Singapore-Brisbane

Before leaving on a journey you know that sooner or later you return from where you left off. Richer in knowledge impressions and experiences, life goes on. Thankful to be alive and healthy I am glad that I take the time to record my travels.

The very fact that I write down my thoughts and feelings will cement them even further into my mind. During my very first journey in 2013 I was on an emotional rollercoaster ride due to the events that had happened the previous year. I needed time to sort things out and put it all in the right order. Many things happened to me during that trip which ultimately made me coming out at the other end a lot stronger and face the future head on. Recently I read the last page of my 2013 journey; about my feelings and emotions and the fact that I was grateful to taken on such a long journey which had acted also as a healing agent,

I am in Singapore now; this journey is almost over. It was another jaunt full of new things where I travelled with Paul B (my son in law) and Paul C who is a good friend of Paul B. We had a great time and shared lots of laughs; together we fought our battles with the heat, noise, dust and absurd traffic situation. We witnessed two fatal accidents and were shocked at the things we saw in the various war museums. We slept in various places; got lost and lost sight of each other. Now, near the end I am happy that we are still together and in good shape as motorcycling in these regions carries a rather high risk factor.

The way to have the best time in this very different world is the need to be able to adapt quickly to your surroundings and conditions and take things as they are when they come your way other than planned. The local people are absolutely amazing in this part of the world. Having been here so many times I am still puzzled by a couple of things. 99.9% of the people are always calm even if things go wrong in the extreme. Then there are the children. Only once I saw a kid having some kind of tantrum, I have not seen one child crying, shouting or playing up. Small children carry their little brother or sisters on their backs. They have but a few toys, some of them made from bits of wire shaped into the shape of a hoop. Boredom may not be a word they know although there may be very little to do, they just sit, talk and play together in a quiet manner. I still have not worked that one out.

I have written enough about Singapore in the past so I have decided to sort through some pictures which may be classed as unusual or interesting to the non traveller and end this series with a few pictures of the magnificent Singapore Botanical Gardens where we spent most of the afternoon while waiting for our flight home.