Heading Home

After almost a month of travel and exploration, it was time to pack our bags one last time, next stop, Flagstaff, AZ. An early morning wake up in Singapore began our journey back to the US. Noah started his timer for an accurate measurement of the travel since a quick look on the itinerary made it look deceptively short. Our first flight, Singapore to Hong Kong, was uneventful. A glance at the departure flight screen confirmed the suspicions we had about a possible delay - our 3 pm departure was now scheduled for 8 am January 1, 2019. We would not arrive in time to see the pinecone drop in Flagstaff, but we would be able to see the Hong Kong fireworks live.
A brief nap at the airport hotel, a delicious and expansive holiday buffet dinner, and we set out for downtown Hong Kong. Seeing the fireworks live was not a new idea, about 300,000 other people had the same brilliant idea. We had no choice but to follow the crowds of people even though we wanted to head a different direction. Situated with a partial view of the harbor, we patiently waited for the clock to strike midnight. The fireworks were amazing and thanks to the crowds we stayed warm despite lighter clothing.
Back at the hotel, we got a few short hours of sleep before it was time to once again head to the airport. The flight took off on time, there was plenty of space to spread out, no further delays, smoothe customs and immigration procedures in Dallas, and we pulled up to our house almost exactly 50 hours after our Singapore departure. Our Asia adventure has come to an end.

Some of our "closest" friends 

Capturing the fireworks 

Heading back to the Metro

Night Light Show

Just like Hong Kong, Singapore hosted an amazing, choreographed light show at night. We walked the Helix tunnel to see the show one night and caught the end of it another night. It is the first time, Christina had seen a fog screen, and it was magnificent.

Red Dot Museum

Singapore houses the Red Dot Museum showcasing design ideas and products awarded the prestigious Red Dot designation. It was inspirational, and all four of us had independently of each other taken notes and pictures of some of the same items. Maybe there is a new light fixture in our future?

Fullerton Hotel

The famous Raffles Hotel was closed for renovation. In honor of Mormor, we walked through the Fullerton hotel, named after the first Governor of the Straits Settlement. The old-time charm is still present, and it was not hard to imagine British officers briskly crossing the lobby while English ladies in big hats sipped tea. Oh, what stories we could hear if only these walls could talk.

Free Concert

We stumbled upon a free concert at one of the venues. The entire city was preparing for New Years Eve celebrations, and maybe this was the warm-up? The boys patiently endured the whole performance but were happy there was not any time for an encore.

City Night Lights

Singapore not only puts on a spectacular light show at night, but the buildings are also lit up for a colorful and festive view. The reflections in the water were mesmerizing.

Cavenagh Bridge

The Cavenagh bridge is Singapore's oldest bridge opened in 1870 to commemorate the Strait Settlements. The signs on both sides of the bridge were erected when it became a pedestrian bridge only.

3 cwt = about 350 lbs

Garden by the Bay at Night

Garden by the Bay - a place where both locals and tourists gather both day and night. It sits at the edge of the city on the water and consists of expansive green areas, lush gardens, iconic sculptures, and comfortable walking paths. We spent significant time exploring all that this area of Singapore has to offer both in bright daylight and under the dark tropical night sky. The show at night was spectacular.

waiting for the trees to light up