A Remarkable Week In Kanha and Pench

In April 2023, my wife Kamalini, our 8 year old son Rehaan, and I embarked on a trip to Kanha National Park and Pench National Park. We went with our friends - Akanksha, Amish, Akanksha's 9 year old son Kaveer, Shweta, and Shweta's 8 year old son Vihaan. Akanksha owns resorts in wildlife parks in Sundarbans, Doars, Kanha and Pench, and the trip was triggered with her kind invitation to have us stay at her resorts in Kanha and Pench.

Spotted Deer Stag,
Kanha National Park

Day 1 - 

We took an early morning flight from Delhi to Raipur. In Raipur, we were met by our friends Mohit and Gayatri, and their 8 year old son Neil.  This family used to live in the same condo as Akanksha and us in Gurgaon several years earlier, but had subsequently moved to Bangalore. It was a great occasion to bring the kids together, as they were meeting after quite a gap. Vihaan was a new entrant to this group of friends, because he had moved to our condo after Neil had moved out.

Akanksha had arranged for transport, which took us from Raipur to Kanha National Park. We stopped for lunch on the way at a nice place called Natraj Hotel. By early afternoon, we reached Kanha, and we went straight to Akanksha's resort, The Riverwood Forest Retreat, Kanha. It was a brand new property, done up beautifully. It had 18 cottages, white in colour, with green roofs. The colour scheme and the overall look of the place made it merge nicely with the natural surroundings. Akanksha took us for a walk around the property, and we saw the lobby area, the bar, the outdoor pool, the spa, the small artificial lake, the table tennis room and the dining area.

Outdoor Pool, The Riverside Forest Retreat,
Kanha National Park

We went to our respective cottages. The rooms were very large and well furnished. They had air conditioning, a mini bar, and large windows to take in the beautiful surroundings. We had an enjoyable evening. The kids swam, we had high-tea facing the lake, we generally hung around and chatted, and Mohit entertained us by singing old Hindi songs to karaoke.

Cottages, The Riverside Forest Retreat,
Kanha National Park

Akanksha heard the calls of a deer, and was sure there was a tiger around. We got into jeeps, armed with torches, and we went on a mini safari in the dark. We got to see spotted deer, sambar and a sloth bear, but no tiger was to be seen anywhere! We returned to the resort. Dinner was at the side of a big banyan tree inside the resort. The place had been lit up beautifully with lanterns. We had drinks and dinner, and then called it a day.

Amish, Akanksha, Gayatri, Mohit and Kamalini,
The Riverside Forest Retreat,
Kanha National Park

Kaveer, Neil, Vihaan and Rehaan,
The Riverside Forest Retreat,
Kanha National Park

Me and Kamalini,
The Riverside Forest Retreat,
Kanha National Park

Day 2 - 

In the morning, the group went off to have breakfast at the side of a nearby waterfall. I went to the bar, plugged in my laptop, got connected, and conducted a couple of my Chess coaching sessions online. The group returned from the breakfast, and I joined them. The kids swam, and we adults hung out in the bar. Kamalini and Mohit sang songs on karaoke, people chatted, others played pool. We all ate lunch and then a few of us went on an afternoon safari. I didn't go because I had more Chess coaching commitments.

Kamalini and I spent time in our cottage, and Shweta came and chatted with us. The three of us went for a walk along with the property manager, Vaibhav, who showed us around. Much to Kamalini's delight, there was also a labrador living on the property. We saw the banyan tree, the vegetable garden and the beautiful sunflowers in the lawn. The evening was spent in the bar, and later, we had our dinner. I again excused myself from the group to conduct my classes. Wi-fi connectivity was less than ideal, but then again, on a trip like this, it's quite alright to just shut out the world for a few days!

Me, Kamalini and Shweta,
The Riverside Forest Retreat,
Kanha National Park

Vegetable Garden,
The Riverside Forest Retreat,
Kanha National Park

Sunflowers,
The Riverside Forest Retreat,
Kanha National Park

Banyan Tree,
The Riverside Forest Retreat,
Kanha National Park

Day 3 - 

We woke up bright and early. After taking baths and having tea and breakfast, we set out on a safari by 5 am. We drove for 45 minutes in a Tempo Traveler, after which we got into a couple of Gypsy jeeps and embarked on our safari at Kanha National Park. The park lies within the state of Madhya Pradesh. It was created in 1955, and was designated a tiger reserve in 1973. It covers an area of 940 sq km, but has an additional buffer zone of 1,067 sq km. It is one of the largest national parks in central India.

