For the next while, I will be blogging as much as I can about our recent trip to Singapore, South Korea and Japan. I can’t guarantee everything will be in order or that it will always make sense, but I’ll do my best! If there is anything you’d like to know more about, feel free to ask questions!
Getting to see Singapore was very exciting for me as I had never been outside of the Changi airport before. We were stopping overnight both ways to break up the flights and to avoid taking the Little Mister long haul all at once. It counted as a connecting flight so we were able to pack some overnight supplies in our carry on luggage to take with us, while our checked luggage remained with our airline.
I had heard a lot of things about how amazing Orchard Road was for shopping (OK so mostly from my mum haha) and I couldn’t wait to see what everyone my mum had been banging on about. I had a little birthday money to spend and while it wasn’t much, I was excited to have an excuse. When you have a foreign currency burning a hole in your pocket, you feel quite guilt free. I mean, when else are you going to get to spend it again? It’s now or never! OK, so you could go and exchange it for the next place, but where’s the fun in that? Shhhhh.
My mum and I left the boys (my dad, brother, Mr Unprepared and the Little Mister) in a cloud of dust and had a time limit of an hour or so before we would meet at the big H&M building (pictured above). I explored stores that I had only read about in magazines (trust me – my home city is a little lacking): Forever 21, Zara, H&M, Top Shop etc. It was all a little overwhelming, but I managed to get myself a simple floral sun dress from Forever 21 which proved SO useful in the steamy weather we encountered on our holiday. I also got myself a couple of half sized singlets – something I’d tried to find in my home town before the trip but failed miserably at. I knew they existed!! Perfect for keeping my modesty under low necklines while a 2 and a half year old hangs off me, without feeling the bulk of a long singlet underneath my outfits. Genius, I know.
Afterwards, we were greeted by a bunch of sweaty boys (one being a rowdy toddler who couldn’t believe all the sights he was seeing). It had been a long day.
My brother found us some hawkers markets (where you can find a lot of cheap meals made on the spot) where Anthony Bourdain had apparently visited just for the amazing chicken rice. We sucked back so much fresh fruit juice it wasn’t funny. The Little Mister was getting really exhausted by now and very thirsty. He wouldn’t share any juice with me. How mean!
This signified the first place he had a melt down. Hardly surprising really. While he’d had a bit of a nap on the plane, we’d all essentially been awake since 2am that morning (and the stroller was still in checked luggage overnight so he couldn’t fall asleep in it on the go). He had done an amazing job to get that far. I was starting to feel cruel because we’d asked so much of him in one day. This was to be the beginning of a whole lot of guilty mummy moments I’d have to work through during the month away, constantly reminding myself that we were offering him amazing experiences and that he would survive it all OK! Also, those yellow stools were a nightmare for trying to keep the Little Mister sitting upright and behaving, FYI! We were all out of our comfort zones, that’s for sure! Travelling with a toddler is NOTHING like travelling without a toddler haha.
The three of us falling asleep passing out together in a massive king sized bed that night was the most glorious experience! Maybe, just maybe this trip might be survivable. It was far easier just experiencing it than freaking out while planning it! Next day we’d be on a flight to Korea…
Have you explored Singapore before? Did you do it with a toddler? Highlights? Challenges? x
Other posts about the trip:
I have no idea where to start.
