SINGAPORE day 6 and 7

Day 6: So after my China trip, I went to Singapore for a few days to visit some friends :)

I was looking forward to two things:

1. Catching up with Mags and Shu Lin

2. Eating durians

On the airplane I slept in an awkward position and was having issues with my neck/shoulder blade. Hui Xian picked me up from the airport at around 6:30-7am and we headed to her house. I had my own room and ensuite which I was super, super grateful for. I took a shower and got ready to go to Life BP church with Hui Xian's aunty and sister. I remember wearing a sleeveless dress and Hui Xian asking me to bring a jacket. I replied, "Do I need one??" because it was humid and hot.

Later I came to regret that decision.

Life BP Church is like the "mother" church for our BP denomination in Australia. When I entered, one of the pastors greeted me and said  he heard I was a "chili padi". I was stunned hahaha, but I guess it's a pretty good analogy. Chili padi is little but very fiery. 

Anyway with over 1000 members it was a bit overwhelming, yet also comfortable and familiar. I happen to visit during their church anniversary, so there was heaps going on. I really enjoyed my visit, the message was great, the choir was lovely and I got to talk to our previous Pastor Tan and his wife. However, halfway through the message I was absolutely freezing. It seems in Singapore they like to crank the AC to like 18-19 degrees Celsius. Transitioning between extreme hot to extreme cold really made my skin suffer. But in that pew I was absolutely freezing. Cue the regret.

After church I went out with HX's family for yumcha in Chinatown. I met some of her other extended family members and it was good. Yumcha was interesting...with like banana and prawn dimsum?? Weird combos but the normal dishes I enjoyed. I was really, really tired at this point because of my flight. I struggled to keep up with their Singlish fast paced conversations. There was one point where the girls ate something and said "this is 'shiok'" and I was like, "what? shock?" Apparently it means like "amazing" but the word can't be fully translated into English. Thus I learned that Singlish isn't just a choppy version of Western English, but a combination of other languages and phrases too.

My left shoulder blade was absolutely killing me after lunch and I couldn't relieve it in any way. In the afternoon I rested because I was so tired, but even when I rested in bed there was a sharp pain in my medial border. In short, I think I twinged a nerve which caused shooting sharp pain and consequent muscle tension. I spent the rest of the day resting and fretting if this pain would stop me from visiting Universal Studios. 

But anway, at night I went out with HX's family :) They brought me to a seafood restaurant which was amazing. They ordered sooo much, I got to eat Singaporean chili crab and lots of other things I've never tried before. I loved the pipis noodles and fresh raw fish. HX's aunty gave me a massage in the restaurant which was super nice. Her Christian love, I feelsss it! After dinner she gave me muscle relaxant medication and heat packs and by morning my shoulder and neck improved greatly.  

Day 7: Today I went adventuring by myself around Singapore. HX was actually in a crunch week with work and exams so I couldn't bother her :(

I ate breakfast with HX and her mum at a neighbourhood store. It was a hawker food store which is what I wanted to experience. I loved the teh-chino which is a sweet tea. After breakfast I went to the Botanical Gardens and met a group of Aussie ladies :) I didn't expect it, but whenever I heard Aussie English, I was immediately drawn to it and was like...my people!!

I froze when this massive lizard creature walked through the shrubs. It was doing it's own thing, but no one told me I'd encounter such a big reptile.

Then I paid to get into the National Orchid garden. It was quite pretty :) 

After that I went shopping in some famous street, I can't remember anymore because it wasn't very interesting HAHA... All the shops were pretty much the same as Australia. Jeremy was texting me all the places to go but it was hard to walk around in the heat. The air conditioning flowing through the open shop doors just pulled me straight in. Good sale tactic there. I was trying to buy some new netball shoes, but all the prices were the same as Aus, so after a while I got really bored and ate lunch. I gave up looking and then decided to go to Gardens by the Bay. 

I went into the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest conservatories, but the Supertree grove was closed that day. To be honest I just came from the natural amazing Yellow Mountains, so I didn't get very excited by this man-made conservatory. But it was still nice :) Everything was nicely laid out, but I found it weird that it was all under air conditioning.  I guess it was good, but it felt weird and clinical. 

Creeper statues: 

After that I got pretty bored and went back home. HX's maid cooked me some dinner (super thankful, but also felt weird having a maid serve me...) and I headed to Rev Jack's lecture in Beulah House :D 

I took a bus and came early. I was delighted to see Rev Jack and Aunty Angie and unexpectedly studied alongside Uncle Hean ^^ I didn't really get to fellowship with people much which was kind of sad. I wanted to like mingle and talk to people, but it seems like Singaporean culture is rather exclusive. Everyone just packed up and left (I suppose they must have been busy too), and Uncle Hean and I caught the train home.