12 June 2000     By train to London

Leaving our motorhome safely stored in a barn at a Dorset farm, we caught the 2.54 pm train from Gillingham to London, at ₤26 each. Two hours later we reached Waterloo Station, took the underground to Paddington and found a B&B (the Tudor Court Hotel, Norfolk Square) near Hyde Park. We dined at McDonalds, walked in Kensington Gardens and telephoned our last farewells to relatives.

After an early breakfast, the Heathrow Express whisked us from Paddington to the airport (Terminal 4) in 30 minutes, including delay for tunnel workings. We collected the 2 bicycles we'd dropped off at Left Luggage a couple of days previously, on our way to the farm, and prepared them for the plane – pedals and handlebars turned inwards, tyre pressure reduced. Check-in for BA011 went smoothly and we relaxed with McDonalds coffee.

Departed at 11.55 am on the 13-hour flight to Singapore. On the Boeing 747-400 (the latest series of Jumbo Jets) we had a row of 3 seats, from window to aisle, to ourselves. Blankets, pillows, bed-socks and eye-shades were all provided, though it was hard to sleep. There were TV screens in the back of the seat in front (watched the film 'American Beauty'), newspapers and magazines, drinks and plenty of food – a hot lunch, sandwiches for tea and a cooked breakfast in the middle of the night. It was a very smooth flight, Margaret's longest to date.

14 June 2000   Singapore,   Fragrance Hotel Emerald   17 km cycled

Arrived at Changi Airport, Singapore at 8 am local time (7 hours ahead of Britain). We felt as if it was 1 am, we'd had no sleep and it was very hot. We waited for our bags by the carousel, alongside a crowd of men dressed in white - Muslims returning from the Haj pilgrimage to Mecca.

While Barry reassembled the bicycles, M changed some money (2.5 Singapore dollars to the pound sterling), fetched large cold drinks from Burger King, and booked a room for 3 nights through the Reservations Desk. The going rate for budget hotels was about S$40 for a double room, with those further from the centre including air-con and en-suite in the price, so we chose one of those on Geylang Road.

Carrying the minimum, by leaving 2 pannier bags in Left Luggage, we wheeled the bikes outside the air-conditioned airport. The extreme humidity made us gasp for air! The freeway to the city said No Cycles but there was no choice and no-one stopped us. Changi Road became Geylang Road and, after a 17 km ride, we found the hotel we'd booked. As there was no secure place inside for our bikes (despite assurances on the phone!), they directed us to the nearby 'Fragrance Hotel Emerald' on Lorong 6. (Lorong means Lane: the side roads at right angles to Geylang Road.) Here we were offered a small room with air-con and en-suite, TV and kettle, on the 8th floor with a great view of the city. We were told that the lower floors were let by the hour for 'passengers in transit'(!) Our bikes were safely stowed behind the desk in Reception and attracted a lot of attention.

After much-needed showers and rest, we walked out in the evening in search of food. Geylang is the Chinese quarter, where we passed stalls of strange prickly fruits, inhaled the myriad smells of outdoor eating and loved the names of the restaurants and their specialities: No Signboard, Fragrant Claypot, Pig Organ Soup, Fish Head Curry, and Two Frog Porridge! With relief, we found plain chicken and chips inside the City Plaza shopping mall. Strolling back, we noticed the wide monsoon ditches and drains and were impressed by the wide mixture of nationalities, religions and cultures living together without any apparent conflict.

15 June 2000   Singapore,   Fragrance Hotel Emerald   22 km cycled

We caught up on missed sleep, then a late breakfast in the room. At noon we set out to cycle into the city through an overcast sticky mug, to which we must acclimatise. The traffic was very orderly, with no litter or broken glass to be seen. Keeping food simple (and cheap), we had both coffee and lunch in different branches of Burger King.

The highlights of the day were the Sultan Mosque; Bugis Village (street market); Raffles Hotel and its arcade of shops (just looking!); St Andrew's Cathedral (a white building, reminiscent of St Andrew's in Madras), where everyone said 'God Bless You' and gave us badges and tea; the restored Boat Quay by the mouth of Singapore River; Nagore Durgha Shrine (a tiny mosque for the Indian Muslim community); Chinatown; and Sri Mariammon Temple (Singapore's oldest Hindu temple 1827), where incense was burning and women prepared offerings of bananas and betel nuts wrapped in leaves.

We rode back through Fort Canning Park, which was lovely and green, shady and exotic – the site of the colonial Government House set among Raffles Gardens, over the burial site of earlier Malay kings. From WW2 bunker to spice gardens, it's a historic place. We made the hotel before dark, which falls suddenly at 7 pm.

16 June 2000   Singapore,   Fragrance Hotel Emerald   54 km cycled

Cycled into the city again and round Little India, along Serangoon Road. Memorable for the smells, the jasmine garland sellers and the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple, dedicated to the goddess Kali. Here a priest was pouring gallons of milk over a statue of Lord Gannesh (the elephant god), pausing to wipe its eyes, while a band played. Today is Full Moon, especially auspicious because it's Friday.

After an early lunch (yes, Burger King again), we rode out to the entrance to Sentosa Island, a holiday resort accessible (for a fee) on a causeway or by cable car. We continued to Tiger Balm Gardens (or Haw Par Villa), a Chinese-legend-theme-park, which had developed somewhat from the pleasant gardens Barry remembered visiting over 40 years ago! We didn't pay the S$5 each to enter, content with seeing the 60 m long dragon at the entrance.

We cycled back to the hotel, where the Manager, anxious to please, gave us some bread and Chinese jam (made of coconut and eggs). To simplify tomorrow morning's early start, we then rode the 17 km to Changi airport in the busy teatime traffic to deposit our bicycles at Left Luggage. A taxi returned us in the dark to the Fragrance Hotel, where we showered, packed and wrote a few postcards.

After a wake-up call at 5.30 am for a taxi at 6 am, we reached Changi airport at 6.15 am! Plenty of time to collect bags and bikes, prepare for check-in, post our cards, have a Burger King breakfast and change Singapore dollars into Australian currency. Departed at 9.15 am for a smooth 5-hour flight on BA011, across the Equator to Perth.

The weather on landing in West Australia was perfect, dry and cloudy, a pleasant 70 deg F (and this is mid-winter!) There was a Freefone at Perth airport for hostels and other accommodation. A few calls established that there was plenty of choice in the city, prices ranging from A$40 at the YMCA to A$80 for a good hotel. Everyone sounded very friendly.

Bikes reassembled, helmets strapped on (compulsory in Oz and NZ), we set off on wide empty roads (most traffic taking to the Freeway). Suddenly tired, we stopped half-way to the city centre at 'All Travellers Motel', the first we passed. For A$70 we had an excellent room with full cooking facilities. (We soon learnt to appreciate motel rooms in Oz and NZ, which always provide toaster, kettle, tea, coffee and milk, and often have a stove or microwave as well.) A good long sleep followed.