On to countries with better roads...Singapore first
Priya Ramani -
Friday, April 11, 2008 11:46 AM
Turns out we misread the ticket. We're leaving Saturday night, not Sunday. Also, I told cousin in Vancouver that we would be there between April 12 and 19. We're only there by May 12. Anyway.
Have moved house. Have celebrated brother's birthday, taken team out to lunch, said bye to most friends. Have packed (except for medicines; my in laws sent a huge list of pills I've never ever popped). Passports are back in town, with all visas--I hope they haven't spelt the husband's name wrong on any of our nine or so visas (h-a-l-a-r-n-k-a-r is a tricky one). He's excited about the trip. We were driving out of Bandra yesterday and said: "They're digging up another recently concreted road. Unbelievable. Can't wait to go to countries with better roads." I told him what I always do. He should have been India's roadworks CEO.
Our first stop is Singapore. The second most popular destination for Indian travellers, according to the Kuoni Travel Report 2007. Another report, released by Travelocity said that Singapore was the "most frequented hotel destination by Indian travellers booking hotels online" in the third quarter of 2007. Then again, the Mumbai edition of the Hindustan Times said on April 9 that a group of 140 Gujarati-Jain neighbours from the suburb of Ghatkopar are setting out to conquer Alaska.
Singapore has never topped my list of places to visit for all the usual cliched reasons--I don't like sterile places, I don't have kids that want to go to Jurong Bird Park and I don't eat meat/seafood. I think I'll try to catch My Blueberry Nights, the Wong Kar Wai film starring Norah Jones.
Okay, I need to complete those evaluation forms now.