Awaiting our coaches, I palled up with April, a local lady although not currently growing orchids as she travels about 4 times a year, globally. If she wants some quiet time, she goes to a farm in Shropshire or Warwickshire for example.
She was lovely and we had a very interesting time on the coach and then at the gardens. Her grandparents came to Singapore from China, starving, during the Japanese occupation and their job was to carry hods of handmade bricks on their shoulders for new buildings. They did this for the rest of their lives.
She was able to explain to me some of my questions about the building up on Singapore from 1945-to the highrises.
The orchid gardens is a specific section of the national botanic garden. We were 80 people, ten each to a orchids staff member. Our guide has a PhD in molecular biology and is doing genetics and genetic modification. She was very interesting, a great people person also highly knowledgeable about the orchids we saw.
By luck in my group of ten were Janet and Stuart from my orchid soc in England so we recalled Mollie and Bill together. Also an English chap who put me onto misting equipment etc.
The orchids were lovely, and the environment obviously tropical. Sweating profusely by 10am. Oh, imagine a gift entirely devoted to orchid memorabilia!! I bought.... a can of isotonic drink. We were back at the venue at 12 and another fascinating chat with April on the return journey. Those travelling as couples are having none of this interaction with others.
And then....
xxM
