t-party, singapore style: part one

Post about my Singapore trip with my friends waaaay long overdue. I'm afraid I can't write this post with as much passion and excitement had I written it just a few days after arriving in Manila. But you see, real life problems needed to be addressed. Orders done and delivered. Phone wires replaced and busted bathroom light fixed. I will try to retell this wonderful experience in the most accurate and vivid way I can.

Airports make me sad

As no one was available to bring me to the airport, I had to take a cab. In fernez, hinatid naman ako hanggang Eastwood. Success sa first try. For 350 kiaw. I'm not really fond of taking cabs cos I think they're a waste of my hard-earned money (cos taking the FX and the light rail transit are much cheaper alternatives), so I don't know if 350 from Eastwood to the airport is too much or a steal. All I know is if I made someone bring me to the airport, I'd have to fill the car up with at least P500. In less than an hour, I was already at Terminal 3. It was only 4pm. Our flight was at 8:30 in the evening. Better safe than sorry, diba?

Juno arrived a little later. We waited to have our baggages checked in. I wonder why we had to pay a travel tax of 1,620. What is it for? Why don't they let us pay travel taxes abroad? Tapos may terminal fee pa na P550? Di ka pa nga nakakaalis, may gastos ka na. 

After checking in our bags, we had "dinner" at Kopi Roti. I ordered my usual which in your regular Kopi Roti cafes would only cost P115, but at the airport, they're P50 more expensive. Oh well. Still enjoyed my kopi bun with soft-boiled eggs and homemade iced tea :) at may star sighting pa!

The plane left right on schedule. We arrived Singapore just a few minutes shy of September 28. Xmas was already there waiting for us at the Arrivals gate. A nice lady handed me a free bottled water. It was a good thing I took it because 1) bottled water is expensive in Singapore (well, EVERYTHING IS MORE EXPENSIVE IN SINGAPORE) and 2) that would be the last thing I'd get for free in SG).

First impressions last

touchdown

I've heard many stories about the efficiency of SG's transport system and by the time I stepped foot outside the airport, I was already impressed. Inside their taxis were small screens where you can see information about the driver and how many kilometers you have already traveled. They issue receipts and you can pay using your credit card! Cool, huh? 

Xmas's place was around an hour away from the airport. Mega chika which went on until 3 am. We didn't want to stop just yet but we had to get a decent shut eye since it's Universal Day tomorrow!

Day 1: Universal Studios, here we come!

Coming up with captions is not my strong suit so forgive me and my sorry attempt at captioning.

Woke up a little later than we had planned. It was a good thing Ama Jo's flight was delayed which bought us more time. Xmas needed to make a stop. Juno and I waited for her outside, where I saw birds! And mind you, they weren't teeny tiny maya-sized birds ha. They were the size of pigeons~ all over the city! 

the grass is always greener on the other side

A quick bite before heading off to Universal. 

if i were to put up a laksa restaurant, i'd name it maricel's laksa. sige na, tawa naman jan

Choices were this and if I remember it correctly, Burger King ata yun... we chose this because it's nice to try new restaurants, most especially if one is outside the country. Right before I went on this SG trip, my cousin cooked laksa at home and albeit the spiciness, I found it very delicious. And so I had high expectations for this laksa because laksa is one of their signature dishes.  Pero laos ang laksa na nakain ko. Mas masarap ang laksa ni Dodoy. 

We took the LRT going to the connecting train at Vivo City, going to Sentosa. Love at first sakay ako sa LRT/MRT system nila <3 10am="10am" a="a" ahead="ahead" around="around" arrived="arrived" at="at" bit="bit" div="div" finally="finally" jo.="jo." just="just" little="little" nbsp="nbsp" of="of" studios="studios" the="the" universal="universal">

eh nasa MOA lang pala tayo!

Can't wait to ride all the rides! Whoopdeedoo :D For the price we paid, I vowed that I shall try all the rides at least once. Haha. 

There were a lot of people considering it is a Friday. I guess most were also tourists. But being that there was no point of comparison, I guess I can't really say if marami na talaga yun. In fair, waiting time per ride was pretty manageable. 

story of my life. 

