A beautiful sunset along the Thai coast as I hitched a ride from Patong Beach back to Phuket Town. You can read about that story here.

When I was three and a half, I flew from China to meet my parents in Pennsylvania.  On the plane ride, I was with a family friend who had been tasked with babysitting me for the trip.  The one thing I remember from that time in my life was during the plane ride, when the lady had to go to the bathroom.  She took the airplane blanket we were using, opened it up, and draped it over me.  Hidden securely underneath, she told me not to move until she came back, or else the big, bad wolf would come and eat me.  Obediently, I huddled in my little cave, waiting for her to return.

A long time later, my little toddler self was getting antsy, but I was a good kid, so I stayed under the blanket.  As the minutes passed, I began to wonder if perhaps the wolf had gotten her.  What was  taking so long?  When she finally came back, I was so relieved to get my freedom back!  Turns out she’d gotten distracted talking to a flight attendant on her way back from her restroom break.  And here I’d thought maybe she’d forgotten me there.  Thank goodness, we were both safe and the wolf was nowhere to be seen!  :)

The elusive sign that directed me to the escalators!

When I was in Hong Kong, one of the attractions that I went to visit was the Mid-Levels Escalators.  It is a series of escalators running up the hillside of Hong Kong Island, and the longest escalator ride you can ever take at 800 meters!  Now granted, there is some walking in between for certain areas where some turns had to be made, but for the most part you can enjoy standing on the belts and going down in the morning or up at night.  For those trying to go in the opposite direction of the escalators, there are stairs running alongside them the entire way so you can walk as needed.  What really threw me off in Hong Kong was that they stand to the right of the escalators, which is the opposite of what I had been doing in Singapore!  So the first few times, I’d stand on the left side only to find myself in the way.  How confusing!

When I first arrived at the Mid-Levels Escalators, it was around 9 PM and things were pretty quiet.  I began my journey upwards and started to count how many stretches of escalator I got on.  Along the way, I passed by restaurants, bars, pubs, massage parlors, beauty salons, random shops, and lots of homes.  After about 13-15 escalators, things really quieted down and became very residential.  Stubbornly, I continued on, even though it was dark and there were hardly any people around.  I wanted to make it to the end of strip!  After much dedication, I eventually made it (and lost count along the way).  I believe I totaled 18 or 19 escalators of varying lengths.

I finally got to the top! Yeesh.

At the top, I was happy, tired, and really hungry.  I began my descent down, this time with a mission of finding some place that was still open for dinner.  I also started to count the number of stairs I took.  Down, down, down I went, counting to myself the whole time and rushing to get back to the livelier parts.  Eventually, I came across a Pizza Express that was still open and happily settled in for a meal.  As soon as I was happily full, I continued on my trek down the mountain, still counting the stairs I took in the process.  I can’t find where I wrote down the exact number I took, but it was something like 843.

Some were this kind and a few weren't working, so I had to climb that bit.

Since there were so many things lining that area, I decided to return to it another night, when I wanted to get a manicure/pedicure and ear candling.  It took me awhile to find a place that actually did ear candling, but when I found it, I had a really interesting time and even got to keep my ear wax.  Ok, not the nicest thing, but hey, it was fascinating to see!  The lady also did something that I think she said was pressing on my lymph nodes to help drain them.  She told me to drink grape juice later at night and then have some orange juice right when I woke up, to help with my poor digestion or something like that.  I took her advice and really went out and bought juices!  After that, I managed to find a nail salon that was open past 9 and happily sat there to get my nails done.

Ear candling is this crazy thing where they take a special cloth tube thing and stick one end in your ear canal while lighting the other end on fire.  It burns gently and because of the air being sucked away at the top of the tube, your earwax is drawn up into the tube.  I heard a gentle crackling noise the entire time it was burning away and though I felt more refreshed and noises seemed crisper after that, I don’t know if that was just a psychological effect.  The result is this honeycomb-looking thing that is the earwax that was drawn from your ear canal!  I found it to be a surprisingly soothing experience and you could tell from what was taken out which ear was more clogged up.  Nifty!

