Old friends and new Friends

  Singapore, Singapore Sunday, March 8, 2015

When we had made the decision to go to Singapore, Jody immediately thought of her old work colleague James, from back in the good old Hopkinson Catering days. James and his wife now live in Singapore had recently been in touch regarding trying to meet up in Thailand but with 2 very young children and a busy work life they were struggling to find the time to come out to us. So it seemed sensible to try and meet up with them there instead. James agreed and we arranged to meet Saturday afternoon as they had a children's party to go to at lunch time - oh how your lives have changed eh? So on Friday afternoon we took our flight from Jakarta to Changi Airport, Singapore. We landed at 11:05pm so it was very late. As we made our way from one stage to the next through immigration, the toilets, baggage reclaim, the exit, the lifts - literally everywhere we went we saw this young couple. You know how it is sometimes at airports. There is always the same people but you don't think anything of it. Well they followed us to the MRT too (that's the underground type train to the city). When we got there the ticket machine would not accept $50 notes and guess what. Yep the ATM had only dispensed $50 notes. As it was now approaching midnight the manned ticket office was also closed. This young couple were in the same predicament as us and then we noticed we had also missed the last train anyway. So with the 4 of us standing on an empty platform like plonkers, we got chatting and agreed we would share a cab to the city together. As it also turned out, they were booked into a hotel just a hop, skip and a jump from us in the centre so it all worked out perfectly. We got chatting to them in the taxi and it turns out they were French and she was working in the Embassy in Kuala Lumpur and were just here for a weekend. She was very giggly and chatty - not the usual stereotype for an Embassy employee at all. She was lovely. Anyway, we dropped them off first and said goodbye, then we got to our hotel. We had booked this first night here as we were arriving so late and James actually lives on the opposite side of the city from the airport and it was far too late to land on them. The hotel was grim! We only booked this one as our friends Kiki & Per had recommended it as they stayed here too when they were here. I can only assume this was their last room left and they normally only book it out when they absolutely have to as you did not want to walk barefoot in there we can tell you!Still the bed was clean and comfy and it didnt take us long to fall asleep. The next day we awoke in Singapore!!! Sometimes we still have those pinch me moments. We had woken up late so lunch was more fitting and as we were close to a small street restaurant, we stopped and had an Indian dosa and some roti. Wonderful! We reminisced as we walked though the streets to the Arab Quarter. We saw the Gotham City tower which houses the Mongolian Embassy we visited last time. We found Sleepy Sams where we had stayed before but it has been sold and is now called the Kiwi something or another. A New Zealander we assume. Apart from that (and the fact that the huge mosque at the end of the street now has a giant tarpaulin over it) nothing has changed. Bryan got his haircut again but there was not trip to Raffles for us this time  :-( We jumped in a taxi and went to see James and Jess. It was a really strange sensation for Jody seeing them again. To be honest although James and Jody worked together and and got along, they hadn't got to know each other that well at the time. Jess was his girlfriend back then too and always went along to the nights out but beyond hello, Jody can't actually remember ever really having a proper conversation with her back then. Of course Bryan had never met either of them before anyway. It was therefore extremely kind of them to offer us a room for a couple of nights. But Jody had no doubts we would all get along. So when the door opened at their apartment it was weird for a few seconds then natter natter natter as if we had all known each other for years! It was great. We settled ourselves in and admired his beautiful apartment, his cute children Tj and Emma, and his grumpy cat Piski. We met Rachel their home helper who lives with them too and we admired the way they have really got their life together here. Sorted! We had a fabulous meal out that first night at a local restaurant. It was Italian and brilliant food. They do lots of small plates and we were enjoying them so much we didn't actually make it to mains. James also owns the Jolly Roger pub near where he lives. So of course we had to pop in on the way home. Gosh don't we know all the best people!!! All in all great food and great company too - a great night out. At their apartment they also have a pool. WOW! It must feel like being on holiday every day living here! So the next morning we spent some time making full use of it. Bryan put his swimming teacher training to use to give TJ his first lesson. Bryan seems to have a real knack with the small ones - probably because he is a big kid himself! We had taken all the kids toys with us too but get who ended up playing with them the most - yes James and Bryan! Say no more! It had obviously been all too much for the kids as they went back upstairs for an afternoon nap. Well three of them did anyway. Jess made a fabulous lunch and then the rest of us had a bit of a lie down. Their friends Clare and Phil turned up later and it was all off to the Jolly Roger again :-) Its fair to say we spent a bit of time there enjoying his hospitality. It was very lively and the beer kept flowing. Great fun. It was only two days we got to spend with James and Jess unfortunately. We had all got along great and it was a shame the time flew so fast. But they had busy lives to get back to and we had planes to catch. Bryan was off home to England for two weeks and Jody was taking herself to Thailand to wait it out and find us somewhere to live on Koh Tao. James, Jess and the children are most definitely invited over to join us so we can repay some of that hospitality. Just say the word James and the spare bed will be ready for you (if you book it in quick as it seems everyone wants to join us!) And our thanks again to both of you. We really really enjoyed our time with you xx [gallery columns="4" ids="6848,6850,6853,6859,6863,6872,6878,6880,6884,6889,6894,6896,6902,6905,6909,6913,6917,6926,6933"]