It was a 5 hour safari. We were in the Kali Gate Zone. We got to see numerous spotted deer and langoors. We also got to see some majestic gaurs, sambar deer, vultures, jackals and mongooses. The park boasts of about 105 tigers, but we had no luck spotting any! We didn't get to see leopards either! We went to Centre Point, and ate breakfast that had been packed for us. We got back to the resort, quite happy with our morning, despite having missed seeing tigers.

Safari Jeep,
Kanha National Park

The Road,
Kanha National Park

Gaur,
Kanha National Park

Langoors,
Kanha National Park

Female Spotted Deer, 
Kanha National Park

We ate lunch, then we retired to our respective cottages and rested in the afternoon. We all went to the bar for tea and cookies, after which the adults joined the kids in the swimming pool. I again did some of my online Chess coaching, after which we hung around in the bar and then ate dinner before calling it a day.

Day 4 - 

After a leisurely breakfast, we left by mid-morning from the resort and made our way to Bisapur, a journey that took over 3 hours. On the way, we ate lunch that had been packed for us at the resort. In Bisapur, we went to Akanksha's family large house, in the middle of the jungle. We sat around outside in the garden and had tea and snacks. The staff was very well trained, and Akanksha's warm hospitality knew no bounds! The house had a few dogs, including a Great Dane that had just delivered pups. Kamalini and Rehaan are dog-lovers, and that made their day! 

What followed was a nice little drive in the jungle, though we didn't really spot any animals in the dark. We made our way to the family's campsite, which was going to be opened commercially to the public shortly. A great place for people wanting to camp in the jungle! We went back home and had drinks and dinner before retiring for the day.

The House in Bisapur

Bougainvillea in the Garden, Bisapur

Day 5 - 

It was a leisurely morning. We went for a walk in the vicinity of the house. The bougainvillea plants were a real treat to the senses! The four boys played football in the garden. We had a nice breakfast, and hung around and chatted for some time. Post noon, we left for Pench, which was just over an hour away.

We went straight to  Akanksha's resort, The Riverside Forest Retreat, Pench. The beautiful property has 21 rooms. We checked into our rooms. The rooms were nice and comfortable. I walked around the property and saw the lobby, the gift shop, the library, the Tree House, the lawn, the dining room, the bar, the vegetable garden, the bridge and the watch tower. A lovely property indeed! 

We had lunch, the kids swam, and Kamalini and I walked around the property, after which we played some table tennis and then retired to our room to rest for a while. The property had 3 labradors, and Kamalini was absolutely delighted with that! We went to the dining hall for tea and pakodas. We chatted with the property manager, Uma Shankar, who spoke at length about the resort and the national park. We went to the library. A few of members of the group, including all the kids, went on a night safari, but Kamalini and I chose not to. In the evening, Shweta's husband Rahul, and their elder son Shaurya, also arrived from Gurgaon. The safari gang returned, and all of us ate dinner before calling it a day.

Lawn, 
The Riverside Forest Retreat,
Pench National Park

Watch Tower, 
The Riverside Forest Retreat,
Pench National Park

Room, 
The Riverside Forest Retreat,
Pench National Park

Room Interior, 
The Riverside Forest Retreat,
Pench National Park

Tree House,
The Riverside Forest Retreat,
Pench National Park

Day 6 - 

A few people went on an early morning safari, but Kamalini, Rehaan and I had a relaxed morning at the resort. We had breakfast and played some table tennis. By mid-morning, our XLRI friends joined us from Gurgaon - Sandeep and his wife Seema; Tarun and his wife Shalini; Deepak and his wife Deepali; Nishit and his wife Deepali; and Namita and her daughter Vrinda. They arrived from Nagpur, and did a bit of sightseeing on the way from the airport before joining us at the resort. It was great having more friends joining us towards the end of our trip! We hung around with the XL gang. Lunch followed, and we were joined by the morning safari group. It was a lovely afternoon, with food, music, dancing and lots of chatting. We got friendly with a kitty-party group of women who were staying at the resort, and were playing music and dancing. We joined them, and suddenly, one had a really large group of people on the make-shift dance floor in the dining area! 

