Seven children and three husbands were left to fend for themselves last weekend. Not all mine I hasten to add.
 
It was a trip my two good friends and I had been looking forward to for a long time. The chance to unwind and relax without having to wipe snotty noses and answer countless questions starting “where’s…?” And that was just the husbands.
 
We’d decided that, although mostly content with our privileged expat lifestyle, we needed to be pampered. “We” needed to be “me” for the weekend.
 
I know I’m going to regret telling you this secret for I whole-heartedly intend to return as soon as I can justify another weekend away.
 
We were heading to Batam. The island itself sometimes gets a bad rap. “Why go there?” is probably the most frequently asked question. But if you’re looking for an excellent spa, a short journey from Singapore, with friendly staff and a budget that leaves you in no doubt that a return visit is a necessity, than that’s why you head to Batam.
 
The Tempat Senang Spa and Resort is only a 40 minute ferry and 10 minute car journey, but given the contrast to the hustle and bustle of Singapore you may as well be on another planet.
 
What we liked
The spa: The treatments are amazing. The three day, two night package, includes three treatments, which lasts three hours. The staff are excellent and well trained in the art of relaxation. We sampled the house speciality massages: the Balinese and the Office, which are both designed to beat out the knots and cricks in your body. The Office included an element of Thai massage stretching too.
 
The ambience: This isn’t a place for children. We’d left ours behind and there was no fear that we would bump into someone else’s – children under 15 are banned. The artifacts and décor are tastefully selected; the swimming pools are pretty and inviting; the outside verandah dining area is the perfect place to catch up after a pampering.
 
The food: Whether you’re looking for local or Western cuisine you’ll find it here. We sampled the seven course dining-around-the-world dinner, which offered a flavour of regional and global dishes. If you’re looking for a full-service hotel, this isn’t it, and it doesn’t make any apologies for not being so. The Tempat Senang has developed its own niche, and it works like clockwise, helped by preordering meals and treatments during the booking-in process. There’s even an honesty bar if you need a beer or quick nibble.
 
The service: As soon as you step off the ferry you’re looked after. A complimentary pick up from the ferry terminal meant the stress of working out where to go and what to do was lifted. The check in process was relaxed and organised, which meant our dinner and spa times were all booked, allowing us to focus on the important task of relaxing.
 
What we’re not so sure about
The rooms: While a good deal of effort has been made to create interesting and uniquely decorated bedrooms (each room is themed based on a country), I’m not sure the layout of the rooms worked for a girls’ weekend. Each room has a double bed, and some have an extra bed or two depending on the size and price bracket. This is fine for couples, but three ladies at the start of their fifth decade (shhh – don’t tell anyone. My daughter still thinks I’m 21), don’t want to share a bed. (Be aware that you’ll also be sharing a massage room so make sure you go with good friends.) The rooms would offer greater flexibility if all the beds were single or detachable doubles. We felt a little like we were making do rather than having a restful night’s sleep that matched the quality of the spa. Most of the rooms are well positioned, but we stayed in the Japanese room, which had a window looking out on a dark passageway, and a generator or water pump that disturbed our beauty sleep.
 
Would we go again?
Absolutely.
 
How do you get there?
Ferry from Habourfront, next to Vivocity, takes you to Sekupang Ferry Terminal, where you are met by a driver who will take you to Tempat Senang Spa and Resort.

Guest article: 5  top tips to find your perfect condo 

​Relocating to a new country can be a stressful and emotional time. One of the biggest steps to feeling settled is finding the perfect place to live, where you can set up home. Finding the perfect property can be time-consuming and expensive. We've asked Claire O'Donoghue from Greyloft for some guidance. Here are her top tips for making the house-hunting process in Singapore that little bit easier.

1. Know your budget
Consider what your budget is and how flexible you can be with the amount you are prepared to spend. A lot of rents can be negotiated, but this is entirely dependent on the landlord. Have a number in mind that you would be prepared to top up by around 10%, to buy yourself a bit of negotiating room should you find the perfect place but not at the perfect price.