Nestled in the hillside of Hong Kong is Victoria Peak, one of the highest vantage points in all the region.  It is well-situated in an area that allows for spectacular views on both the north and south sides (though really it has a great panoramic view), which is probably why it has become a tourist destination.  Atop “the Peak,” as it’s known, sits the Peak Tower, a funny goblet-looking building that houses a shopping complex and offers unbeatable views from its rooftop.  And so, one sunny day, I went to seek out what the Peak had to offer.

The view going up.

I took the MTR to Central Station and began to follow the sparse signs to get to the Peak Tram.  After climbing up a very steep hill, I finally found a sign that assured me I was going in the right direction.  Right around that corner was the tram station, tucked away under one of the many high rises in the area.  I got myself a ticket and waited for the tram to arrive, marveling at the steep grade of the hill.  I don’t think even San Francisco has such a steep incline!

The tram eventually made its way down, gently halting before letting off its people.  I got in and grabbed a window seat, wondering what the grooves in the ground were for.  It wasn’t until we were climbing up the mountain that I realized without those grooves, people would slide the entire length down the aisle.  Along the way were some stops, which showed us just how vertical we were.  Eventually, we got high enough to begin seeing some wonderful views.  Everyone stared out the right side of the tram car to enjoy the landscape before us.  After a few minutes, we reached our destination and filed out into the gift shop of the Peak Tower.  Clever move on their part.

So many shiny things!

I, however, ignored all the flashy items and headed straight up.  I came across the Bubba Gump’s that is up in the Tower and decided to settle for a quick lunch.  I got a table with a fantastic view of the harbor and enjoyed a lovely meal there.  As soon as I could, I took the final escalator up to the roof, where a gentle breeze filled the air and beautiful photos ops were everywhere.  I took some pictures myself and asked another tourist to take some for me as well.  Below me lay a clump of buildings on Hong Kong Island.  On the opposite end was a view of the ocean dotted with islands, stretching out into the horizon.  Along the face of the hill was a windy road for cars to drive along and in the distance, housing for those privileged enough to get such nice property.  There was even a little garden for strolling that I wish I had the time to go visit!

I wanted to stay longer to enjoy the peaceful view and bright skies, but I had a ferry ride to catch, so I took a quick spin around the perimeter of the roof and headed back down to catch the next tram down.  My visit, though brief, was still satisfying.

The south side view, in case you were wondering.

I got the 3D ones so they can stand on their own (the other ones are flat and only have two legs).

To continue my story about shopping (and sandals)…

Since my trip to Chatuchak, the big weekend market, didn’t yield anything to show for all my troubles, I decided to go to the Bangkok Night Bazaar for a second go at getting some Thai memorabilia.  I instantly liked the place better – even though it had a smaller selection, it had more of the things I like.  I managed to find some adorable little elephant keychains that would be perfect gift items.  I came across a stall with the type of lamps that I’ve always wanted to get once I have my own place – it was a pity I couldn’t purchase them yet!  I treated myself to a purple stone ring and a pair of earrings and I even got Panda a leather wallet (which I felt he needed as a symbol of professionalism).

I first saw a white one of these at Pinkberry's.

It tickles a lot at first. I had to take my feet out a few times and just giggle it out!

I had heard that there was a fish spa at this market, so I asked around until I found one.  It was pricier than the girl at the hostel had told me, so I decided to keep looking.  (Plus it was decorated with way too much pink – I don’t think I could have sat in there for very long.)  I eventually got directed to the right place and happily stuck my feet in for a 15 minutes.  The fish quickly came along and began to gently nibble at my feet and ankles.  Since the skin around ankles is very thin, it tickled a lot when they targeted that area, so I was chuckling to myself quite often.  After a few minutes, I got more used to it and no longer had to wiggle my feet to shoo the fish away for a moment or take my feet out entirely to recover.  I was tempted to go for another 15 minutes, but decided that for the first time, that was plenty.  My feet felt softer and refreshed afterward, though I’m not sure if it was because of the fish or just soaking my feet in water.  I’m pretty sure the dead skin that the fish got rid of for me was a major factor though.  Too bad there aren’t fish spas where I live!  They’re supposed to be good for people with skin conditions, like eczema and psoriasis, and though I don’t think I have those, I do have strange skin conditions sometimes.

