22.04 - Day 25 - Singapore
Wednesday 22nd April
Singapore
Temperature Min 25, Max 33
18,318 steps
When Sienna had decided on Wink Hostel we had forgone another place that had its own swimming pool but was in a less good location. So we agreed we’d seek out a good pool for a half day by way of compensation. But before we head straight there we head, with only a small detour, back to PInnacle @ Duxton as there’s definitely been no thunder this morning that would cause the rooftop walkways to be closed.
After paying our S$6 we ascend to level 26 where the walkway doubles as a running track 530m in length. It is shaped in a very uneven dumbbell, looping around buildings A and G. But the main event is level 50, we first look over the water by Sentosa Island where we will perhaps head tomorrow and on this side of the island the shipping container port, lorries being loaded with Lego-looking sized containers and stevedors at work.
Each bridge between the 7 buildings has a “theme”, from Lounge to Cottage to Beach (some differing shades of blue rubber floor) to Rocky - the kids favourite as it contains 6 boulders with climbing handles.
The view shows an impressive variation of high rise design and the keeping of Chinatown is clearly evident in the rough triangle shape or 2/3 storey shops and houses.
After descending we load up at the same ground floor bakery with a mix of savoury and sweet baked goods. Downhill to the MRT riding to Sengkang and a 15 minute covered walkway walk to Sengkang Swimming Complex.
As soon as the kids see it there’s some squealing. There’s a 50m outdoor pool, an indoor/outdoor 50m pool, a leaf shaped jacuzzi, a 10m by 10m training pool, a 50cm deep kids pool with 2 small slides, fountain and tipping water bucket and not forgetting 5 slides; the main drawcard. For the princely sum of S$2.
Apart from an aqua-aerobics class, there’s less than 20 people here. In the whole time we’re there we only see 4 other people use the slides which is of course where we spend a large chunk of our time. They’re only short slides, up to 80m, but when there’s never a queue its good fun to go up time and time again, especially on Rainbow Dash, a straight slide all 3 of us can race on at once.
Apart from running, jumping, swimming and sliding there’s not much more to it. We stop occasionally for food and ice-cream from a vending machine. There are many loud thunders of airforce jets buzzing overhead - we’d seen a couple yesterday but it's much more numerous today.
In the end, after 3 hours, the only thing that can get the kids out is real thunder which causes all the pools to emptied, the school swim lessons that have started resorting to miming the swim actions stood by the side of the pool. The blow of being ejected is softened by some MacDonalds on the way back for Sienna and Seb, while I grab a plate of noodles separately at the metro station.
After proper showers back at Wink and some rest, we walk out at 7:30pm and go to see the Merlion down at the bay waterfront. This 20 foot tall lion-cross-mermaid spouts water into the bay - on the far side there is the Marina Bay complex lit up with a light and water show at 8:00pm. We’re a bit too far away but can see enough to get the sentiment. After a few photos by the water, it's time to stroll on back to Wink.