The afternoon safari plan was called off because of rain. We hung out in the library - I played Scrabble with Shalini, and I played Chess with Shaurya. We had tea and moong dal pakodas in the evening, and at night, we all ate dinner together before retiring.

Kamalini and Me,
The Riverside Forest Retreat,
Pench National Park

Deepali, Deepali, Shalini, Namita, Vrinda and Seema,
The Riverside Forest Retreat,
Pench National Park

Sandeep, Deepak, Tarun, Me and Nishit,
The Riverside Forest Retreat,
Pench National Park

Day 7 - 

I woke up at 3:30. It was an early start to the day. By 5:45 am, the group set out for an early morning safari in Pench National Park. Pench National Park is situated in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, and it covers an area of about 257 sq km. It was established as a national park in 1975. The park boasts of about 120 tigers. We went in a total of 5 jeeps, and we entered the national park from Khasrapur Gate. It was a 4 hour long safari, during which we saw langoors, spotted deer, gaurs, peacocks and egrets. It started raining, so the jeeps had to be covered by tarpaulin. That was a bit of a dampener. We ate our packed food, and by mid morning, we returned to the resort. I played table tennis with Nishit, and then with Kamalini. In the afternoon, there was another safari. This time, we entered through the Turia Gate. The weather gods helped, as the rain stopped, and we were able to have a great safari. Not everyone went on the safari, and I had a jeep to myself. There was of course the driver and guide. I saw spotted deer, langoors, jackals, red faced monkeys, wild boars, sambar deer, nilgai and eagles. No luck with tigers or leopards, but the other spottings were very satisfying nevertheless, as many of them were from really up close! After the safari, I briefly saw the museum at Turia Gate - it had a collection of stuffed animals. Returned to the resort for dinner with the group.

Safari Jeep,
Pench National Park

Langoor, 
Pench National Park

Sambar Deer,
Pench National Park

Spotted Deer,
Pench National Park

Leopard with its Kill,
Museum,
Pench National Park

Day 8 - 

After breakfast, we checked out of The Riverside Forest Retreat, Pench. It was a one and a half hour drive to Nagpur Airport. The highway was impressive indeed, comparable to highways in the West. We caught our flight back to Delhi, and got back home to Gurgaon, after a wonderful week of animal spottings, quality time with friends, and a whole lot of pampering by Akanksha and her wonderful team!!

Our Singapore Travel Diary

We spent a wonderful time in Singapore and the nearby island of Bintan over the winter break. We went on 28th December 2022, and returned home to Gurgaon on 8th January 2023. It turned out to be one of the best family holidays for my wife Kamalini, our 8 year old son Rehaan, and me!

Central Business District, Singapore

Why Singapore? I had been to Singapore several times between 2005 and 2013, and had spent a total of no fewer than 20 days there. My wife had also been there with me for 3 days in 2013. We still chose it as our winter get-away from the biting cold of Delhi and Gurgaon. Yes, the warm tropical weather was certainly a factor. Singapore is also a child-friendly place with numerous attractions for children, and we felt it would be something special for little Rehaan. We had gone to Paris over the summer, and though Rehaan had some great moments there, by the end of it he (and Kamalini!) had had an overdose of history, culture, architecture and museums - that was something just up my curve of course! The Singapore trip was largely for Rehaan. Another great pull factor was that my very close friends from XLRI - Vineet and Sonali - have been staying in Singapore for several years, and we thought it would be great to spend some quality time with them!

Day 1 - 

We took an Air India flight from Delhi to Singapore. Though the flight was comfortable and the food was good, there were a few disappointments. There was no in-flight entertainment, and Rehaan couldn't get over how an international flight could have no TV! There wasn't even a flap in front of the seats where we could store any of our things. But those were small disappointments in the larger scheme of things.

We landed in Singapore at night. We went to see the fancy new complex called Jewel at Changi Airport. Jewel has a large glass dome with a tropical rainforest, a large waterfall, shops and eateries. Though we got a sense of what Jewel was about, the waterfall was shut for the day, the lights had been largely switched off, and the shops and eateries were also shut. 

Jewel, Changi Airport

We took a taxi and went to our hotel, Ibis Singapore Novena. It was a comfortable hotel. The room was a bit small for the three of us, but it was neat and clean, and had all the basics very much in place. 