Was there a clump of yummy goodness there or something?

Just like grandpa's house, complete with white cloths to help the birds sleep!

Now as for Hong Kong, there was quite the variety of markets available!  I spent an entire day going from the Bird Market to the Flower Market to the Goldfish Market to the Ladies’ Market to the Jade Market and finally to the Night Market.  It was a little tricky to find the Bird Market, but when I got there, I felt like I was walking into my childhood.  The gates were of a traditional Chinese design, the bird cages were the bamboo types that my grandfather uses, and there were some Chinese men sitting around enjoying the chirps of the birds.

I love that Chinese people use porcelain bowls to feed their birds!

Right next to that was the Flower Market, true to its name with a lot of flowers and plants in general.  Actually, a lot of what they sold were just plants, but hey “Plant Market” hardly sounds as appealing, right?  This place was a treasure trove, with brilliantly-colored flowers, plants shaped to look like little green creatures, bouquets bursting with all kinds of species, huge lily flowers, and even lotus flowers, complete with buds!  My favorite were the vases that eat flies.  I’ve always wanted a Venus flytrap, so any “carnivorous” plant will do!  Oh, and I also liked the kitty who was sitting in one of the shops.  :-P

A bit of a walk away was the Goldfish Market, which was more of an amazing animal market.  It was mostly aquarium type animals, but I did find some adorable little kittens and even this crazy HUGE beetle that was about the size of a child’s fist.  It was still true to its name though, with a huge variety of goldfish for sale, often put out in rows and rows of plastic bags, ready to be taken off the rack.  Some were the normal goldfish you think of, but many were these cute globe-shaped ones, so plump they were practically spherical.  I also came across some unassuming shells that turned out to be hermit crabs!  I’d totally spend my weekends on this street if I lived in Hong Kong.  I wish I could have gotten new pets, but alas, international travel with live animals is either a big no-no or is at least extremely troublesome.

Next up was the Ladies’ Market!  At first I was afraid I’d miss it, but once I got to the street bordering one end of it, I discovered how silly that idea was.  There was NO mistaking the dense market that suddenly appeared.  I happy began my shopping spree, getting dresses and flip flops for myself, a tie for Panda, cuff links for the men at C&S, and compact mirrors for the ladies at C&S.  I did a decent job bargaining (or at least I felt like I did) and I found some great stuff, so I was very happy by the end of it!  Just for kicks, I dropped by the Jade Market and Night Market, but by then I was back to just window shopping.  I did go by this one area that sold adult toys and such, which was completely random.  I also managed to get a Lonpos set for only 10 HKD!!!  After waiting a year and a half, it was completely worth it.  The only other set I had found previously was around $100, so this was a fabulous deal.

All in all a great shopping experience!  :)  My wallet even agrees, albeit reluctantly.  ;-P

I don't remember what I was doing here, but probably lamenting the 9 Baht I lost out on (read on...).

When I was in Thailand and Hong Kong, there were plenty of places to shop where price tags don’t exist and everything is done through bargaining.  In places like these, initial prices are never to be trusted and it’s wise to walk around to get a feel for the products available first.  After all, things tend to be the same from shop to shop and if you find the lowest asking price, you have a good starting point to hack from.  You never know how much they’re trying to earn off of you, but you can bet that their quoted price is at least two to three times as expensive as it needs to be, if not more.  My mom can usually get things for about 20-40% what the vendors try to sell for.  I’m happy when I can get half (even when I know I’m still being ripped off).

In Bangkok, I spent some time at the Chatuchak Weekend Market as well as the Night Bazaar, searching for fun little trinkets that I could give as gifts to friends.  I was also on the hunt for a bikini and a pair of flip flops for myself.  I’d been told to check out the weekend market, if only for its pure massiveness, so I found a buddy at the hostel and we headed out for a day in the heat.  At first, we weren’t sure which section we were in and wandered around the antiques area, crossed over to the food (where I had to stop to feed myself!), and finally ended up in the heart of it all, where the clothes and shoes and knickknacks are sold.

