Day 47 Singapore

We arrived at our next port of Singapore and had decided once again to stay away from monuments, mosques and museums. Luke had pre booked a maxi taxi for an early pick up and by some miracle we were the first people off the ship. We were setting off for Singapore Zoo and had pre booked a special jungle breakfast and needed to get across the city pronto so the driver, who may have had an Indian background, did a great job in getting us there in time.

We arrived in time to see the elephants having there morning bath before we seated in a rainforest restaurant. This area is part of the orangutan display and these friendly animals joined us for a sumptuous breakfast. With the handlers standing by to resolve the odd dispute over fruit between the orangutans we were able to amongst them. After a very entertaining and informative start to the day we were ready to set off and explore the zoo.

Like many Sydney residents we wondered how any zoo could be much better than Taronga and were keen to see for ourselves. Its reputation didn’t let this zoo down and although the animals are pretty much the same as other zoos the environment is amazing. Set in a rainforest there is virtually no sign of fencing or cages and for most exhibits only water separates the animals from the public.

The scheduled shows were really well done with a play about deforestation involving about 10 actors and many animals starting off the day. The seal and penguin splash show was also good but the working elephant show was the highlight. Sitting in small huts around a small island the mahouts used their elephants to maneuver huge logs in and out of the water.

After visiting all the shows and taking the train around we set off on foot to explore the zoo. After making our way through most of the areas we made our way to a huge water park and play area located within the zoo. With water slides and pools galore the kids quickly wore off any remaining energy they had left. The timing for a massive rain down pour was perfect as we could supervise the kids from under cover with a coffee.

The zoo is situated on the banks of a man made reservoir used to supply the city with water and from the water park we caught a zoo boat back to the front of the zoo to meet our taxi.

We were hoping to visit the botanic gardens of Singapore but as we emerged into the afternoon peak traffic we quickly realized it would not be possible. Fortunately with the ship not leaving until late there was time to deposit the kids back at the ship and make a quick trip ashore on foot to a local eatery for dinner. Although the food on the ship is great it still doesn’t beat authentic fresh cooked local cuisine.