The Travels of a Homebody: Trip #2 - Singapore [Part 1]

The story began when my Aunt Cirila wanted to pursue one of her big dreams for her family: to make her siblings experience a better life like hers. Just to give a short background about Aunt Cirila, she is currently residing in the USA ever since she got married to Uncle Paul two decades ago. Being the kind sister that she is, she has always been generous and would always find a way to share her wealth with her younger brothers and sisters. One day, she decided to save money to buy plane tickets and hotel reservations for the seven of them. Last March 2019, her dream came true!

Of course, their short vacation to Singapore would never be fun without their most favorite nephews and niece! Hahaha, just kidding. Together with my cousins Junell and Lyka, I was too fortunate to be chosen by my Aunt Cirila to be included in the free plane ticket + accommodation trip to Singapore. A portion of my travel expenses was shouldered by me since I am already a "partially" working adult at that time (as of March 2019, I was still doing my master's thesis but still having some side hustles). Still, everything was almost free! I just need to exist, entertain them like what I always do when I'm with them, and assist them in tasks that would require a conversation with a foreigner. I would like to tell this in advance but unfortunately, I really cannot share the breakdown of my trip expenses because I have no idea about the actual cost of our tickets, hotels, etc. So lucky, right?

Since this is my first time to travel outside the Philippines, I'd like to start my blog with my firsthand experience in Mactan-Cebu International Airport Terminal 2, followed by the tiny details of our first night in Singapore.

As far as I can remember, the whole Sarte clan was super excited to the point that we went to the Terminal 2 three hours earlier than the scheduled check-in time. Although being early in situations like this is a good thing, the new Mactan-Cebu International Airport was not really that accommodating enough to their passengers; only a few seats were allotted for passengers in the entrance. I think the waiting area was designed for those who are scheduled to have their check-in without waiting any longer for the immigration area to open. By the time that we arrived, check-in counters for flights bound to Singapore were still closed. Our flight was scheduled around 7 or 8 pm in the evening, so we went there a little hungry, craving for a bottle of sweet iced tea and any snack that can quench our not-so-serious hunger.

As I entered the newly-built Terminal 2, I was amazed by its architecture that is surely inspired by the Philippine heritage and culture. I like how it stands out with respect to the typical designs of airports. As usual, Koreans and Japanese tourists comprise the majority of the entering tourists who are about to depart from the Philippines like us. We took the free time to roam around the place and take some photos to document the whole experience.

I wasn't able to document my experience as I entered the Immigration area mainly because we were not allowed to take photos while going through the whole process. It was somehow a nerve-wracking experience for all of us because my cousin Junell was barred to go through the Immigration because of some issues regarding his travel documents. Fortunately, everything went fine after several minutes of scrutiny. After several hours, we were able to finish the necessary protocols and got a couple of seats in the departure area. We also passed by the Duty Free section of Terminal 2, wherein they designed it to entice the customers to buy while walking. Unfortunately, I'm not the customer they are looking for, although I appreciate the view.

_{You get to walk along this aisle while making use of the time to buy or window shop some Duty Free items.}


It was almost evening at that time and so we decided to take our early dinner in a fast-food restaurant. As expected, the food in the departure area is somehow pricey. Thanks to Aunt Cirila, she saved our hungry tummies!

_{Early dinner with the Sarte Clan and Aunt Girlie}

---

EXPERIENCING MY FIRST INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT_{The Things I Did During My Three-Hour Flight to Singapore}

---

_{I am expecting a full three-hour flight to be boring and unproductive, so I decided to bring one of my books which I bought a month ago before we traveled to Singapore.}


It was also my first time to undergo some protocols before entering another country. There were some forms that we need to fill in before we reach the Singapore Immigration at Changi International Airport. We need to be familiar with all the details regarding our stay (hotel accommodation, how many days we will stay in Singapore, etc.) because we might be interviewed.

_{The whole plane's lights were turned off to help the majority of the passengers to sleep well. I'm glad that there are mini-lights per row to accommodate those passengers who also wanted to have a brighter area for doing stuff like reading.}


My Aunt Cirila was super kind to give me a green tea on the plane for free. I do not have any plans of buying anything on the place because I know it's too pricey and I think I can still hold the hunger (I ate dinner a few hours ago though), but Aunt Cirila is again thoughtful enough that I might need the green tea while reading. I think I'm a spoiled nephew (Isn't it obvious, Jay?!).


We arrived in Singapore around 30 minutes after 11 pm. The whole clan was so excited to reach the hotel and go to bed. As expected, they cannot really push themselves that hard when it comes to being hyperactive despite the tired state. Junell, Lyka and I were so excited to make use of the remaining energy that we have to tour around the streets near our hotel.

---

TOUCHDOWN SINGAPORE: THEIR AMAZING AIRPORT AND OUR 4-STAR HOTEL RESERVATION_{The Changi Airport and Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre}

---

_{By scanning your passport, a WiFi password is generated for you to contact anyone or download necessary apps for you to easily navigate any places in Singapore. I hope the Philippines will have this kind of option as well soon.}

_{Outside the Changi International Airport. I still find the whole place the best in terms of how it is maintained.}

_{A took a shot of the logo of the hotel. My cousin Junell did his pose for Instagram under the hotel's stunning chandelier.}

_{The only decent pictures I got in our hotel room.}

_{My budget for the whole trip. I forgot if I consumed all of my pocket money for the two days.}

---

THE ORCHARD ROAD AT NIGHT_{Strolling The Silent Streets of Singapore's Famous Shopping Haven}

---

_{This is the only picture I was able to take inside the 7-Eleven in Singapore. The cashier warned me not to take photos inside the store.}

_{Despite the silent atmosphere, majority of the alleys nearby Orchard Road are well-lit and still full of young people having a good time.}

_{The silent roads and alleys were well-lit. We felt safe while walking around the area. I find it so hard to look for a trash around the place.}

_{I got hungry again so I bought a hot cup of noodles. I ate the whole thing while walking around.}

_{I find these locations very Instagrammable even at this hour.}

_{We used this map to guide ourselves back to the hotel. We were somehow lost!}

_{Craving for this food! Too bad I'm on a tight budget. There's still tomorrow though.}

_{So we were back again from our original spot!}

---

---

About the Author