The only pickings from a day of walking, walking, and shopping.

None of the swimsuits impressed me that much and the lady selling the best stall’s worth was extremely unfriendly, so I decided against giving her business.  I found a stall with very cheap flip flops at 59 Baht and chose a pair that wasn’t half bad.  I really wanted it for just 50 Baht, but they weren’t budging and my friend was impatient to move on, so I took them.  To be environmentally friendly, I decided to not take a bag and just hold them on the way back.  And I swore that that 9 Baht would matter down the line, but of course he didn’t believe me!  We headed out not long after, leaving behind the football field of place with little to show.

On the ride back, I fell asleep and woke up to find us in front of the hostel again.  I quickly got out after paying and we went inside to say hi to the lady running the place.  Right as I was about to step over the threshold, I realized I was holding one flip flop.  One.  Alas, I watched as the taxi went out of view, carrying with it the other half of my now useless shoe.  My shopping partner chortled at me, tickled by the absurdity of the loss.  It was the only thing either of us bought in the ENTIRE market!  -____-  Those cursed sandals!

This is when I realized that I now had a useless shoe.

And you know what?  Before I left Bangkok, I realized that I was exactly 9 Baht short of paying for the airport express.  I knew it’d come back to kick me in the butt.  I had no ATM card (the new one was sent to my home address since I didn’t think I’d need it in the few weeks I had left – boy was I wrong).  My credit cards wouldn’t let me take a cash advance (I never set up a PIN number to use in ATM machines).  So, I had to borrow from my poor roommate who I had barely known for two days.  Bless her kind soul.  She helped me get from Thailand to Hong Kong!

More on my shopping experiences at the Night Bazaar and the Hong Kong markets in a future entry…

I took a little tour around SE Asia in July and my first stop was the capitol of Malaysia – Kuala Lumpur.  I was told that it was pretty much just like Singapore, except less clean and that there wasn’t much to experience.  Well, I was stubborn and kept it on my itinerary just because I wanted to see it for myself.  It turned out to be a great choice and though there are decidedly fewer things to do there than a place like Singapore, it definitely had its own personality to offer.

My first unique experience was the monorail, which sit atop these concrete tracks suspended above the roads of the city.  It’s nice to be able to look out and see things when you’re traveling, which is my one complaint against subways.  Being underground and in the dark is just not very exciting.  Floating over the cityscape is.  Granted, they do move far more slowly and these little monorails don’t take many passengers (not that they need to).  I got in pretty late that night, so I just went to my hostel to rest.  I only left to go next door to get something to eat back at the hostel.

The next day I went to check out Batu Caves.  I walked through Chinatown to get to the bus stop and was driven out to the surrounding countryside.  A huge golden figurine guarded the stairway leading up to the cave, no doubt some sort of religious being meant to protect the place.  There is a plaza area before you approach the stairs and on the string of lights in that area perched dozens of pigeons.  Many more were cooing on the ground and the entire place was speckled with their droppings.  I climbed up 272 steps to arrive at the foot of a big open-air cave in the middle of the mountain.  The cave was mostly empty except for some roosters and, well, cavernous.  I went to the other end where another set of stairs led up to an area that opened up directly to the sky and held a shrine or worshipping temple.  On that side were a cluster of monkeys, climbing up and down the walls of the cave and running up and down the stairs.

On my way down the mountain, a man brought out bananas and began to throw them up the stairs towards monkeys that were streaming towards him.  They grabbed whatever they could and horded what they caught, then each found their own place to enjoy their food.  Being hungry myself, I decided to get some lunch after I explored the rest of the grounds and took a spin around a much larger temple structure at the base of the mountain.  My lunch was pretty simple, just pickled vegetables and rice with a salty, crispy wafer of bread, but it was filling and good for my exhausted body.

A strange finding in the temple.

