The Butterfly Garden
After our outing to Changi Museum and Chapel, we got back to the Crowne Plaza for another welcome rest, and a good dinner at the Allora Restaurant; I had three courses: cauliflower soup, chicken and ice cream. I had never had cauliflower soup before, and found it delicious; Wendy said it is something she is going to make when we get home, it's easy enough to do!
Before we left home, Wendy had been worried about my complete lack of interest in food that could in any way be considered "fancy" - i.e., spicy, accompanied by sauces, etc. - in other words, anything that has been "messed or mucked about." Anything that is not very simple, and not and very, very plain does not feature high on what I like to eat, and she wondered how on earth I'd get on in Singapore, with such a diverse choice of food, including Indian, Chinese and other exotic cuisine - none of which appeals to me. I'm definitely not a gourmet, and advertisements for holidays singing the praises of all the amazing dishes served up by famous chefs leave me cold. I am very happy if, like Paddington Bear, I can have a jam sandwich - that will do nicely! - and a Mars bar; I sha'n't starve. Of course I eat more at home, when I can choose to cook what I like, but for a few days on holiday, I am not going to get stressed out about anything like that.
And then, here we were in the Allora Restaurant, with three dishes on the menu that suited me perfectly; how lovely! Wendy was amazed - and relieved.
We also had a couple of rides of the skytrains between terminals; they are so efficient, air conditioned, and as they are fully automated, no drivers to block the view if passengers want to stand up at the front, with a fine view through the wide windows! Wendy and I did, and it was another rail experience to add to our list.
A view from Changi Airport
The train is on its way!
(Photographs taken as we were looking out from the front of the carriage)
As we had a little while to wait before our flight was called, we thought we would have another quick look at the Butterfly Garden - although, because it was night time, it would be the moths flying around, rather than butterflies - but we like moths, too! so that was alright.
The Butterfly Garden at Night
Now comes a confession: I have no sense of direction, and I can get lost in and from the daftest places on the planet; I always joke that I was "left hiding behind the door when navigation bumps were handed out," so you definitely don't want to pick me as your navigator on the Dakar Rally. Although I try very hard to get memorable landmarks/places/shops in my head, I realised a long time ago that I may have many talents, but orienteering is definitely not one of them.
So there we were: a quick look round the Butterfly/Moth Garden, then back on to the main corridor, before finding our way to the Departure Lounge, when I saw the sign for a Ladies' Powder Room. "Ah!" I said, "I'll just pop in there and make sure I'm comfortable before we board the aircraft."
"Good idea," said Wendy; she went first, whilst I stayed outside with our cabin bags.
I followed her, and then went back to the exit to join Wendy. But, dear reader, I walked through the wrong exit. I went out of the door on the opposite side that I had gone in to the Ladies in the first place. That way, disaster lies.
I looked for Wendy, whom I had left outside the Butterfly Garden standing guard over our luggage, but oh, my goodness, there was no Wendy, and no Butterfly Garden to be seen.
I did not panic. I realised I must have made a silly mistake, and asked a staff member how I could get back to the Butterfly Garden; that is when things really got complicated. They said I would have to go up an escalator to get there, but I knew I hadn't gone down any escalator in the first place, so that could not be right! A second lady said she would show me, but then led me all the way down to a kiosk with Airport Assistants on duty; by now, some 20 minutes or so had elapsed, and I knew Wendy would be getting concerned about me; and we had a plane to catch.
At long last, I saw an area where I could go round the end of the central part of the corridor I'd been on, and then walk back, all the way to where I could at last see a sign for the Butterfly Garden - and where Wendy, bless her, was waiting patiently for me.
Whilst I had been on this totally unwanted adventure, Wendy had gone back to the Ladies, and asked the cleaner if she had seen me? "Oh, yes," this lady replied, and in classic B Western movie mode, said something like "She went thataway!"
Wendy must have had some faith in my ability to find my way back, so she stayed put, keeping hold of our bags, and her sanity, until I reappeared.
We agreed we had both had enough of the Butterfly Garden. If we go again, it will be a daylight visit, when we're not tired, not facing a flight to Brisbane, and we'll stick together.
And the moral of the story is: Always take a mobile phone with you when you visit the Ladies' Loo!
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