Work Write Balance

Sometimes you just have to throw yourself in at the deep end. If you spend your whole life worrying about getting your feet wet, before you know it, the pool will be closed.

After that harrowing trip to Bali, I swore blind I would never travel with these two nasty children of mine again. Yet here we are in Singapore, a couple of weeks later, picking ourselves back up from the fall.

Am I a total glutton for punishment? Yes, I like to do the hard stuff. But, then again, wouldn’t it be a total waste of time and energy coming so far around the world and not making the most of it? Not pushing ourselves just a little further and seeing just a little more?

Diving Right In

We were swimming the other day in Bali when all of a sudden, Cataleya took off her armbands and plunged herself into the big pool. My heart lurched into my mouth. Up she surfaced with a big grin on her face. “I told you I didn’t need my floaters Mamo!”

She did tell me that she didn’t need them, but I refused to listen. I was wrong. There she was taking the plunge and I was trying to hold her back.

To be fair, small children and deep water are a scary combination. Especially when you have more than one kid to keep an eye on and they love to go in opposite directions.

It probably seems totally unrelated but that inspired me to book the trip to Singapore. That, and the fact that she had now fully recovered from her pneumonia–and I wanted the children to see the garden city after Bali’s chaos.

It wasn’t long after take-off that I wanted to stop the plane and get out though. Cataleya was decidedly unimpressed with the fact that she couldn’t make a bed with her seat and Valentino started throwing everything he could get his hands on.

Luckily, the passenger next to us was extraordinarily kind and good-natured, “I love children,” he smiled. I’m not sure if he maintained that sentiment after the flight.

Singapore with Kids

Still, a little over two hours was a drop in the ocean for us and it wasn’t long before we arrived. Despite being a huge airport, we taxied right to where we needed to be. It was the shortest walk I’ve ever had to go and retrieve the baggage and I get the feeling that wasn’t an accident.

Everything in Singapore is perfectly planned. From the traffic lanes to public transport, spotless streets, and polite citizens. In this part of the world, they use Grab not Uber. It’s exactly the same, just a different app. One of the drivers was telling me about some of the measures Singapore has in place to ensure it stays so pristine.

The first of which is fining people for dropping litter, even cigarette butts. But it’s not a one-time fine. If you’re a repeat offender, the fines get more expensive until the third time when you have to do community service helping clean the streets.

This causes a social stigma so great that other people will know you’ve been brandished as a litterbug and publically shamed.

I asked if there were mosquitoes here since I didn’t feel like I had seen any. He said no, not really, not in the dry season at least. The Singapore environment agency has a strict policy of checking establishments and fining them if they come across any possible mosquito breeding grounds.

After the unchecked chaos of Indonesia and the filthy streets, traffic, and lack of rules, Singapore feels a breath of fresh air. Although, I get the feeling that one could also feel a little asphyxiated in a place with so many rules.

The people do seem a little robotic here. Friendly and helpful, correct and polite, but–trained–somehow.

Mount Faber Cable Car

Totally doable and fun with kids, cable cars are always a good way to see a city and entertain little ones. The cable car at Mount Faber is a short ride that gives you the chance to take in the luscious green scenery, waterpark, luxurious hotels, high-rise city backdrop, and the beautiful Sentosa beach.

It all sounds way more perfect on paper. Of course, the relentless Singapore heat and draining humidity isn’t fun for anyone, least of all two little kids. In fact, probably least of all for their mother, who ends up carrying one and pushing the other who can’t walk three steps without complaining.

We made it as far as we could. Found a bar with a pool on the beach, bought an extremely expensive towel, and lunch which neither of the kids ate before Cataleya wanted to leave. The “day” at the beach was more like an expensive glimpse of it, especially given that she refused to take the cable car back (I had bought return tickets) and we had to go in a taxi.

VivoCity Mall, HarbourFront Precinct

The only thing that seems to placate my tired and moody four-year-old is the promise of buying clothes. And, to be honest, after moving around in so much humidity, a good dose of aircon was what we all needed, despite the grains of sand between the toes.

Had someone told me I would be walking around one of Asia’s classiest cities in flip flops I would have died. But, honestly, your standards go out the window somewhat when you have kids–and needs. I have nothing but beachwear in my Bali suitcase, no time to go shopping, and, well, I’m hardly going to go to the Raffles hotel with these two.

Singapore isn’t the same place it was the last time I came either. Three decades or more is enough to change a place. It’s far more cosmopolitan than it was and there is a mixture of dress codes now. There are just as many people dressed in shorts and T-shirts as there are lengthy dresses or fancy heels.

That said, I still bought myself a dress, just to feel a little less like a street urchin, but it certainly wasn’t essential. And Cataleya bought three dresses, none of which are essential and probably all of which won’t get worn again.