When I got back to the city, I walked around Central Market, where they had a lot of goodies for sale.  There was a Fish Spa place where a lot of people were getting their feet nibbled at by the “doctor fish” that eat away your dead skin and leave your feet softer.  I was tempted to give it a try, but decided that I would get around to it at another place.  It’s pretty popular in some countries in Asia and at the least I knew there was a place back in Singapore that I could visit if I didn’t get around to it before then.  Instead, I bought a little keepsake cloth art to remind me of the place and summer dress to wear when things got hot.  I then wandered through Chinatown, too lazy to bargain and not really in a spending mood.  I nearly stopped for a massage service but then decided against spending money and went back to the hostel.

At night, I went out to eat dinner and found myself in front of a huge shopping center called Pavilion.  A beautiful fountain (Liuli Crystal Fountain) stands at the entrance of the massive collection of shops.  I went inside for a stroll and found a lot of classy shops in a mall that’s probably twice the size of the largest mall I’ve ever been to before.  There are something like six stories and the food court at basement level is four times as big as my own mall’s.

My final day there, I met with some people from the company distributing the Livescribe Pulse smartpen in Malaysia.  I was treated to dim sum before we sat down to share our experiences and ideas.  I was then taken to KLCC (Kuala Lumpur City Centre), where the iconic Petronas Twin Towers are.  Yet another shopping center is situated at ground level there and I was shown the shops where the smartpen is being distributed.  After a break for lunch (and sitting out a quick rainstorm), I was shown how the cloth art I purchased the day before is made.  It’s called batik and they melt wax in these special “pens” and draw out designs on cloth.  When the wax hardens, colors are painted on to the design and then the color of the cloth is “fixed” (not sure what that means or how it works).  Cloths are then dewaxed and dried and the result is a pretty design with the white lines as areas where the wax was.  Sometimes the wax is left on so the lines appear to be golden in color.  A final pit stop at a chocolate-making factory was a bit less exciting since they wouldn’t actually let you view the process and only offered a huge shop with every flavor of chocolate imaginable (including durian and chili, for example).

They were using salt cystals to I guess "burn" a pattern when fixing the cloth color.

So all in all, I enjoyed myself and I’m glad I went to check out KL.  Next time I go to Malaysia, I’d want to go to a coastal city to enjoy the ocean.

Very zen.

I’ve realized that I write a lot of my thoughts and opinions, alluding only occasionally to experiences, so I’ll now attempt to do some more storytelling and share some of my adventures.

Let’s start with a wonderful spa experience at a place called Let’s Relax.  I discovered it when I was in Phuket, Thailand.  At a getaway place like that, I couldn’t resist indulging in some spa services, so I looked up a few sites and went for this one because they were one of the few places with a hot stone massage and of those, had the best price.  I opted for the Executive Hide Away package because it included the hot stone massage that was my main target, plus it included an herbal steam (a nice bonus) and a facial that I probably needed.  A three-hour experience, all for 3600 Baht (at the current exchange rate, around $107.37).  Not bad at all!

Take your pick of aromas and treatments! On the top left, herbal scents fo the steam room. On the bottom, different facial treatment options.

Well to start off with, I didn’t get the best of directions and probably should have copied the map better.  The bus driver and my fellow passengers had no idea what I was looking for and couldn’t tell me where to get off.  By a stroke of luck, I was looking out the right side of the bus and the building had a large sign, so I found it.  I got off the bus and made my way to the entrance, where I was greeted by a nice little landscaping in the front area and huge wooden doors.  As soon as I stepped in, I knew I had chosen wisely.  This place was impeccably clean and very nicely decorated.  It was quiet and peaceful and the ladies working there were all well-mannered and well-dressed.

After I checked in and paid, I was given a cooling green tea to sip while waiting.  All too soon, a lady was there to lead me up.  We got on the private elevator and I changed into a bathrobe in a nice bathroom before she took me to my first stop: the sauna.  Well, I guess herbal steam room is more appropriate, but you get the idea.  I had chosen the scent I wanted (I think it was lavender, but now my memory fails me) and got the place to myself.  I sat and lay on the cool stone inside as my lungs filled with the aroma of sweet flowers.  It’s hard to stay in there for long, so I had to come out a few times and made good use of the ice cold water they provided. When time was nearly up, I came out and took a nice rinse in the shower to clean up and cool down.