2. Work out what areas work best
It’s time to take out a map of the island, and figure out all the places you and your family will need to get to. Whether its commuting to work, or taking the kids to school, the location needs to work for you. Take time to figure out what amenities you want close by, although do bear in mind that in Singapore nothing is really that far.
There are lots of resources online to help you narrow down which neighbourhood(s) would suit you best.

3. Engage the right agent
Choosing a place to live is probably the most important step in making you feel settled in your new country, so working with someone experienced and professional makes that process a bit easier.
 
In Singapore, both the landlord and the tenant should have an agent to represent them. This can seem overly complicated, but it is the best way to ensure your needs are protected. Pick an agent who you trust and who really understands what you are looking for.
 
Ensure you understand agent commission fees. If your lease is over $3,500 a month and for a period of two years, you don’t have to pay any commission.

4. Understand the process
Once you’ve found your ideal place, your agent will need to submit a Letter of Intent (LoI). This indicates your intention to sign a rental agreement.
 
Once the landlord accepts the offer in the LoI, you are then required to pay your deposit, usually equivalent to two-months rent, for a two-year lease.
 
You will then proceed to sign the tenancy agreement, where you will also be required to pay stamp duty. This is roughly equivalent to 0.4% of the total rental amount (i.e. monthly rental x the number of months). Your agent will collect the payments, before transferring it to IRAS (the tax authority in Singapore).
 
Have a comprehensive inventory list, which details the condition of the property upon move-in. This document can be used to resolve any disputes about damage when you move out.

5. Once you move in
You have a one-month grace period to report any issues with your property to your landlord to be repaired, without any cost to you.
 
You will need to set up an account with Singapore Power for your electricity, gas and water. You’ll also be required to pay a refundable deposit upon receipt of your first bill – currently S$300 if you pay by direct debit – so don’t be shocked if your first bill seems high; utilities are usually relatively affordable. You will also need to make an appointment for City Gas to switch your gas on.
 
SingTel, StarHub and M1 offer a variety of internet and television packages. You can also get your mobile phone services through them too, which helps keep billing simple.
 
A lot of properties are rented unfurnished (apart from white goods) so you may need to hit the shops to furnish your home. Or it may be a case of waiting for your shipping container to arrive, so you can unpack things from your previous place.
 
Then it’s time to sit back, relax, and enjoy your new home. 

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To find out more about Greyloft visit their website or Facebook page.

“So why would I draw something rather than take a photograph?” one student asked.

I began to feel she was in the wrong class. This was a sketching class after all.

The teacher paused. This wasn’t a throw away question. This was going to turn into a psychological debate.

“A photograph is a snapshot in time,” he said, staring into the middle distance. “It’s something you see and record. A sketch is a snapshot of how you feel.”

Artisall is a new venture by resident artists Brian Adams and Le Matt. Their small art studio is tucked behind the hubbub of Orchard Road, perched on top of Emily Hill. It’s an escape from city life, part of a creative community of sculptors and glass artists, perfectly placed between new and old Singapore.

During the Sketching Singapore Landscapes course, our small group of six was guided by Brian, from the basics of perspective drawing through to landscapes and street scenes in watercolour. With a creative career in interior design and art, he has decades of experience to share. Whether you’re a novice or a practicing perfectionist, his patience and insight encourage even the most timid, and the examples of his work adorning the studio walls, give inspiration. If you’re looking to explore the abstract or portraits, the Creative Painting workshop with Le Matt, might be up your street.

Both courses currently cost S$200 for four sessions, instead of the usual S$300, so sign up quickly as spaces are limited. It’s a great way to meet people, and see Singapore in a new light.

What you need to know:

Location: Emily Hill, 11 Upper Wilkie Road, Singapore, 228120
Website: http://www.artisall.sg
FB: Artisallstudio
Email: info@artisall.sg
Phone: +65 9757 1193
All materials are provided. No experience necessary.

Colonial cultural confusion 
Melaka (formerly Malacca) is a city of layers that can confuse and delight you at every turn. First impressions are not always the best. Traffic is heavy; the streets are dirty and edged in open sewers; carcasses of halted building projects stand like crumbling tombstones.

