The last day of our short stay in Singapore – we are catch the 21:05 flight to New Zealand via Brisbane. We start the day in Chinatown. Emerging from the MRT station into Pagoda Street we are immediately assaulted by the vivid red of the Chinese New Year decorations and a street lined with souvenir stalls occasionally interspersed with electronics shops. But just round the corner is the beautiful entrance to the Mariamman Hindu Temple and a few steps further on we enter the Jamae Chulia Mosque. Donning a cover-up gown thoughtfully provided to ensure the modesty of visitors, we wander round this very simple and unadorned mosque. On the way out are detained by an American convert who is very loquacious and rather too intense in his advocacy of Islam. We eventually extract ourselves from his well-meaning if knowledgeable conversation and have lunch in a local food court. We have enough time to take the MRT to Raffles Place in the heart of the financial district to tour the historical Civic District , walk along the Singapore River and take in the grandeur of the British colonial architecture of the Asian Civilization Museum, The Arts House at the Old Parliament, the Old Supreme Court, the magnificent Fullerton Hotel and the evocative Raffles Hotel where a Singapore Sling can be enjoyed for a mere S$23 (£11.50 at the current Sterling exchange rate). All of which sit alongside the modern and contemporary skyscrapers.
Late afternoon we head off to the airport only half-an-hour on the MRT. After check-in we have a couple of hours to kill in the airport. Unusually, security checks take place at the gate and it’s not possible to take duty free or even water in hand luggage. The airport is a huge shopping mall and there is hardly any seating for travellers unless they want to spend money in the over-priced cafes and restaurants. It could be hell here if flights are delayed but fortunately we board on time and take off is only 15 minutes late. Next stop Brisbane.