Night Safari

Singapore, August 23rd 2011

Seduced by the advertisements on National Geographic / Animal Planet, I became curious about this Night Safari.

This was the bus that took me to and fro Night Safari. Free of charge. How come? That's another post to tell. When we arrived at the safari park, our guide told us to remember the number of our bus so we'll get on the right bus for the ride home. Some fellow tourists took out their notebook (the paper version), some wrote on their hand, some jotted down on their electric gadgets. I also took out my cellphone, Nokia N86. But I went to the front side of the bus and took a picture.

"Ah, that's an idea!" I heard a Western tourist said behind me. Then other tourists came forward and one by one took pictures, too. Ah... stupid feeling. This is the first time in life that I feel so smart in a foreign country!

Being used of regarding myself as the odd girl with a non-major interest, I was surprised to find a loooongggg queue at Night Safari. Since I was in the kindergarten, I had hated to stand in line, you know. I hate it more when someone crosses my line. I hate that because it prolongs my agony of standing in line (queuing).

Nobody crossed my line here, but it was damn hot. I hate it, too, when the weather is hot. You know the song, "Siapa Suruh Datang Jakarta"? (= "Who Told You To Come to Jakarta?") I was singing to myself "Who Told You To Come to Singapore?". Siapa suruh datang Singapura?

After the checking in, there was another long queue to get on a tram that would take us around for a night safari. Another surprise, Japanese translation was provided under the sign "Tram Station".

The night safari itself was to me, just so and so. I also couldn't make any good picture. After the safari, I was back on a long queue to enter the amphitheatre. You see how packed up the stadium is?

The show was really entertaining and made me (eventually) call this visit to Night Safari worthwhile. The woman in this photo is Sue. She led the whole show perfect. Sue was funny and interesting. She reminded her audience that flash photography was extremely prohibited. To ensure that her multinational audience would all understand, she repeated the rule about flash photography in several languages. When she explained in Chinese, it seemed to me she was reciting a paragraph of three four long sentences. When she explained in Hindi, her speech was shorter. And, when she spoke Japanese, she only said, "Flash wa dame desu!"

I think this was the best amphitheatre show I've ever had. I also admire Sue's English. It was real English. Not Singaporean English. Bravo, Sue!

Bad photo. Good show. Good for educating kids as well as adults.

Dinner wasn't included on my package. I headed to the canteen and ordered for which in my country I call "Nasi Ayam Hainan". It cost 17 SGD. I like the one in my country better. Much better.

The end of Night Safari. Back to the parking lot and on the bus.