Day 2 -

We had a great buffet breakfast at our hotel. We used public transport to get to Vivo City, a large mall at the gateway of Sentosa, an island known for its many exciting entertainment options. We caught the Sentosa Expressway monorail and made our way to Universal Studio. We ended up spending a large part of the day and thoroughly enjoyed the various rides. 

The highlights were Hollywood Street (with its many shops and eateries), King Julien's Beach Party Go Round, Enchanted Airways (a roller coaster), Shrek 4 D Adventure, the Lost World (with dinosaur themed rides like Canopy Flyer and Dino Soarin'), Ancient Egypt (with the thrilling Revenge of the Mummy high speed roller coaster, and the slow Treasure Hunters which entailed going on vintage cars across the Egyptian landscape), and the Accelerator in Sci Fi City (we avoided the Battleship Galactica there, because the roller coaster there looked crazily scary!).

Signage outside the Entrance, Universal Studio

Entrance, Universal Studio

Popcorn Truck, Universal Studio

King Julien's Beach Party Go Round

Circus Hat, Universal Studio

We munched through the day, but lunch was at Malaysian Food Street, near the entrance to Universal Studio. We were spoiled for choice there in terms of the sheer range of stalls selling Southeast Asian food. Later on, dinner was at Food Republic, a Southeast Asian food court in Vivo City, with numerous food stalls. It was a long, tiring, yet extremely satisfying day.

Fried chicken and rice, Malaysian Food Street

Day 3 - 

After a hearty breakfast at our hotel, I booked a Gojek taxi, and we went to Vineet and Sonali's place in Leonie Hills. It was great to see them and their college-going son, Varun. Kamalini and Rehaan were absolutely thrilled to see Rufus, their Cocker Spaniel. Rufus is 12, but he's a healthy, alert 12. We spent quite a long time chatting with Vineet and Sonali. They have got a nice big apartment with a lot of light and air, and they've done up the place very beautifully, with colourful paintings and sculptures. We ate lunch at home, and we planned out our itinerary for the rest of our stay in Singapore. I had got myself a 10 attractions Klook pass for Kamalini, Rehaan and myself, and a lot of planning went into choosing the 10 sites we were going to see.

Vineet walked us to the nearby MRT station, Great World City. Kamalini, Rehaan and I went to Gardens by the Bay. It turned out to be a spectacular place. The complex consists of two large glass domes, the Flower Dome, and the Cloud Forest. The Flower Dome has trees and flowers from different parts of the world, beautifully landscaped, and interspersed with wooden sculptures of animals. For me, the wide range of cactus plants, the varieties of palm trees, and the oddly shaped baobab trees were key highlights. The Cloud Forest has a large waterfall, a tropical forest, and an orchid garden. There was also an Avatar exhibition going on, with large figures from the Hollywood movie all around. We took the lift up to the top of the waterfall, and walked down the ramp, stopping at each level and seeing the various attractions at each level. 

Garden by the Bay

Blue Needle Palms, Flower Dome,
Gardens by the Bay

Baobab Trees, Forest Dome,
Gardens by the Bay

Waterfall, Cloud Forest,
Gardens by the Bay

Totem Pole, Cloud Forest,
Gardens by the Bay

Kamalini and Rehaan at
Gardens by the Bay

We had a quick bite at a place called Mylos, by Marina Bay. We then walked to Singapore Flyer. We entered through the Time Capsule, an exhibit that showcases the history of Singapore. It was dark by the time we took our ride on the Singapore Flyer, but we enjoyed the view from the top, and took in views of the night lights of the city and its attractive Central Business District. The Singapore Flyer has a diameter of 15 meters, each of the 28 capsules can take 28 people, and each round takes about 30 minutes. 

We returned to Vineet and Sonali's place and had dinner at home. We were very impressed by their Filipino help, Jane, who was an excellent cook, a very efficient worker, and a very pleasant demeanoured person. Varun showed Rehaan "Shrek". I spent a lot of time on the Klook app, because I wasn't able to book for several of the attractions we were keen on. Vineet tried to help out, but some of our desired attractions were just not available. Kamalini and Rehaan slept in the guestroom. I slept on a sofa cum bed, just outside the bedroom.