Then scrape the surface and polish the patina, and you’ll discover cultural complexity, confusion and contradiction that makes you wish to stay longer to make sense of the sights, sounds and smells.

Even daylight makes a difference: dirty, dilapidated, crumbling buildings are transformed into chic riverside bars under the veil of a night sky and a few fairy lights.

Most tourists head for Jonker Street, and as spectacle it is interesting, busy and hectic. At night stalls line the road selling all sorts of local culinary delights from coconuts and gelatinous cakes to milkshakes in baby bottles (for adults – it’s a thing!) and satay sticks.

But once you’ve ticked it off your list take time and meander to learn how the city’s fragmented identity is actually part of its charm. This early fishing village and trading post, influenced by Islam, and nestled between trade winds, attracted faster developing nations and by the 15th century the Portuguese staked their claims. They were followed by the Dutch and finally the British, who united the Straits territories. These European influences are part of Melaka, from the Portuguese communities struggling to keep their community from being engulfed by modern developments, to the churches, fountains, forts and architecture. Diversity means that shanties live next to modern high rises.

It’s a patchwork: you just need to patiently unpick what you see to make sense of it.

Our picks...
What to do: 

• Portuguese ship museum for an insight into the city’s history; 
• Boardwalk along the river for the architecture; 
• Trishaw ride from Christ Church for the colonial sights; 
• Kampung Morten for traditional village in a city; 
• Portuguese Kampung for an insight into Eurasian life.

Where to stay: The Majestic, 188 Jalan Bunga Raya

You can travel the world by planes, trains and automobiles. You can explore by land and sea. You can open the pages of countless travel books to get a glimpse of almost every corner of the globe. Or you could just go shopping.

Singapore’s stores are stocked full of produce from around the world, but forget about the big stores for now. Investigate some of the greatest artisans and you will discover products made with love, care, attention to detail, and above all, a sympathetic understanding of local commerce.

I recently attended #blogmeetsg, organised by Lulabelle Lifestyle, where local brands showcased their little part of the world. Here are just some of the highlights:

You don’t have to go as far as Ecuador for a signature Panama hat – just visit Hat of Cain. The weaving process, that has become ubiquitous with the supple, white toquilla, has been perfected over three thousand years into a 100% natural and ecologically-friendly style statement. 

Handmade jungle ornaments, from Tamarind Living, make great gifts, or decorations. These Fair Trade products also support street children in Rajasthan.

Hacienda Blue is home to beautiful eclectic furniture and homeware, inspired by cultures from around the world. A special thank you to Josephine for the bone inlay tray, which is now a striking talking point, and a welcome addition to my home.

For authentic jewellery try Simone Irani’s silk bangles for a pop of colour, or Jasper Living for Asian inspired beaded bracelets.  

If you’re looking for some local gifts take a peek at Just My Type for greetings cards, posters and bespoke maps. 

On the cosmetics front, Katharos Organics offer a range of environmentally-friendly skincare products, along with Havaroma for natural aromatherapy stress management in a bottle. And to keep your body trim, as well as your skin, contact Vicky at Vitalize for a private 1:1 pilates session in your home. She put me through my paces!

#blogmeetsg took place on 11th February at Edit Lifestyle.

I have to say I hate writing reviews about places I don't like. But that's the point: to offer worthwhile insight you need to show the bad side as well as the good.

So let's start on a positive note. On Saturday night we visited The White Rabbit in Harding Road, Dempsey Hill. It looked beautiful. Sparkling lights guided you through a twisted tunnel of greenery to a lovely outdoor bar. Inside, the white colonial church has been transformed while keeping the ecclesiastical character of the place: huge arched stained glass windows, tiled floor and simple wooden furniture. The bar manager was chatty and friendly, opening up an entire world of botanical spirits we didn’t know existed, and we’ve tried a few gin ’n’ tonics in our time. The menu looked enticing, and the staff appeared to accommodate our requests.

But a good reputation takes a long time to build up and word of mouth is the strongest independent advocate. So why won’t I be returning to this place in the hurry?

