Where to go.
 

I should like to change my vote from no preference to Jumbo in deference to my fellow NW attendees.

:D

All of these sound good to me. I haven't been on the Night Safari yet, so I'd be up for that on Sunday night.

I'm in favor of getting out of the central business district. The Chinese/Japanese gardens are pretty nice.

violist and I want to see the WWII bunker at Fort Canning. He hasn't been to the National Orchid Gardens yet. I go there every time I visit Singapore. It's one of Lori's "happy places" (you know, the place you go in your mind when reality is too much to bear...I'm in consulting, so I go there a lot :eek:). Hangover permitting, the Gardens might be a good Sunday morning activity. Get a coffee...watch the tai chi groups...visit the orchids...get in a good walk before the first 'Do event of the day...

Hi Dave

I am still a maybe .... should be able to give a firm answer before end of the week. Hope that is ok.

Thanks
Angela

anyone catch Chef Tony Bourdain's show "No Reservations" on the Travel Channel last night ? It was about Singapore and man did it make me hungry.

Not to spoil the show only a small part, he relays a story about speaking in Singapore and someone in the crowd asked him where his favorite place that served Chicken Rice dish was located. Little did Tony know that Chicken Rice could be considered the national dish of Singapore so when he responded that he had not tried it yet, he was booed.

I must admit I have not tried it either as it seemed to plain/nothing special, but after watching the show, I will be giving it a try this Friday ^

--

No problems. Please let us know and give us your preference for dinner if you are going to be able to make it.

Best, Dave

Great, I wasn't going to the night safari on my own. Anyone else?
As for Sunday morning... what about making it late morning, lol

All that sounds good to me.

:D

Night safari, been there, done that. :)

On another topic, any tips for what to do upon arrival in SIN at 6 AM :td: on Friday? I'll need some rest after the n/s from EWR. I was considering spending a few hours at the SIN transit hotel.

Chicken and rice is the ultimate comfort food. I make it at home pretty regularly because it's one of the few Southeast Asian dishes that doesn't require a lot of hard-to-get ingredients. I can get free-range chicken, the right vegetables, and Thai rice at Whole Foods, and our local Fresno chilies are a good substitute for the chillis you find in the Singapore markets. And I always bring back a bottle or two of light soy sauce from Singapore.

I believe the C&R vendor mentioned in the show is at Lau Pa Sat? I have to go back and check. But Chicken & Rice is exactly what I'll be ordering on Friday night!

My father told me that the transit hotel is good for a 4 hour or so sleep and has stayed there when connecting from UA to SQ to CGK a number of times. If you are going to use this plan on making a reservation ahead of time. You also may want to consider simply heading downtown and checking your bag at the hotel and I don't think it would be tough to get checked in by 10 AM since most flights to Europe leave around midnight and all of them to the USA leave around 6:00 AM.

i'm still a maybe, and haven't yet cancelled my hotel reservation as i'm hoping i can make it. no preferences on dinner, as i've not been to sin before (well, not outside the airport, anyway ;))!

whatever you all come up with will be grand.

transit hotel Early Friday Arrival
 

As usual, I got no response after sending in a booking request for my 0035 arrival on 1/18. Following a fellow flyer-talker's advice, I called yesterday at 1620 PST and got the front desk. They told me to call after 5 p.m. Pacific time when the reservation desk opens.

When I called reservations, they told me that they sent an e-mail on 12/24 informing me of no availability. "We are very very full." Nothing available later and the suggested I check on arrival. No thanks after a 21 hour flight. I never received the e-mail nor the one that they promised to send yesterday telling me the same thing. From U.S. 0116565419106 or 9107

So, I am booked at the Robertson Quay Hotel at a rate of S$153.00 all in. From reviews this is not a great hotel, but it is available and only somewhat more than twice the cost of the transit hotel. Le Meridien is sold out.

I echo the sentiment that if you are arriving at 0600, just go to Friday's hotel and see if they will check you in.

There is a posting in the SQ forum with pictures of the new T3 terminal at SIN. One of the pictures show a row of reclining, lazy-boy type seat where one might be able to sleep for an hour or so. Worth a try.

The vendor was Tian Tian at Maxwell Food Centre.

hooray, i am in for sure!

so excited, as i've never been to sin before....just the airport. ;)

arriving thursday at midnight, so i'll be up for dinner friday and whatever activities are on for sat and sun. i'm leaving monday. staying thursday night at the hilton (on points) and at le meridien the rest of the time. very happy this worked out, although my upgrades haven't cleared...so please light a candle for me. :)