We’re locals now la, we’ve been here multiple times in the last 3 years la. We even know enough Singlish to know that you put la at the end of every sentence la.

What a lovely feeling to arrive somewhere that’s so easy and familiar and you know how to get around. Tag on tag off the MRT with your phone or watch. Contactless payments everywhere. So easy. But the heat, it’s oppressive and exhausting and leads to making activity driven decisions based on how much you feel like tackling it.

We stayed this time in Little India, a vibrant area of Singapore filled with flowers and temples and spice stalls and pani puri and samosa. We stayed right next door to a very famous and well attended Hindu temple. We also had the temple bell literally right outside our window. So three or four times a day the temple bell rang and the ceremonial horns and drums created a cacophony that lasted about 45 minutes. And yay it started at 6am. What made it even more special was that we were there for the birth of Ganesh festival, which meant that the festivities continued all day and into the night. By the end, Ganesh himself may have suggested earplugs.

I had three Singapore things that despite being here so often over the last few years I hadn’t managed to tick off.

1. Universal Studios on Sentosa 2. Satay Street for satay from stalls 7/8 3. The light show on the waterfall fountain at the Jewel at Changi airport

Each of these things have been missed in previous visits for various random reasons. We thought we were being clever tackling Universal Studios Singapore without an express pass. “How bad could the queues be?” we said. Answer: bad enough to melt a human. Within minutes the tropical sun had us resembling slightly wilted theme park mascots. So, like true survivors, we caved after the 40 minute wait for the Minions ride and bought the Express Pass. Best decision of the trip. Suddenly we were breezing past the queues like VIPs. Heatstroke averted, rides conquered. The next day we did the sensible thing and swapped roller coasters for air-conditioning at the Singapore Oceanarium.

If Universal was sweat and adrenaline, this was serenity and awe. Jellyfish glowing like floating lava lamps, manta rays gliding like underwater kites, sharks doing their best to look menacing (but also kind of smug). There were dolphins, schools of neon fish, and endless reasons to just wander amongst the fishes and forget about time. Honestly, it felt like stepping into another universe, but cooler — literally. This Oceanarium has now become our benchmark. Everything will always be compared to this. “Well it was good, but not as good as the one in Singapore” “Yeah the jellyfish are cool but not as impressive as Singapore”. “ Awesome shark tank but nothing like Singapore”. There are loads of things to recommend in Singapore but this one is right up there.

Of course, no adventure is complete without Nigel’s input, and Nigel’s input is usually craft beer. He and his mate Tony had sniffed out Smith Street Taps, tucked deep inside a maze of a Chinatown warehouse, the sort of place you’d expect to find secret societies rather than hops and barley. Some truly bizarre brews were on offer including a yam and banana smoothie like beer and a Long Island Iced Beer that tasted more like alcoholic lemonade than beer. It was worth the hunt: icy pints in hand, satay skewers sizzling nearby. Hot tip — nothing pairs with an IPA like smoky satay in an industrial-chic hideout overlooking the infamous tiled roofs of Chinatown.

But the food highlight came later at Satay Street. Imagine rows of tiny tables plonked right in the middle of the road, people squatting elbow-to-elbow, smoke from dozens of grills curling into the night sky. The air was thick with the smell of charred chicken, peanut sauce, and that unmistakable Singapore buzz. We feasted until the satay sticks piled up. Magical chaos, deliciously smoky, and very, very Singapore.

And finally — the ultimate airport flex. We finally made it to the Jewel at Changi to see the famous waterfall sound-and-light show. Standing there as music and colors played over the world’s tallest indoor waterfall was genuinely breathtaking. Only in Singapore do you find yourself lingering landside in an airport just to watch a fountain put on a show — and only in Singapore does that actually feel like the perfect ending to our Singapore adventure.

Seoul next! Whoopa Gangnam Style! Also solidly avoiding being taken to a remote island to play a Squid Game.

So yes, Singapore gave us sweat, spectacle, sea creatures, satay and stout. Would we do it all again? Absolutely. But next time, we’re buying the express pass first.