I just can’t resist those baby brown eyes and pouty lips when she wants something–and Valentino was overjoyed with his new Crocs, he doesn’t want to take them off.

The walk along the harbour afterward was relaxing and as we waited for our Grab to arrive, I felt somewhat triumphant. We crossed a lot of ground. Both kids were happy and I felt so relaxed in Singapore.

The Singapore Zoo

Thanks so much to Trip Advisor and all the adverts enthusing about how Singapore Zoo is a “must-see” with kids. Nothing that involves miles of walking, hours of queuing and relentless searing heat is fun–with kids or without. I can get my highs that way just standing at immigration in the airport.

Seriously, had I had any prior notion that I would be paying to stand in line, listen to complaints, moans, and tears, wait for over one hour for a tram ride to come all the time drenched in sweat and without seeing a single animal before Cataleya refused to get on and wanted to leave… well, let’s just say, I would have crossed that one off the to-do list with a thick black pen.

The Singapore Zoo is only a place to go for people who enjoy intense heat, are childless or have children who like to walk and don’t mind 100 percent humidity or waiting for hours to see every single animal. I have nothing good to say about it.

Cataleya then as if to make a point, fell over, grazed her knee, and there was no longer any discussion over whether I would carry her. It was now my obligation.

We got to the zoo around 9:30. We left getting close to 13:00. We saw one orangutang. I was almost beaten, Cataleya wouldn’t stop crying and Valentino leaped all around the taxi on the way back.

“Would you like to go shopping?” I said to Cata. The tears immediately stopped and we ended up in another mall.

Pool Time at the Hotel

I spent a reasonable amount of money on this hotel–not a bucketload, but enough to expect more than the shoebox that we are in.  On reflection, as one of the most expensive cities in the world, people are perhaps used to residing in confined quarters. When we first entered the room, I was aghast.

I don’t think I’ve ever stayed in such a minuscule hotel room (not true, I totally have, but not at this price or juncture of my life). And not with TWO kids, a travel cot wedged in. It’s sort of OK when the blinds are open and you can see out the window. When they’re closed, it feels like you’re sleeping in a box.

I originally complained that the room didn’t come with half of the facilities listed. But I didn’t realize that everything was hidden inside cupboards. It has everything you need, you just have to open and close the doors again so as not to smack your head on anything while making coffee.

I was so disappointed with the hotel that we stayed outside of it as much as possible. But after the miserable morning at the zoo and general exhaustion from the group, we went back to find its pool (also hidden somewhere on the eighth floor).

It was just what we needed to beat the Singapore heat and the three of us enjoyed a couple of hours floating and splashing, playing and laughing amid the highrise buildings.

China Town

Both kids were extremely sleepy but I bundled them into a taxi anyway. I wasn’t coming to Singapore without at least seeing some of its famous street food hawkers.

Ok, so tasting the local cuisine was going to be tricky, sitting down with the whiney kids in the pressing heat to enjoy noodles, spicy soup, and chicken feet was never going to fly.

But, I figured we could compromise.

Of course, I had to buy Cataleya another dress for it, but we got to see China Town, and we even managed to have some Chinese food. Not the authentic street food experience I had read about and was seeing as we walked by, but an air-conditioned restaurant nearby.

You can’t deny yourself everything you want in life because you have kids. But, you have to compromise too. This was one of those moments. As Valentino slept through the meal, exhausted by the heat and length of the day, and Cataleya chewed her way through egg fried rice, I thought about how lucky I was.

There are (many) moments I long for a few minutes alone and there is no such thing as a perfect day. But, they’re also pretty cool kids and this whole summer of travel is changing them for the better. I’m proud. Cataleya spoke to Valentino in Portuguese today, I’m not sure why.

Neither child even blinks when they see a woman dressed in a headscarf or cloack, or a man wearing traditional clothing. The world is already a small place for them.

Valentino and his smile and good nature are winning hearts across Asia. People (mostly women) ask if they can take photos with him as he beams and gives them a high five.

Cataleya with her many moods (and dresses) has peoeple captivated. She’s extremely concerned for the safety of people who travel in lifts. (The hotel elevator in Bali slams shut if you don’t get out within three seconds). Now, she’s taken it upon herself to personally ensure that every passenger in the lift gets in and out safely before we leave. It makes everyone smile. “You’re welcome, you’re welcome,” she says as if expecting a tip.

We’re heading back to Bali tomorrow and I have no idea how all these things we’ve bought will fit into the case.

I’m also not exactly relishing the idea of getting on a plane again with this dynamic duo. But hey, we got to come to this amazing corner of the world. I saw the children interact with a new culture and be compleely at ease with it. And we saw the signs of the animals at Singapore Zoo. What more can you ask for?