Apologies to all our readers for our long absence but Australia has proven a very difficult place to make a good internet connection, however the story continues ……

We arrived in Singapore and booked into our modest hostel, which was conveniently located five minutes walk from "Clarke's Quay" and the surrounding Bars and restaurants. On our second day we made our way to Raffles to meet Al and Rachel who were flying in First Class. The receptionist told us that "The Jeory's" were expecting us and within two minutes Al and Rachel materialised at the head of a magnificent staircase and descended towards us, with two young children throwing rose petals beneath their feet (might be exaggerating slightly). We were all escorted to the "Long Bar" where Al & Rachel treated us to some Singapore Slings (Raffles signature cocktail) and suitably refreshed went out into the Singapore evening, to eat and drink the night away.

The following morning we arrived at Raffles bright and early -"Al and Rachel will receive you in the reading room" the receptionist (who had now developed a very familiar manner) told us. We were received with glasses of Champagne, courtesy of A&R and spent a very pleasant half hour before our day of sightseeing.

The sightseeing involved a lot of walking and visits to the Arts museum, which had an amazing exhibition by an artist who worked only in Lego and the Botanical gardens which contained giant artificial Eco Trees linked by a walkway in the sky and also a huge Rainforest bubble with its own weather system.

In the evening we visited some incredible "rooftop" cocktail bars - One of them was shaped like a ship a balanced across the top of three high rise buildings - WOW - the prices were however as high as the bars but we all had a great night and retired to our respective abodes exhausted.

All good things come to an end and soon it was time to leave and we were picked up by A&R in their limousine. On arrival at the airport A&R were met at the door and escorted to their private Check-In area and as their guests we were also allowed through this fast track route - It is vaguely bizarre to sit in an armchair (complete with Rucksack) being checked in for a flight, before being ushered into a first class lounge to enjoy free hospitality prior to the flight. We were given a seat upstairs in the plane, immediately behind business class - I think they thought we were Butler and P.A. to A&R.

Australia, here we come.