The London to Singapore leg of the journey was with British Airways and two of the TV screens in our row weren't functioning. Not long after take-off neither were the overhead reading lights - 13hrs on a plane with two children, no TV and unable to get enough light to read! We have vowed NEVER to allow ourselves to be booked on BA flight again.
It was fun to return to the Stamford Swiss Hotel again. The boys find it easy to get excited about things they are familiar with. We went out to the Satay Markets for dinner and then we all had a night swim in the pool before heading off to bed. Each morning we woke around 3:30am which was very handy before a 9:30am flight out.
Highlight of the trip was dinner with cousins. So lovely to catch up and meet their son for the first time. Our boys loved him and want to meet up again, soon. After dinner, we went off to the Singapore Night Zoo. The lighting was eerie and the whole experience feels like a safari at night- the warmth of the air, the lush, jungle vegetation and the softly illuminated enclosures. There was a little tram that took us around for part of the journey which made it easy for the children.
Our early wake-up allowed us plenty of time to enjoy the amazing hotel breakfast one more time - Singapore is great for all the Indian, Malaysian and Chinese cuisine as well as more familiar Western fare. The boys became more and more adventurous about what they wanted to try. And they loved being served so courteously by the hotel staff.
The Qantas leg of the journey was very comfortable - much better standard of aircraft and very helpful crew. Jemma and Carl kindly met us at the airport with the car and we drove home. We've spent the last 2 days settling back in.
The boys feel like they have been let loose in a toy store, reunited with all their things that they had forgotten about. They are spending heaps of time out in the yard - haven't had an outdoor space to themselves for some time - and pulling out all their craft materials to create things. Such liberties that were once taken for granted.
We notice their very close friendship after being each other's closest buddy for 3 months and their improved resilience and greater optimism.