Service is the backbone of the restaurant industry. Things go wrong – we’re only human after all. Everyone can understand an honest mistake. It’s how you deal with the mistake is the important thing. 

I had told the restaurant, who had asked if I had any special requests, it was my husband’s birthday. I didn’t expect a fanfare or a cake with sparklers, but a simple “hello, happy birthday” would have been a nice touch. Costs nothing.

Then came the main course. We waited patiently, with our steaks congealing, for the side dishes to arrive. They didn’t. When we pointed this out we were told that the order had been forgotten and they would take another 7-10 minutes, but they would be on the house. When we’ve already paid S$48 per steak on its own, that’s disappointing. What’s the good of a cold steak with warm sides?

And then staff started to rearrange furniture. In a busy restaurant, when there are several sittings, this is to be expected. Not in a relatively quiet restaurant, at 9pm, where the scraping of tables and shuffling back and forwards changes the atmosphere. And we’re not talking about a few tables. They entire floor was cleared, in preparation for the next day. Staff obviously didn’t want to wait until the restaurant was closed and empty. It would delay them from going home.

So as I say, good service costs nothing. Poor service costs you your reputation.

 

Telunas is a place where you don't need to be good at photography. As long as you have a camera, and click the button, you will have beautiful memories.

Sounds like I'm starting the write their advertising slogan, but it's a place that's easy to fall in love with.

As soon as you chug past Sentosa Island, Singapore’s playground, on the Batam ferry, you literally leave everything behind to maroon yourself on a tropical island. Think Robinson Crusoe, with a luxury edge.

The relaxation is almost forced on you. No phones can reach you; no emails invade your peace and quiet. You're cosseted in nature. It's a relief to leave the technological world behind. Life is put on hold.

Telunas Private Island has only been open six months, but it's right across a short stretch of water (1.4km in case you wish to swim it) from the Telunas Beach Resort, which has already celebrated a decade as one of the best-kept secrets.

Here's what to expect

• You stay in beach cabanas on stilts. For some reason a shed on sticks is an exciting place to stay. Madeleine, our seven-year-old, has declared it to be "the best place on the planet".
• The cabana has two bedrooms, a lounge, a private balcony and a bathroom. One bedroom in on a mezzanine reached by a ladder, but rather thoughtfully, a stair gate is provided at the top of the ladder, to prevent young sleepwalkers from tumbling. The main bedroom opens out onto the balcony. If you get into the au naturel spirit, just mind the fishermen rowing by.
• The rooms are comfortable and simply decorated in sympathy with the surroundings, and there are none of the modern trappings or distractions of a city hotel (do you really need a trouser press, when you live in shorts? Do you really need a full-scale gym, when you can take out a paddleboard or swim in the infinity pool?), although the bathrooms are impressively appointed with rain showers, toiletries and flushing toilets (you're in a villa on stilts, remember). 
• That's not to say the resort doesn't make an effort. Every day there is a different activity: a jungle walk to the area's only waterfall for a refreshing plunge; a cooking demo; a bonfire complete with marshmallows; a relaxed dining platform with children's books and family games. There's even a nod to technology: A Kindle loaded with books is also on loan for the duration of your stay - just don't drop it over the side. 
• You are completely surrounded by lapping water, open sea on one side, twisted, knotted, impenetrable mangrove on the other. 
• The island, surrounded by a handful of tiny fishing hamlets, is accessible only by boat, which means that all supplies, including diesel for the generators and food and drink, are brought in the same way, except for brown water, captured from rain water and put to work in the toilet system. 

The sky is endless; the sea breezes bring cooler air; you can watch the sun rise over the water and then set again; you can sit on your balcony in perfect tranquility. What more do you need to help you recover from life in the city?

---
The practical bit

What you need to pack: passport (you’ll be visiting Indonesia); US$15 per person for the visa on arrival in Batam; your ferry ticket; swimming costume; sun glasses; sun hat; sun crème – can you see a theme developing here?