Nice place to just chill.

Beautiful decorations and delectable tea.

Iced water tastes so much better coming out of the steam room.

Everything you need to enjoy a hot stone massage. That black thing was knit underwear.

I was then taken to another room for my hot stone massage.  I was given a funny little black underwear thing to put on, as well as a shower cap and towel.  A nice little lady came in with the hot rocks and began to work on my weary muscles.  She used two stones to stimulate my muscles and would trace the bones in my ankles or other areas where it felt really good to have something hot and firm running along it.  Sometimes it would just be one stone or her hands and some lotion.  The heat of the stones was just enough to leave a burning trail wherever it went, but certainly not enough to burn or hurt.  She knew just how long to leave the heat there before it would start to generate more pain than relaxation.  I wondered how her hands could handle the stones – as far as I could tell, she did not use gloves or anything to protect herself from the heat.  When she wrapped up a few stones for me to lie on to soothe my back, I began to see how the prolonged heat could cause discomfort.  We made a quick adjustment to protect me from the heat a bit more and I comfortably lay there for awhile.  At the end, she had me sit in positions I’d never tried before, then pushed or pulled just the right way to make my neck and back crack.  I’d never been cracked like that before and I imagine that’s what they’d do at a chiropractor’s.  I fully intend on finding out one day.

Delicious ginger tea that was just sweet enough, yet with a slight kick.

When that was complete, it was time for the final installment – a facial.  I hadn’t been given a choice of treatment type, so I’m assuming they used a generic one or chose for themselves what was best for my skin type.  As usual, I fell asleep during the process.  There’s something so soothing about lying there with someone massaging your face.  When I woke up, I was given a little hairbrush to straighten out the mess that I’d gotten since coming out of the shower.  Back in the lobby, I was given a warm cup of ginger tea and an almond cookie before being sent on my way.  It was a wonderful way to end and I felt invigorated as I departed!

If I get the chance, I’d definitely want to do that again.  It was a great service experience.  Next time I’m opting for the four-hand herbal massage… two hours of synchronized movements from two masseuses at 1400 Baht!  How many people have four hands massaging them at once?  Until then, I’ll dream of going back, or getting the unique jade stone massage at Le Petite Retreat, right here in LA.

I’ve been meaning to take advantage of the UCLA Marine Aquatic Center for awhile now and finally got around to doing that today.  They rent out kayaks to students for free (and of course I never got around to it while I was a student), so they can go enjoy a little paddling around the marina.  I went with Ninja, who’s always up for any sort of adventure or new thing, and we got a two-person kayak so I would only have to pay $5.  If I had gotten my own, it would have been $15 an hour!  Ridiculous.

We got our paddles and sat into the kayak, then went off on our way.  I think I took a paddle that was not quite long enough, since the motion kept getting in the way of my legs and I’d hit the side of the kayak as I made my paddles.  Perhaps it was just lack of arm strength though.  As we went along, we saw a sheriff’s boat pulling up to one entering the marina – was it “pulled over”?  We also saw seals diving for fish and birds congregating where fish were being netted.  A few items of trash floated near us, so we navigated so I could pick them up and put them up front to take back.

In the area where the water was very still, we managed to get a decent rhythm and speed going, which felt really good.  At times it seemed we could just glide upon the water with our feet (and so we stuck our feet into the water to simulate that).  We saw many boats with fun names or really cool designs, and many very fancy ones.  Some were from the local area and others had come from other cities.  There were even two or three floating homes at the end of some of the docks, complete with couches and dining tables and beds and pets.  Now there’s a lifestyle.

As we approached the exit to the open ocean, rocks on the shore were covered with barnacles and scurrying amongst them were little crabs that looked like spiders or scorpions.  A few seagulls were floating near the shore and we quietly approached them, gliding closer and closer until they decided we had invaded their personal space and took off.  After we made an entire circle, we got back and cleaned off the equipment, got rid of the trash properly through the trash bins and recycle, and guzzled down some drinks to recover to from the two-hour effort.  It was a nice little excursion and a fun way to exercise a bit and enjoy some nature-y sights.

