Most of us here, when we think of a holiday abroad would think of a Europe Tour, a vacation to the US or a wonderful getaway to SOUTH EAST ASIA!!....
Yes my dream came true too!!...I travelled on my FIRST trip overseas to South East Asia n I wish to share my experiences with you all.
Being a student of Tourism and Travel Management I have learnt a lot about the various travel formalities and accommodation conditions, and this trip proved to be a very practical experience for me and in simple words, it was like bringing the classroom to reality!!
Travelling with my family, including mum, dad, uncle aunt and even my grandmum, this trip was very special in all ways and the enjoyment that I had with my family was truly cherishable!
After month long preparations of getting passports ready, ensuring visas, preparing the itineraries, booking tickets, planning the finance and packing our bags, we boarded the Thai Airways flight that was to take us to Singapore where my sister stays. The friendly and cordial THAI AIRWAYS family made our journey very comfortable n the glamorous Duty free shops at Suvarnabhumi Airport kept us busy during our 4 hour long transit in Bangkok. The first glimpse of Singapore from the flight was one unforgettable sight which was truly breathtaking. The Changi Airport, one of the best in the world was a great welcome to Singapore!! The Airport itself is one of the sight seeing destinations here! Clicking pictures was mandatory but none can do justice to the real glamour, architecture and maintenance of the place.
Still bustling with enthusiasm, without giving ourselves times for any rest, after a quick refreshment session at home, Telok Blangah Heights, we set off for our first day of sight seeing around Singapore. The Suntec City where the shopping mall n the famous laser fountain was located was our first place of visit. We also got the opportunity to have a lovely 45 minute flight in a hot air balloon here. The panoramic view from up above was something very memorable. Even today if I close my eyes and think of this, a wonderful scene of tall buildings dazzling with lights, still seeming like small miniature models comes to my mind. It was definitely a feeling of being on top of the world!!
Still not being exhausted, we decided to take a Boat Ride in the Singapore River and have a view of Singapore Island as it posed with all glamour. The buildings in all directions were definitely worth not only a second but even a third look! One unique architectural marvel was the Durian building in Esplanade, which is built exactly in the shape of the famous fruit found there, the Durian! Unfortunately, this fruit is banned from being taken into any mode of public transport or hotels owing to its pungent smell. On the bank of the river, we got to see on our first day itself the symbol of Singapore, the famed Merlion.
After a fruitful first day of our trip we retired to bed that night, only to be all charged up the next morning to get back on our feet and explore what Singapore has to offer us. The Jurong Park, a must see place for any one visiting Singapore, was the first place on our itinerary for the day, and yes it almost took us the entire day to enjoy the beauty of these feathered beauties. Even though I have keen interest in bird watching owing to my dad who is a wildlife enthusiast, I could hardly recognize many of the birds here. There are a million varieties of birds in almost any colour you can think of. And the best part of the place is that you just don’t feel as if the birds are caged. A sense of freedom still prevails and it really makes it look as if this were the true home of all the birds that have come from different corners of the world. Has anyone seen a caged bird happy? In Jurong all the birds are contented!! 
The lorry loft is the most visited areas of the park and it is here where all the Lorries in bright colours come and perch on you without fear. You can feed the Lories and enjoy their company for hours together. One of the best animal shows is here in Jurong and is called the BIRDS and BUDDIES show. It happens twice a day and is the main attraction of the park. The staff at the Bird Park interact with the birds as if they were human. And yes the birds respond as well!! Talking about well trained Dogs? One must have a look at these birds, they can do wonders!! A parrot sings “Happy Birthday To You” in the most melodious tune, a pair of Toucans (South American Birds) very obediently listen to the directions of the trainer and do as told. I do consider myself fortunate and lucky enough as, I volunteered and the two amazing birds flew up all the way to me, in the audience, and perched on my hands n stayed there till they were called back!!...it was truly The Most Memorable part of my trip.
Other birds performed acts of flying through hoops, picking money from the audience, dancing in the arena and much more. The BIRDS OF PREY show is another amazing show which showcases the brilliant acts performed by full grown Birds of Prey such as the Eagle, Vulture and the Kites. They literally swoop down over the heads of the audience and anyone with their head held a little high are in for trouble.Nevertheless, it is one amazing sight to see the trainers interacting so closely with these otherwise dangerous birds.
Another Famous Attraction in the Bird Park is the Jurong Falls, which is the Tallest Man Made Waterfall in the world.
Nature and Technology maybe two sides of a coin, but in Singapore everything is as wonderful as the other! Our next visit was to the Singapore Discovery Center. One may usually consider such a place not worth visiting in a leisure tour but believe me I would have regretted if I hadn’t been here. This is the place where Science and reality meet. It is the only place I think that can make any kid enjoy learning what he does at school. The Omnimax Theater here with a panoramic view of a 360 degrees screen, is definitely worth a visit. Here also is the Snow City where kids and elders can enjoy in the snow and is a pleasant break from the scorching heat of Singapore.
Easily one of the best zoos in the world, The Singapore Zoo was our on our itinerary for the next day. 
