Our Singapore Spree (A Guest Post by Mommy on her Travel with her Barkada)

Underwater World in Singapore

What happens when five Senior Citizens (who are in their sixties and seventies and have been friends for more than four decades) plan to go on a vacation (with no family in tow) and have the time of their lives?

Here is Mommy's account of that Singapore holiday with a side trip to Batam Island in Indonesia on October 2-9, 2009 with some members of our family barkada (which I call the Red Dog, a name given to the card game which has its own rules set by them).

Our Singapore Spree by Obdulia P. Victorioso*

This is a realization of a dream of a group of friends to travel abroad as a team. The group having hurdled gracefully the age of sixty at their own pace arrived at a decision to go on a vacation in a foreign land. They agreed on an Asian trip. But where? Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, Macau or Singapore?

With the able leadership of Atty. Miguel Tupaz Tezon, we were propelled into action and easily mobilized to prepare for a Singapore trip, a unanimous choice of the group.  Three months prior to the trip, tickets were purchased and a booking was made at the ABC Hostel. Individual preparation also took place from budgeting and dollar allocation to passport arrangements and briefing of the respective family members who will be left behind for a week.

Introducing the members of this travel group: Rosario Chiu Tan, Miguel Tupaz Tezon, Lourdes Nivera Lingal, Adelaida Chiu Tezon and Obdulia Petate Victorioso.

Here is what happened on that week-long stay in Singapore.

At the NAIA 3 waiting to board the plane

Touchdown in SG. Shown here with Shirley.

Strolling and taking bus rides

Going around SG

Going around SG

At the Singapore Botanic Gardens

Somewhere on Victoria Street

Hopping on the MRT

Customary photo op with the Merlion

The classic "pose with the flowers"

Even at night, we are still up and about.

Bugis Junction

And a side trip to Batam Island in Indonesia.

It was a fun trip.

At the Changi Airport

On our way home to the Philippines.

Our special thanks to Atty. Michael Victor C. Tezon for picking us up at the airport and to our friends in Singapore for assisting us and making our stay easy and fun: Shirley Elizarde and Ruel Plaza, Sherren Manaois and our Tampines hosts Grace Villasin and her hubby Vic.

The members of this group are cohesively glued on all occasions, through thick and thin and greying hair, wrinkled skin and wobbly knees, and it is envisioned that this Singapore spree has allowed each one to gain momentum in their lives. And that this strong bond will serve as an inspiration and trickle to their next generation.

*This entry was for the photo book of one of my Mommy's travel to Singapore with our family barkada. But of course, that photo book is on my to-do list. For now, I am posting Mommy's draft of that trip.