Day 4 - 

Vineet and I left home bright and early, and took Rufus for a walk. It was great catching up with Vineet over a long chat. After breakfast, Vineet and I took Rehaan for a swim in the condo's outdoor pool. Kamalini, Rehaan and I made our way to Sentosa. We ate delicious dimsums at Din Tai Fong, after which we went to S.E.A. Aquarium. We were amazed at the vast range of marine life we saw there - sharks, sting rays, eels, dolphins, anemonies, jelly fish, star fish, and numerous other types of fish. There was a glass tunnel we walked under, and on all sides, we could see underwater creatures. The aquarium has many tanks, including a massive one. Lunch was back in Malaysian Food Street, where we had eaten when we went to Universal Studio earlier in the week.

Nurse Shark, S.E.A. Aquarium

Starfish, S.E.A. Aquarium

Sting Ray, S.E.A. Aquarium

We took the Sentosa Express, and made our way to Madame Tussauds Singapore, where Vineet and Sonali joined us. I have visited many Madame Tussauds museums across the world - in London, New York, Las Vegas, Amsterdam, Vienna, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Shanghai, and Delhi - but I still greatly enjoyed my visit to Madame Tussauds Singapore. The experience included Images of Singapore (where we got to see wax images depicting Singapore's history and culture), an indoor boat ride, and a Marvel Universe 4 D Adventure. As far as the celebrity wax figures go, we saw figures of Bollywood celebrities (including Amitabh Bachchan, Sridevi, Kareena Kapoor, Karan Johar, Varun Dhawan, Shahrukh Khan, Hritik Roshan, Kajol, Priyanka Chopra and Aishwarya Rai), Hollywood celebrities (Tom Cruise, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Daniel Craig and Johnny Depp), sports personalities (including Tiger Woods, Sachin Tendulkar, Serena Williams, David Beckham and Lewis Hamilton), pop stars (including Elvis Presley, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Beyonce and Katy Perry), and political figures (including Mahatma Gandhi Narendra Modi, Mao Zedong, Nelson Mandela, Barack Obama, Queen Elizabeth II, and Lee Kuan Yew). 

Amitabh Bachchan,
Madame Tussauds Singapore

Elvis Presley,
Madame Tussauds Singapore

Mahatma Gandhi,
Madame Tussauds Singapore

Mr and Mrs Lee Kuan Yew,
Madame Tussauds Singapore

Michael Jackson,
Madame Tussauds Singapore

Narendra Modi,
Madame Tussauds Singapore

Nelson Mandela,
Madame Tussauds Singapore

Tiger Woods,
Madame Tussauds Singapore

After dinner at Food Republic in Vivo City, we went for a waterside laser show called "Wings of Time". It was outdoors, and since it started drizzling, Vineet bought ponchos for all of us! It was a spectacular laser show. We came back home, after a long and enjoyable day. It was New Year's Eve. We watched "Matilda" (The Musical) on Netflix. It was an enjoyable movie, that kept us going till well after midnight. We greeted each other at midnight, and ushered in the New Year! It was good fun being with close friends on New Year's Eve! A few calls and messages were exchanged with family members in different parts of the world!

Wings of Time

Day 5 - 

Vineet, Sonali and I started the new year with a long morning walk. We took the MRT and made our way to Marina Bay. We walked around the Marina Bay area, and got great views of city landmarks like Gardens by the Bay, Marina Bay Sands, and Singapore Flyer.  After our long walk, we returned home and had a great breakfast, after which I accompanied Rehaan for his swim. 

Marina Bay Sands

Kamalini, Rehaan, Vineet, Sonali and I walked across to Orchard Road, not far away. It's Singapore's main shopping street, with one shopping mall after another. We went to Ngee Ann City, where Vineet and Sonali treated us to a great Sushi meal at Genko Sushi. Besides the delicious food, the other attraction for Rehaan was that food was brought to our table on racing-car shaped trollies that came to our table! 

Post lunch, Kamalini, Rehaan and I took the Hop On Hop Off bus. It was great riding through the city perched at that height! We sat in the open-air section, and took in the city's views. We got off at the Fullerton Hotel stop, from where we walked across to see Merlion Park, which has the famous half lion - half fish statue of the Merlion, one of the main symbols of the city. 