Transport: You’ll need to book a ferry from Harbourfront to Batam. We used Batam Fast. You’ll need to liaise with the Telunas booking staff as they will collect you from Batam and you’ll take a second boat (bumboat) to Telunas. The second leg takes an hour and a half: the scenery is beautiful, but little children may get bored. From Habourfront to Telunas the journey takes about three hours in total.

Cost: A weekend would cost around S$1,300 in January. This is based on two adults and two children sharing a cabana for two nights, and includes three meals a day, activities and transfers from Batam.

Websites:
www.telunasresorts.com
www.batamfast.com

We’d like to thank the Telunas team for hosting us and making us feel so welcome.

For more photos please visit our Pinterest page

Sunday was a big day in the Singapore race calendar: thousands of runners took their marks under starter’s orders and pounded the pavements in the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon. And I mean thousands. The inaugural race, in 2002, attracted 6,000 runners, reaching a peak of 65,000 in 2011.

I love to combine sports and travel, and running is a great way to see a city. You can view the tourist spots or detour and investigate the path less trodden. You also fit a lot more in, although I have to say that it is an optimum way to get an overview of a city, rather than know it in-depth. Obviously, the more you run the more you see.

Sunday’s race unfortunately wasn’t about a tour around the city. I’ll call it a sandpaper race. You have to take the rough with the smooth.

I took part in the half marathon (beating my Significant Other officially by 10 seconds, unofficially by 30 seconds. Either way I won, and that’s very important in a marriage of equals.)

If I was visiting Singapore for the race, I might have been a little disappointed. (I can only comment on the half marathon. I may be Superwoman to some, but even I can only manage one race at a time.) The route started in an impressive way. We lined up at the Sentosa Gateway and meandered across the island, saying hello to various overheating cartoon characters lining the path through Universal Studios. There was a great vibe, and high-fiving Puss in Boots partly made up for the dearth of supporters. It was only 7am, after all.

Then the route took a dive into the underground car park, where the bus engines idled. Having not had our fill of carbon monoxide, we were spewed up onto the West Coast highway, where we trundled along, kilometer and kilometer, only to be turned pointlessly around to do it all in the other direction. I have to say the finish was great, through the Central Business District and onto the Pandang, but I didn’t really see much of Singapore. Good job I live here.

Space is a premium, and there were other distances to fit in: there was a marathon, a 10km and a kids’ run. The funny thing is, it isn’t even as if we did half the marathon route. It was a completely different route. 

That said, despite the pain, the very early start (alarm clock rudely giving us an audible shove at 0430) and the heat and humidity, I can now sit back with smug satisfaction and plan my next race.

Podium points for:

• Meet and greet through Universal Studios;
• Organisation.
  

Smelly socks to:

• Number of toilets at the start line. I counted 12;
  
• Lack of wave starts due to ability: due to sheer numbers there were several starts, but first come first served in the wave pen. This means it was quite a slow race if you were stuck behind someone out for a Sunday stroll;
  
• Air pollution.
  

Find out more about the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon here.

To read more about sports + travel equation read about my Bintan Triathlon effort, or check out our triathlon kit list.

What’s your favourite race and why?

As an expat, when you move to a new country you usually think about finding a new home, sorting out school places, and working out where to buy your groceries. You don’t usually think of war. But, to me, that has one major draw of living in Singapore….

I’ve lived in five countries. I’ve only lived in one that was once crawling with troops and pitted by trenches. A war that is still in living memory.

I have to confess that my fellow expats probably don’t have such an academic interest in the Second World War. Of course it’s well understood that the British built Singapore, and through the failure of war, lost it when the Japanese cycled their way through Malaya, paddled across the Straits of Johore, and then fought their way through the island with such confidence. A white flag was duly raised.

But armed with a degree in contemporary history (not that’s not an oxymoron) and nine years of service as a Territorial Army captain, I probably have a keener interest than most. My husband has frequently picked up the bored children and walked out of museums as I devour every piece of information.

From my balcony at home, off the Holland Road, I can imagine the troops hiding in drainage ditches, and creeping through the undergrowth. I look for war damage on buildings I recognise as being battle contemporaries. My regular running route takes me right past the front line, and the very spot where Lieutenant-General Percival handed over the white flag to the Japanese. Today, the spot is marked by little more than the intersection of Bukit Timah Road by Farrer and Adam Roads.