Later at night, we came across a spider who had built a web in a parking garage.  One of his web’s anchors extended straight to the ground, which was not the best idea, since it will get broken when residents arrive and drive that way.  Ninja decided to help him out by relocating that thread to the ceiling, but unfortunately it wouldn’t stick.  Instead we got to watch in fascination as the spider dropped himself down to the floor again and rubbed his butt against the floor to re-anchor his web.  He then began to climb up again, using only his four forearms.  His two hind legs dangled and from one of them, another thread was emerging.  He then used that thread to attach to another part of the web to create a triangle and continued breaking up parts of the web and extending it with triangles.

It was a really cool process to watch and he didn’t seem to mind our intent stares.  It’s unfortunate that he chose a poor location and will soon have to deal with another wrecked web (and probably worse, since Ninja was very gentle in how he moved the thread).  Hopefully he will eventually learn that he will need a new place to stay permanently, or else he’ll be making a whole lot of extra work for himself, repairing that web all the time.  It must have looked kind of funny, the two of us staring at what looked like nothing in the middle of a parking structure, then squatting down and staring at the floor, then standing up and staring towards the ceiling.  It was all worth it though – we got a great first-hand view of how spiders make their creations!

What a fabulous experience at Sentosa! I touched so many creatures I can’t even count them anymore. From butterflies to sting rays and even a dolphin, it was an absolutely thrilling time for me. Though I enjoyed the views from the Tiger Tower and Merlion, what stood out the most was the time I spent at the Butterfly Garden and Insect Kingdom, Dolphin Lagoon, and Underwater World.

At the Butterfly Garden and Insect Kingdom, I saw the world’s heaviest bug and then walked through a lovely garden filled with parrots, butterflies, and fish. The butterflies teased me by flying oh so close but zooming out of view before I could snap a proper shot. I did manage to catch some as they were resting and even got one to climb on my finger before fluttering off. Meanwhile, the coolest insects were either in glass containers or preserved and pinned on the walls.

The Dolphin Lagoon provided good entertainment as the pink dolphins there showed off their speed, balance, and accuracy. They even showed off for us before the show and posed for pictures. They are still adolescents, so only their bellies have started to turn pink, which was interesting to see. After the show, we were allowed to pose for a picture with one of the dolphins for a small fee, so I happily lined up for my turn. My dolphin’s name was Splash and loved the ladies, but swam away when the only guy entered the water! He was good for me though and struck the best pose.

The Underwater World was a superb conclusion to the day, starting with a touch pool that allowed us to feel starfish, pufferfish, sting rays, and other random fish. It was amazing to feel the soft texture riddled with bumps that the blue-dotted sting ray had and the hardness of the starfish. The fish were peculiar fellows, not allowing you to touch them, but coming to rub against you before shooting off, if you stayed still.

Continuing on, there was a pool entirely of rays that would whisk by and occasionally stop to say hello and see if you had food. It made me want to have a pet sting ray – they’re better than dogs! I spent a lot of time there, petting their soft bodies as they went by and marveled at the opportunity. There was a display showing sharks at their stages of development with live examples! Then it was case after case of bizarre and brilliant species, like jellyfish, cuttlefish, seahorses, crabs, and sharks. There were these “angels” that flapped their wings and cuttlefish that changed skin patterns in the blink of an eye. Some leafy-looking sea horses floated around near the seaweed they resembled and some giant crabs scuttled slowly across the sand.

By and by, I came across the famous tunnel. Stepping on to the rotating belt, I began to travel along underneath a collection of huge sea creatures. Some of the fish were so big I wondered how they were ever caught. It was so exciting to be there, with them swimming around and above. Many a time I stepped off the travelator to capture footage of these giant things and stare in awe at them as they glided along. One of them even paused to look at me for awhile, probably examining me just as I was doing the same to it.

I really enjoyed my time there and I really could spend an eternity there, petting and observing these underwater delights. One day I want an aquarium of my own.