There are very few cages as such, instead they rely on "natural" barriers, such as moats (with water and without), tree and brush lines, etc to keep the various animals in their little areas, and many are allowed completely free reign of the park (some monkeys, most birds, some reptiles, etc). Also, usually, more than one type of animal exists in each area, giving it more of a biosphere feel. This concept does two things: 1) lets you get very close to the animals, but still stay safe; 2) Keeps the animals happier--even the big cats looked content. The wonderful shows organized here are totally worth the money and the time. To name a few, ‘The Elephants at work and play’, ‘Wonders of the Wild Show’ and the ‘Splash Safari Show’. You get to volunteer in these shows and get the opportunity to treasure memorable experiences enjoyed with the animals. I got to do this too! During the splash safari show I got the opportunity to throw a Frisbee at the hero of the show, Pedro, the famous Sea Lion, and he caught it with grace!
After enjoying a scintillating show including Fire Dance performed by the tribals we went for the Night Safari which is a Must-Visit in Singapore. It was an absolutely amazing experience. I had never seen animals of the wild so close to me before! There is a tram that circles around, with one of the staff giving a commentary as it goes. It drives through spectacular scenery and I saw animals I had never heard of before. Even those who do not like animals will fall in love with them. And people like me, its going to be tough to keep you seated in the tram!! There are a couple of self guided walking trails as well. It is very much recommended to take these trails as they lead you to the animals up close. We all have seen tigers, but have you seen a tiger at the distance of 15mm from you face?? I have!! Here at the Night safari, the trail leads you to a glass room from which you can see the tiger. It seems as if the tiger is free and you are caged in the room. The tiger pounces on the glass just 15mm thick and you are left inside awing at its majestic form and at the same time thanking god a million times that the glass is unbreakable!! Another must see in the Night safari is the ‘Creatures of the Night Show’.
We visited the Famous Tourist Island of SENTOSA the next day. The cable car ride from the main port of Singapore to Sentosa was a great experience. The view of the port and the island were too good. In Sentosa you are offered a number of packages to help you choose the best of the sight seeing places according to the time you have and the amount of money you want to spend. Our package started off with visiting the BUGSINHAM PALACE, a very colourful butterfly park. The insect park is also a nice place to visit but definitely creepy! Our next visit was to the renowned UNDERWATER WORLD, which was one of the best visits of the entire trip. Here, you will be ferried via a moving travellator through an 83 meter long acrylic tunnel right into the depths of the ocean. It’s a world entirely of sharks, stingrays, eels and other amazing sea creatures. The schools of fish just take your breath away. You can even see the teeth and the gills of the sharks through the glass all around. The touch pool here caught my attention and I actually got to touch a sting ray!
In Sentosa I had the chance to adorn a live Albino Python weighing more than 30kg around my neck!! It was one crazy experience but something that makes me feel so daring and something that I will never forget! The 4D Magix is a cinematic entertainment that engages all your senses to give you a mind blowing experience! This cannot be explained but has to be experienced.
The most awaited visit was to the MERLION. It was like having a larger than life encounter with Singapore’s national icon, standing with the height of 37 meters. It relates the myths and legends of the mythical sea dragons and the merfolk through timeless tales presented inside the architectural wonder. An elevator takes you up, all the way till the mouth of the Merlion and also over the head. The scenic views from up here, though captured in photographs, can never be equated to the actual experience.
The beach at Sentosa is called SILOSO and is a very pleasant and relaxing destination. The images of Singapore is a wonderful place which enlights us about the history of Singapore and takes you through the journey of the humble Malay fishing village to the now prosperous and bustling cosmopolitan city of SINGAPORE.
The Songs of the Sea is another famous laser extravaganza set in the sea.
Singapore is one place where people of any age can enjoy. From the old to the young everybody has their own kind of fun. The city of Singapore is such that, one does not need any help to get around to places. The places and ever amenity is totally user friendly. The zoo and the bird park, even though huge in area have panorail and tram facilities for the old, people who cant walk much and also for those running out of time. Talking about Transport, the MRT (Mass Rapid Transport) is the main mode of transport in Singapore. The trains here travel at the speed of 120km/hr in long underground tunnels and the railway stations are no less compared to huge shopping malls. Being my first trip abroad even the system of Bus Transport baffled me.
One may think that tourism in Singapore is a very expensive, but let me tell you, every single thing here is totally worth the price you pay for it. We traveled on a shoe string budget too but we got to experience most of what Singapore had to offer us.
People say Vegetarian food abroad is a major problem, but being a pure Vegetarian, I can say that food of my taste was not uncommon here. Maybe the Mc Donalds did not have the Veg Burger, but nevertheless we dint go hungry!! It’s in your hands; if you want something I’m sure you will get it anywhere.
The transport, the accommodation, the food…how can I forget Shopping?? Singapore is one of the best places to buy electronic items. There are many shopping malls the biggest one being VIVO city next to Harbour Front. It also houses Asia’s largest movie screen. Another famous shopping center is Mustafa, in Little India, another locality in Singapore. This huge 4 storied building caters to every need of yours provided you have enough money and enough time!
Overall I enjoyed my trip and experienced so much that I would have otherwise not. I also realized the importance of Travel and Tourism on a very broad and practical basis. I was not aware of the fact that some places like Sentosa survive only because of Tourist traffic. The extent of development in these places has left me mesmerized. To experience this you should travel once to Singapore. Then you will agree with me that it is “Uniquely Singapore”!!!