The Fullerton Hotel

Merlion Park

In the evening, post our Hop On Hop Off bus ride, we went to Clarke Quay, a riverside area full of eateries and bars. We met Vineet, Sonali and Varun there. They treated us to a unique dining experience at Haidilao Hot Pot. The restaurant is very popular, and despite having a booking, we had to wait for over an hour! We ordered four different types of soups, which were placed in the centre. Each of us got our own sauces. Then veggies, mushrooms, chicken and sea-food arrived at our table. These items were immersed into the four different types of soups, and each of us enjoyed a marvelous dinner! After our hearty dinner, we walked back to Vineet and Sonali's place. A large part of the walk was along the Singapore River, and we passed by lively areas like Robertson Quay. Came back exhausted (I walked over 15 km in the course of the day!), but very happily so! 

Clarke Quay

Riverside Point, Clarke Quay

Haidilao Hot Pot, Clarke Quay

Day 6 -

In the morning, Vineet, Sonali, Kamalini and I set out for Singapore Botanic Garden. Rehaan was quite happy being left at home with Jane and Rufus. The sheer range of plant species there was staggering. The garden has several lakes. The highlight of the garden was clearly the National Orchid Garden, which has orchid flowers in a wide array of colours - red, yellow, white, and purple. Saw the Shaw Foundation Symphony Stage, where outdoor concerts are held, right next to a beautiful lotus pond.

Entrance, National Orchid Garden,
Singapore Botanic Garden

Fountain, National Orchid Garden,
Singapore Botanic Garden

Clock Tower,
Singapore Botanic Garden

Shaw Foundation Symphony Stage,
Singapore Botanic Garden

We returned home. After a late breakfast, Vineet, Sonali, Kamalini, Rehaan and I went to Prive Keppel Bay, a restaurant situated in a bay where private yachts of the rich and famous are parked. We had an XLRI get together there, over a sumptuous lunch. Friends who came for lunch were Radhika and her husband Rajeev, Karthik, Mehboob Alam, Pritendra Chawla, and Aarti Gadge. It was so good to catch up with old friends, and it was extremely warm and generous of them to treat us for lunch and spend a leisurely afternoon chatting with us. Singapore is one of the few hubs outside India - in addition to the San Francisco and the Bay Area; Chicago; New York and New Jersey; and London - where a sizeable number of our batchmate live. 

Keppel Bay

Kamalini, Rehaan and I went to Clarke Quay, where Kamalini caught up with an old school friend of her's - Sonali Roy Chaudhury - from Loreto House, Kolkata. Sonali was incidentally also in XLRI, though 2 years our junior. While the ladies caught up, Rehaan and I got some father-son bonding time at Clarke Quay.

Kamalini, Rehaan and I then went on a Singapore River Cruise, which began and ended at Clarke Quay. It was a great 1 hour cruise that showed us many of the city's landmarks (Boat Quay, the Central Business District, Merlion Park, Singapore Flyer, Marina Bay Sands, to name a few) around the river. Unfortunately, it started raining, so we were not able to stand in the outdoor area, which would have been ideal for views and photography Nevertheless, we enjoyed the cruise immensely. 

Kamalini and Rehaan went home. I went to the National Gallery, a museum located inside a large domed building that was previously the Supreme Court. I enjoyed seeing the gallery's many exhibits, which included paintings, sculptures, and colonial era photographs. 

National Gallery

Liu Kang's Tenth Trip to Mount Huangshan,
National Gallery

I then walked around a lot, and walked past famous sites like Victoria Theatre and Memorial Hall, Asian Civilization Museum, Raffles Landing Site (the point near the river where the Englishman, Stamford Raffles, landed in Singapore in 1819, being the first westerner to do so - that led to the British colonization of Singapore), Chijmes (a former church complex, that has now been converted into a very popular dining and entertainment district), and Raffles Hotel (an iconic Singapore hotel, dating back to the colonial era).

Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall

Asian Civilization Museum

Raffles Landing Site

Chijmes

Raffles Hotel

For dinner, Kamalini, Rehaan and I went across to the home of Ravi, Shruti, Arjun and Tara, walking distance away from Vineet and Sonali's place. Arjun is my chess student, and I have been teaching him online for almost 2 years. Tara is Arjun's little sister. The moment I told Arjun I was going to be visiting Singapore, he said I must come home for a face to face chess session. His mother, Shruti, then warmly invited us to come over for dinner. Rehaan and Arjun got along like a house on fire. The two boys played non-stop, so there was no question of a chess class taking place! We enjoyed chatting with Shruti and her husband Ravi, over drinks and dinner. During our conversations, I loved the reference to Singapore as being the world's cleanest Indian city, because one gets to see so many Indians in Singapore that one almost feels like one is in India (8% of the population is Indians). After a very pleasant evening, we returned to Vineet and Sonali's place.

