Singapore might have changed a lot from what it was during my childhood days, but there are still lots of interesting places to visit and things to see (not to mention food to eat!), though not necessarily all preserved to how they used to be when I was little.
The heat and humidity are a huge deterrent, though, making it very daunting to step outside into the giant hot pool called the outdoors.
A British geologist described his first arrival in Singapore in 1969 or 1970 to work there: “When the doors of the plane opened to let us walk down the airstairs, I felt like I was hit by a sheet glass of warm water.” Such was the impact of the humidity on an Englishman out in the tropics for the first time.
Having a shower is no solution. I’d start to perspire even as I’m stepping out of the bathroom right after the shower.
My second sister used to have at least three showers a day, if it was a working day: once in the morning before she left for work; once late afternoon / early evening when she got back from work; and then again, just before going to bed. Five at the weekend if she was home all day.
On a number of earlier visits home, I was spending a lot of my time indoors, either lying under the ceiling fan, with a glass of ice cubes to munch on, or, worse, just dozing off for most of the day.
During one of the visits, I decided that it was silly to be spending hundreds of pounds (more now, post-Covid and post-Ukraine War) flying out there, only to stay indoors watching TV or sleeping. I could read and nap in London for nothing.
So, I went for the half-empty-or-half-full attitude: instead of fearing the heat and the humidity, just go out there, sweat off all the fat, so that there’s more room for eating all the delicious food that Singapore offers (and less worry about putting on weight).
A bit like taking all the suffering on the treadmill in the gym. It’s attitude that helps you put up with the pain.
Yes, it worked! I was less hesitant about venturing out after that.
(Singapore)
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