The Battle of Bukit Timah
Bukit is the Malay word for “hill” (Timah means “tin”), which for a soldier is a strategic defensive position, offering surrounding views. That’s not to say the views were good: it’s a small hill of only 581 feet and in 1942 it was surrounded in thick jungle and plantations. But it was a modest, and important, advantage.

The summit also looked down on Adam Park and Sime Road Camp, which both became strategic in their own ways.

Adam Park
Adam Road, off Adam Road, was a spacious upmarket expat estate of 19 houses, set in their own grounds. It was right next to the country club. It was the colonial place to be for sipping cocktails and playing golf. In February 1942, that all changed. With Bukit Timah hill playing such an important strategic role, it was the site of a battle that saw Allied and Japanese soldiers fighting in such close quarters they were almost in physical reach, as the battle took place from house to house.

Sime Road
Sime Road Camp was the RAF’s military Command Centre. Percival had wanted to unite all services in one place, and Sime Road was the geographical centre of the island, with the main trunk road heading straight to the city. The Malaya Campaign had been run from here, but as the Japanese landed in Singapore, the Command Centre moved to the Battle Box at Fort Canning, and dug in.

The Japanese broke through defensive lines, and on 11 February captured Bukit Timah hill. From there they were able to push through towards to the city, by-passing Sime Road. Adam Park, on the other hand, was on its own little hill and so was held by the Cambridgeshire Regiment, known as the Fen Tigers, for a further three days until they were told to surrender. It was to be the most extended, and intense fighting during the entire campaign for Singapore.

The Fen Tigers were rounded up by the Imperial Japanese Army, and herded into a tennis court, before being marched off to Changi Prison.

Both Sime Road and Adam Park became POW camps during the Japanese Occupation, for soldiers and civilians. The dreadful conditions, and treatment of the internees has been well documented, an ironic contrary way of life to the gin and golf days.

After the war the buildings of Sime Road were demolished. Adam Park was restored to its former glory and is again a residential area.

A big thank you
I recently met up with Jon Cooper, a battlefield archeologist, who is in charge of The Adam Park Project (TAPP). TAPP is a collaborative project between the Singapore Heritage Society archeologists at the National University of Singapore, and the Centre for Battlefield Archeology at Glasgow University. To read more about Jon’s work please visit his Facebook page.

Remembrance Day means different things to different people. As a mother of two young girls, this year’s 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War was the opportunity to introduce my young family to the concept of playing a part in our community.

Living in Singapore, it was also the chance to give them some insight into the Second World War sacrifices made by soldiers and civilians. They know Mammy spent a number of years as a soldier, but I want them to understand why. Military service isn’t for everyone, but everyone does have a community role to play. It's a core belief: the world doesn’t revolve around you. You should revolve around the world.

Today, the world is still fighting. Today, religion and politics still muddy the water; water that is supposed to be clear, a life-giver, available to all.

So yesterday we got up before the sun, and headed to the Kranji War Memorial to pay our respects on Remembrance Sunday. I didn’t have to tell my children to behave. The solemnity and calm pervading from every attendee ensured they understood they were in a special place. They understood that soldiers in the past have kept us safe and we were saying thank you. If every child grew up remembering that, knowing their place in the world, and feeling confident that they could make a positive contribution, I’m sure there would be a true understanding of the meaning of respect. Maybe then we would have peace.

About the Kranji War Cemetery
Originally an ammunition depot, the site became a Prisoner of War (POW) camp and hospital after the Japanese Occupation in 1942. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission created a permanent war cemetery after the war, and graves were transferred from other areas, including the Buona Vista POW Camp and the Changi camp, to ensure they would be looked after. The War Cemetery was officially opened in March 1957. There are almost 4,500 burials marked by headstones and the memorial contains the names of 24,000 names of missing personnel. 

To learn more about Singapore during the Second World War, visit the National Heritage Board.