D-Day

Upon departing the plane in Singapore, it was clear to me that Cass needed a hospital—and quickly. Luckily, the exit process was very smooth, and we were in a taxi in no time, headed for Changi General Hospital.

The emergency department there was honestly the most efficient of any hospital we’ve ever been to, putting Sydney to shame. Within 30 minutes of arriving, Cass had been assessed by a doctor and was awaiting results. Throughout this whole process, I was stuck with the bags… It felt like Vietnam all over again. The bags ended up in a wheelchair of their own, parked next to Cass, making it easy to keep an eye on both as neither of them could go anywhere.

Poor Cass was in a lot of pain while waiting for results, still experiencing the same symptoms as before—she couldn’t catch a break. As time went on, nothing changed despite receiving medical care. The doctor decided it was time to admit her. This process took a while, but around 10:00pm (we arrived in Singapore at 3:00pm), she had been wheeled to her bed, where she would stay for the entire duration of our time here: 4 days. I left shortly before to check into our accommodation, grab a bite to eat, and sort out my day for tomorrow.

Day Two

After a good night’s sleep, I woke up refreshed and made my way to the Botanical Gardens via the metro. Upon arrival, it was clear that Singapore is in a league of its own when it comes to cleanliness—you were lucky to see a dead leaf under a tree! The gardens were beautiful and in pristine condition. Charming cafés lined the grounds, making it the perfect spot for breakfast. I enjoyed my favourite: Eggs Benedict with salmon (the kind of luxury you can afford when only one person is paying). After walking off breakfast, I explored a bit more, taking pictures so I could show Cass where my morning adventure had taken me.

The time finally came for me to visit Cass (Singapore’s visiting hours are limited). It was nice to see her again, this time slightly healthier and dressed in pink pyjamas—the standard in Singapore hospitals. I got the update, and vice versa, and it was good to see that the antibiotics were working, but only time would tell how effective they’d be. Unfortunately, two hours had passed, and my visiting time was up. I hopped back on the metro and headed to Marina Bay Link Mall. I had planned to visit the ArtScience Museum, but sadly, it was closed. So, what does one do, you might ask? The Singapore Casino! It was grand, so I did a couple of laps, took some pictures, and found my spot at a roulette table. Good news—I doubled my money and headed back to the hospital to show Cass the wad of cash I now had (a whopping $10 more). She wasn’t as excited as I anticipated, probably because she was still stuck in the hospital. Not much had changed from the morning—a few more blood samples were taken, but she was still on an IV drip. We had seen the doctor together, which was good, and after our conversation, he seemed hopeful that Cass would improve quickly. However, it was evident she wasn’t getting out that day or the next.

Dinner time was near, so I headed to Maxwell Hawker Centre. Hawker Centres like these are UNESCO World Heritage sites, recognised in the list of “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.” Here, you’ll find cheap, authentic dishes to enjoy, and that’s exactly what I did. Barely eating the whole day, I was still hungry, so I visited another food market afterwards called Satay Street. This open-air, alfresco dining spot comes to life every night, closing down the street for people to enjoy a taste of Singapore. I went for the traditional satay chicken skewers with a beer—it was delicious. After making my way back, I had forged a plan for the morning to visit the famous Gardens by the Bay.

Day Three

The sun was up, and so was I as made my way to the astonishing gardens. After pre-purchasing my tickets late the previous night, I skipped the queues and found myself in the Flower Dome. This place was incredible, displaying flowers from all around the globe, with informative plaques detailing the flora. I spent about an hour here, roaming and reading while FaceTiming Cass to give her a sneak peek.

Next stop: Cloud Forest. This place is a marvel of both nature and architecture. The cool, moist environment mimics tropical mountains and is home to one of the world’s tallest indoor waterfalls, soaring over 30 metres high. It’s home to a diverse array of plant varieties, showcasing the true diversity among flora. It was one of my favourite stops to date—you could spend hours exploring here and still not see it all! A must-visit for anyone travelling to Singapore. Before I headed back to the hospital, I had to check out the towering ‘Supertrees.’ These are works of art, and I knew I had to return for the light show in the evening.

Arriving late to Cass, I decided to ignore the visiting times and overstay my welcome. I gave Cass the rundown, and vice versa—we were getting pretty good at this by now. We even played cards this time, though I don’t think I won a single hand the entire time! It was nice to spend a decent amount of time with Cass, as I could tell she was well and truly over her hospital stay. I don’t blame her, as this was the second time she had been sick on holiday, and she had been alone for a long time. Things were starting to heat up as we were scheduled to leave Singapore the next day and were still waiting for the blood cultures to come back negative. We weren’t going to miss another flight! Time was ticking.

As the night progressed, it was time for me to leave and head back to the Gardens by the Bay, but not before a quick stop at the markets to search for a painting. Before I knew it, I was sitting, watching “Garden Rhapsody”. It was astonishing to see the Supertrees’ harmonious display of nature and light come together through opera. Another must-see in Singapore—the photos don’t do it justice.

Day Four

I awoke to messages from Cass letting me know she had packed and changed into her clothes all before 6:00am. I was shocked—she must have really wanted out! I arrived at the hospital around 8:00am, facing issues with security since visiting wasn’t allowed for another 4 hours. Luckily, my sweet-talking got me in just in time to hear from the doctor. Initially, there were a few issues that added to the ongoing stress, but good news prevailed, and we were out of the hospital by around 10:00am! The nerves settled, and we picked up additional antibiotics before heading to Terminal 4 at Changi International Airport. I was excited to explore the airport, only to realise Terminal 4 was a stand-alone structure. Disappointed, I told Cass we must come back, and of course, she agreed, having only seen the inside of the hospital!

I really enjoyed my time in Singapore (minus the hospital situation) and would love to return to explore the rest of what Singapore has to offer. The food, people, and attractions are top-tier.

Until next time, Singapore.