Changi Airport

Two flights down, one to go.

Currently stuck in the strange, subterranean existence of Singapore's Changi Airport Terminal Two transit lounge. It reminds me of Vegas casinos - you don't know whether it's night or day or even what time it is.

We have hours before our flight to Delhi so we've had hot showers and I'm now making a half-hearted attempt to work. The Animator, meanwhile, is trawling the numerous duty free shops, trying to find me a new iPhone (my current one hasn't been the same since the water bottle Vs handbag incident in London last November).    

People watching in airports is also fun - it takes on an extra frisson of excitement when you're tired and jet-lagged and are unable to control what comes out of your mouth.Although I don't mind travelling on my own, it's always entertaining having the Animator with me. He does make me laugh.

We really ought to try and get some rest, though: we arrive in India at 5.30am and are being picked up for our city tour at 1.00pm. And y'all all know how busy these media famils can be....so hang onto your hats, because we're about to arrive in crazy town (in more ways than one).

I had planned to include a visual of one of my favourite airports, but the laptop is playing silly buggars and I am shattered so sorry, it's a visual-free day today.

       

Pack a fearless palate

The NZ Herald finally ran my Singapore food piece today (click here to read). 

Singapore F1 piece

Back in September, the Animator and I flew to Singapore to cover the Grand Prix. Somewhat inexplicably, in my case, given that I was having a sickie the day they handed out the petrol head gene.

 But it was a lot of fun and my piece is published in the April issue of NEXT Magazine (click here to read).

'Green' Singapore

Yesterday the Dominion Post ran the first of my Singapore stories (God, I am sooo behind I've only written two of the four pieces I was commissioned - ekkkk). Because of the way the Fairfax empire works, the story also ran in the Christchurch Press on Monday (click here to read).

Photos below, and in the article, are courtesy of the multi-talented Animator.

 

Celebration

There were 643 semi-polished words of a Singapore travel piece that's due next week, pleading emails to far-flung corners of the globe for a piece for an architectural/design mag and two walks in the glorious sunshine - one with one of the Mt Vic Vixens, just back from Tasmania, the other with a neighbour, Andy.

That's not why I'm celebrating, though. I'm toasting (or I would be if I had any bubbly in the house) Kiwi author Ellie Catton (below) who today won the literary equivalent of the World Cup, the Man Booker Prize, for her doorstop novel, The Luminaries. And, in true Kiwi style, she did it whilst also breaking records - being the youngest ever Booker winner and having the longest winning book (832 pages). I haven't yet had the physical or head space to tackle her novel, but am currently reading one of the other nominees - The Lowland, by Jhumpa Lahiri - which I truly heart.

Today was a VERY GOOD DAY for NZ literature.

        
(Pic credit: Stuff)

Begging for a waistband amnesty

This morning at work, someone had the inspired idea of doing a cronut run. You know cronuts, the 'new' cupcake that foodies everywhere have clasped to their increasingly ample bosoms?

They're basically the love-child of a donut and a croissant but with custard injected into them. A calorific cuddle and heart attack in equal measure. Last month in Singapore I consumed my first - a salted caramel number that was nice but, frankly, a little faddish and more than a little fattening. I was happy never to walk in the valley of the cronut again.

But today the boys decided to check out a new bakery's deep fried offerings, so off they trotted and came back with these chocolate, vanilla and lemon delights. As I'm trying to claw back my running fitness, I opted to share one with a pod buddy. Which turned out to be the right choice when I saw these monsters - probably double the size of their Singaporean cousins. And the resulting chocolate/carb coma wasn't nearly as bad, either.

Tonight, before the rain set in, the Hound and I legged it up a series of hills to try and work it off. I'm hoping some kind of balance has been achieved...

       

Public speaking

About a month ago, an email plopped into my inbox from a very nice woman, asking if I would be the headline act at a meeting of the Wellington branch of Travcom, the NZ travel writers organisation. This is the esteemed bunch that, earlier this year, handed me a bunch of cash, a trip to Hong Kong and the kudos of being the Cathay Pacific NZ Travel Writer of 2013.

At first, I demurred; I would be out of the country, I had little to say, etc, etc. But they changed the date and made so many accommodations, it felt churlish to refuse. And so on Tuesday night, I will join a panel of far more accomplished writers than myself in attempting to unpick what makes a good travel story. It's not that I have a problem with standing in front of a room full of my peers (let's not forget that talking is one of my favourite things), it's just that trying to peel back the layers of something so subjective can be pretty hit and miss. Let's just hope it's the former...