The first one we tried was Lights Camera Action hosted by Steven Spielberg. It's not really a ride but it shows you what really happens behind the scenes, how they blow up buildings, concoct category 5 storms and obliterate New York City. It was really fun and entertaining.

Next was lunch at Loui's Pizza. Obviously, we had a pizza. A humongous one.

but i'd choose quality over quantity any frickin' time

Apparently, I don't have to go to New York anymore because I've been there already. At least, in the fake one. Haha.

rockefeller plaza oh! 'di ba bonggels??

We were also right on time for the Rockafellas show on 5th Avenue. Sabi nila the group is comprised mostly of members of a Filipino dance group popular in the 90s but I can't see any familiar faces, si Spencer Reyes lang ata kilala ko dun eh, haha.

in fair, magaling sila

We did the 3D Transformers, The Mummy and the Jurassic Park rides. I was in luck because the Transformers ride opened just December last year and my friends who've been there before have never tried it either. The Transformers ride was one of the best in the park that we actually came back for another go after finishing all the rides. The Mummy was the most scary, in my opinion. It was a roller coaster-ish ride, only it is in the dark. As in I was screaming my lungs out because I was so scared. I guess it was the uncertainty of it all, because you don't know if you're going up or plunging down. I was still shaken from the Mummy ride when we went on the Jurassic Park boat ride. Pare, paikot-ikot yung salbabida, mas lalo akong nahilo. It was nothing extraordinary. I guess little kids would enjoy this more.

magkano kaya charge nito sa pedi?

Next was the Shrek 4D Adventure in Far Far Away.

Really enjoyed this one, too! I was wearing shorts so mas feel ko yung creepy crawlies :P After the 4D theater, we watched Donkey Live! Donkey's really funny. Bentang-benta. Pwede na ipalit kay Jojo A: All the Way.

Waterworld was next. It was okay. Ang galing lang ni Ms. Bida sa kanyang fight scenes. Si Cynthia Luster lang ang peg. Maybe I could've enjoyed it more if we were seated nearer the stage but I don't think I'd want to go home dripping wet.

waiting for the show to start

bonggels lang talaga ang effects

And last but definitely, not the the least~ Battlestar Galactica! We really saved the best for last. Although only Xmas and I went on this one. After Mummy, I was really hesitant to try this cos I was thinking kung feeling ko titigil na puso ko sa Mummy pa lang, what more on this one? But after words of encouragement from Xmas and the thought that "I'm already here, might as well do it," I gave it a go.

paano na? bawal pala sa rides ang prone to giddiness?!?

I survived Battlestar Galactica!!! Yung Human nga lang :D I definitely am too chicken for Cylon. Maybe next time. Actually, mas natakot pa ako sa Mummy than on this one. Maybe because you could see what's ahead of you and you could actually prepare for it~ whether you'll hold your breath or bwelo na sa sigaw. I'm so proud of myself for not chickening out on this roller coaster ride as I've done with the other theme parks I've been to.

We finished Universal around 8 in the evening already. I forgot to mention that the sun sets much later in Singapore than in Manila kaya nakakaloko ang oras doon. We were tired and famished so we decided to eat first before heading back to the airport to get Jo's things.

1. Din Tai Fung; 2. Kim Tak Gu, isdatchu?; 3. xiao long bao

Dinner at Din Tai Fung. Yummy food but I'm loyal to hakao. I think we also ordered hakao but of course ang star of the night ay ang xiao long bao. Already tried xiao long bao here at Shi Lin and even then, di ako masyado fan. I get really frustrated when in the process of getting your xiao long bao, you rupture the wrap and the sabaw spills. 

Train back to the airport. Exhausted. As in we were sleeping in the train. Nakanganga pa! I guess wala na ako sa kamalayan ko na nakalimutan ko pa kung nasaan ko nailagay yung LRT pass ko. I was in mega panic mode already, buti na lang nasa plastic bag lang ni Jo. Giddiness galore nung makita ko na yung bahay ni Xmas. 

what we called home for five days, thanks to lola xmas ☺

And that's only Day 1. 

To be continued...