Singapore, Singapore
I timed my arrival in Singapore so that I would arrive in the morning, have the whole day to explore, and return for my midnite flight home, thus avoiding the need of any expensive hotel. I had planned on visiting places I hadnt seen last time in 2008 such as biking on a large island near the airport and visiting a bird sanctuary.
Even though I hadnt cleared immigration they made me go thru a security scanner. I asked what for as we were just arrivals. They said it was airport policy yet I didnt have to do it when I had just arrived a week earlier. I even tried to show him my passport stamp from a week ago but it was no point arguing if those were the rules in this terminal.
I then went to the transfers counter to get my Singapore Airlines flight boarding card for tonite. So in theory I didnt have to leave the airport and could just sit here all day.
After landing a massive rainstorm hit spoiling my two outdoor plans. I spent some time in the airport which had free internet writing all my trip advisor reviews.
I wandered around the airport, found some restaurants, and a movie theatre but felt I didnt come here to sit in a terminal for 12 hours and wanted to go exploring rain or not. The rain had died down so it should be ok
I tried telling the immigration guy I was going for 12 hours and would come back by 10pm for my midnite flight. Looking at my boarding card which said boarding 11pm on Aug 15 he thought the flight was the next day on the 16th so I would need a hotel tonite. This was confusing both of us as my flight was on the 15th as the boarding card said but boarding time was 11pm on the 14th today.
I then went to the metro station to try to get downtown. Last time in 2008 I remember using a top up card which I cashed out at the airport when I left. Now they have a new system where you buy trip cards.
I had 2 x 10 bills and 4 x 1 bills and needed this to last me for the day. The train ticket to downtown was $2SGD ($1.60). However the machine wanted $2.10 as it wanted a .10 cent deposit for the card. I didnt have any change and couldnt put a $10 bill in as it only wanted $1 notes
This was really awkward for people that have just arrived and dont have any change. I managed the break a $10 note in the ticket office and paid with 3x$1 bills. Also it does not refund the .10 until you had made three trips. I only needed one trip downtown and back and could walk inbetween.
I made my way first to Lavender Station to start off in the Arab Quarter. I'd already did this route in 2008 so I felt like I was just retracing my steps. After making it to the Sultan Mosque I looked for some food which was cheaper than at the airport.
I was going to opt for some cheap noodle or rice dish but changed at the last minute when I was in the restaurant. They had something called Murtabak with looks like a Turkish Pide or pizza dough with toppings. It came in four choices, mutton, beef, chicken, and sardine.
I saw large eaten platters on other tables and was told it comes in small/medium/large for $6/$7/$8SGD respectively. The sizes looked too big for just me so I ordered a small.
It was served with a plate of curry sauce and looked like a wrapped pancake. It was actually a layered paratha filled with rows of mince, onion, and scrambled egg. It was quite filling and actually not that difficult to make and felt like an Indian equivalent to lasagna.
The restaurant Zam Zam (named after the holy water found in Mecca) is easy to find across from the Sultan Mosque on Arab St and has its own facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Singapore-Zam-Zam-Restaurant/172552576089680
This was something I had never seen, tried, or heard of on my last visit so worth leaving the airport for
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2025-05-22