Today's visuals are from our recent Singapore media trip. Given that my first story for NEXT Magazine is due in exactly 20 days, I really need to get a move on but, due to the roll call of other stories/corporate copywriting, I haven't even glanced over my notes yet. Arghhhhh.....

     

Hot and cold

There was a 10 hour flight, two meals, three movies, two hours hanging at Auckland Airport and a one-hour flight to Welly. I'm beyond shattered and my eyes are at half mast as I type.

It is, however, good to be home and of course to see my beloved Bristol; but, as expected, it has been the other side of traumatic reinserting my cold weather brain. Two days ago I was prostrating myself before the genius who invented air conditioning (a chap with the delightfully extravagant name of Wills Haviland Carrier, since you asked) and today I am the queen of padded outerwear. It makes me weep just thinking about Singapore's heat.

Now I am back at the ranch and have more of a handle on images vs laptop issues, here are a slightly less random selection of images from the past five days (and yes, that is a real live panda behind me in the fourth image and the pair of us wearing bibs further along; apparently there is an ancient Chinese proverb that says she who eats chilli crab without covering herself in plastic is destined for years of stain removal; hence the deeply unsexy bibs).

Hot and steamy Singapore

Sorry for the radio silence over the past few days - we have been otherwise occupied tearing through the most fabulous itinerary ever (here's looking at you, Singapore Tourism Board).

There has been heat - including 30 degrees at 10pm - food, shopping and the crazy town spectacle that is the Formula 1 night race. My ears are still ringing and I seriously doubt I would be able to identify a crankshaft or a transmission in a lineup - but my god, it has been fun.

Some pics of the last few days. The second is the view from the pool of our very nice hotel; unfortunately these snaps, taken as always by the Animator, do not portray just how meltingly hot it is. Apologies too for the random selection of visuals but I'm travelling with a small and very unreliable laptop that seems determined to do the exact opposite of what I ask. Very much like my husband. But fear not, normal service shall resume when we get back to NZ.  

     

Up and Down

I started this yesterday but ran out of puff. So let's make it a Friday/Sat collaborative kind of thing:

UP

• Sunshine, glorious sunshine. You have been gone far too long. I truly heart you.

• Getting stuff done. There's nothing like a deadline to light the fire under one's arse, and knowing that I'm getting on a big silver bird on Thursday has made my fingers race over the keyboard. Result: two interviews, three corporate pieces and a pitch all done and dusted.

• A meeting with the lovely owner of an advertising agency I met while walking the Hound. And a copywriting project that needs doing by Xmas. Bonus: after the meeting we took our respective canines into the Town Belt for a walk and a natter. Sometimes things do fall into place.

•  A long and involved chat with the PR for our Singapore media trip to iron out all the creases in our itinerary. And, joy of joys, we have the same guide I had four years ago; she was so much fun I spent most of my time in the tiny island state shaking with laughter. Not so joyful: having to attend some post-Formula 1 party next Saturday and not having a clue what to wear (this should probably be in the 'Down' column).  

• Freetime spent pouring over the Zara, H&M and Topshop websites in anticipation of next week's shopping spree. Scoff all you like, overseas readers, but here in these small, shaky isles we are bereft of these global behemoths. So while you may believe they represent the seven circles of hell, when you're denied access to them, they become like some kind of glittery prize. Perhaps a trip to one of these places can solve the above bullet.

DOWN

• The usual time/tasks conundrum.

• My friend Lorna and her adorable woofer Dobbie are moving. Yesterday we had a last walk with them, although they're only moving a couple of suburbs away, so hopefully we'll stay in touch.

• Realising a favourite Stella McCartney top (calm down, a sample I bought in China which probably cost about 1/8th of the real thing) has sprung a hole in the side. Cue inept tailoring skills.   

• Not being able to watch the second season of The Newsroom because the Animator had failed to bung it on the hard-drive. And he was, quite inconsiderately, out drinking. I do love me a bit of The Newsroom when I'm home alone.

Because it's the weekend, and I'm in a good mood, today's visual is this wonderful piece of nonsense I came across the other day. Happy weekend, wherever you are...