Saturday 29 September 2012.
Highlights: Jurong Bird Park, Listening to AFL Grand Final, Meeting new tour group.

Today’s schedule should see at visit to Jurong Bird Park, AFL Grand Final (on Internet radio), checking out the shops, moving hotels and finally meeting my G Adventure tour group.

Getting up earlier today at 6.45 am to give me enough time for buffet breakfast and checkout before the 8 am pickup. Weather looked like it might rain but luck held again. Today’s activity had only 8 people, reviews said morning session is better for smaller crowds and that seemed to be the way.

Basically we had time for a ram ride around the park, stopping twice once for Australian bird enclosure, I know I came to Singapore to see Australian birds, and to visit the man made waterfall. Once again extremely humid, not sure I could live in this climate. One of the birds landed on me via my daypack and hitched a ride for a few minutes.

We then watch the Birds of Prey show, falcons, hawks, bald eagles etc very cool to watch them hunt. Next I got to watch penguin feeding, later in this trip I’ll hoping see in Antarctica. Finally we went to the Birds n Buddies show. Magnificent creatures really. Watching the birds fly low and just above your head causes some bird like reactions from me i.e. meaning a chicken!

Back to the Bayview Hotel to listen to AFL Grand Final using wifi in hotel that I’ve actually left, cheeky I know. I left at half time to transfer to the more basic hotel across the road. Check in wasn’t allowed until 2 pm local time and I had to pay $12 SGD for 24 hour wifi access but it was worth it to hear a great grand final and Sydney’s win.

I set off to visit some shopping malls. They were very easy to locate but I didn’t find them anything special.

The moment arrived to meet my fellow travellers at 6 pm. There are 12 other travellers including Sarah, Chloe, Lydia, Kirsty, Laurence, Maria, Catherine, Yasmin and Sophie. There are three guys, including me and ten women. Our Tour Leader is Cat Thongnigh. We went out for dinner and then walked around Singapore city visiting the Fountain of Wealth and then the Marina area which gave us a view of the hotel with a ship built across three towers, and a giant merlion. You can see wealth in this area.

I think the group will get on well. A good mix of people and ages and I’m not the oldest (thank god I’m not ready for that just yet). I got to chat with most of the group and they had interesting stories. Tomorrow the tour starts with our first full day as we leave Singapore for Malaysia.

South East Asia Facebook Photos (Part 1)