insisted on a photo in
front of the sign.

Sitting at a shaded table looking out at the view we felt a million miles away. We ordered a refreshing Spritz. An Aprerol for me a Negroni for Steve. We shared an octopus salad – delicious ….then I had a veal cutlet and Steve the carbonara. Opted out of Asian food today.

Following a leisurely lunch we took bus 106 to Orchard road. Avoiding too much walking to protect my knee we did a little browsing before moving along to Raffles.

I love Raffles. It’s super expensive but it’s unique.

An iconic hotel opened in 1887, its so very beautiful, famous and oldy worldy. I could see Somerset Maugham there in a crushed linen suit slinging back a few Singapore Slings before tossing his peanut shells all over the floor in the the Long Bar. . Unfortunately, we tried to book the Bar & Billards room for lunch but it’s closed on Tuesday so thought a drink in the Long Bar after lunch would be a treat. The queue to get in was LONG so we thought NO. After checking out the lobby bar which only does fancy afternoon teas ( we’d just had lunch!) we opted for a Gin Sling for Steve and a frozen lime daiquiri for me, sitting under the striped umbrellas in the courtyard.

A hop skip and a limp later we were seated on the top story of a super clean No 2 bus to Changi Village. A long ( 1 hr) but air conditioned sightseeing trip back to our hotel. All for a flat rate lower than the hop in hop off bus.

And more fun signs.

Move in Martin reminds yo make room for others. His friend

‘Stand up Stacey’ is on the train.

Organising a late check out we’ll have time to freshen up, shower, change, stretch out for awhile and head to the airport for a long late flight to Frankfurt.

Flying Singapore Airlines tonight & we’ll be comparing it to Qantas business yesterday.

I thinking I’ll try for life as a reviewer after this trip.

For Ollie , Leo & Alby. I think you’d like riding around on the buses in Singapore. We wanted to have a boat ride on the river in a bum boat! That’s what they call the little river taxis here. That’s a bit rude!

frans travel tales

come along with me

Singapore