Me and my Chess student, Arjun 

Day 7 - 

In the morning, Kamalini, Rehaan and I took a cab and went to the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal to catch our ferry to the Indonesian island of Bintan, just an hour's ride away. We traveled in style in Emerald Class. There was visa on arrival, and the ferry staff helped us with that. We boarded a hotel coach that took us to our resort, The Residence Bintan, a 1 hour 15 minute bus-ride away.

Lobby, The Residence Bintan

We checked in at the resort. There were buggies available, so we didn't have to walk with our baggage. There were also cycles available, but unfortunately none in Rehaan's size. We ordered food at the restaurant, and went to our small ground floor villa, where the food was delivered. I enjoyed the Nasi Goreng that I ordered - it consisted of chicken, fried egg, and rice. Our villa was beautiful. It had a large bedroom, a bathroom, and an anteroom at the entrance. It was surrounded by manicured greenery. 

Our Villa, The Residence Bintan

The Villa Bedroom, The Residence Bintan

Nasi Goreng, The Residence Bintan

Lawn, The Residence Bintan

I took Rehaan for a swim in the resort's outdoor pool. In the evening, we went for a walk and sat by the beach, enjoying the cool breeze. We went to the Indoor Games Room, where Rehaan and I played table tennis. He was a beginner but picked up the game pretty fast. We ate dinner in the restaurant, and then retired to our villa. 

The Pool, The Residence Bintan

Rehaan in the pool,
The Residence Bintan

Rehaan on a sleigh,
The Residence Bintan

Day 8 - 

We got ready and went to the restaurant for breakfast. We were thrilled with the vast array of items available for breakfast. We had eggs, toast, croissants, cheese, cold cuts, sausages, bacon, fruit, fresh fruit juice, and tea! Wow - what a way to start the day! Rehaan and I went and played table tennis in the Indoor Games Room, while Kamalini watched some shows on Netflix in our villa. We then walked around the beach, and got our feet wet walking in the water. Next up, Rehaan and I swam in the outdoor pool, after which we had a bite at the poolside restaurant - pizza and potato wedges.

Breakfast Buffet, The Bintan Residence

Pool Bar, The Bintan Residence

After our fun, hectic morning, we took it easy in our villa in the afternoon and caught up on some rest and digital time. In the evening, we went to the Rabbit House, where Rehaan fed rabbits. Next door, there was the chicken coop, where Rehaan fed hens and a peacock. We all played with a friendly little kitten hovering around the area. More table tennis followed between Rehaan and me, after which we played chess on a large chess board, where the pieces were almost half Rehaan's height! The three of us had a walk and explored the resort, after which we ordered dinner at our villa before calling it a day.

Rabbit House, The Bintan Residence

Chicken Coop, The Bintan Residence

Rehaan feeding rabbits,
The Residence Bintan

Rehaan feeding hens,
The Residence Bintan

Kamalini with a kitten,
The Residence Bintan

Day 9 -

We again enjoyed a heart breakfast at the restaurant, just like we had the previous day. Rehaan and I went to the Indoor Games Room, where we played table tennis and carrom. Rehaan also played table tennis with another little boy, whose family was from Argentinan but who was born and brought up in Australia. I was very amused, because very knowingly, Rehaan was telling the little boy all the tips of table tennis which I had been telling him over the past couple of days! Kamalini and I also played a game of table tennis. We packed and by lunch-time, we were all set to check out of the resort, after a wonderful little stay there.

Kamalini got the restaurant to pack some sandwiches for us. We took a resort minibus and made our way to the ferry terminal. We boarded our ferry back to Singapore. Kamalini felt a little sick, because it was raining, and the water wasn't that calm. We got back to Singapore by early evening, and made our way back to Vineet and Sonali's place by bus and taxi. 

After we had freshened up, Vineet, Sonali, Varun, Kamalini, Rehaan and I went to Lau Pa Sat, a popular food market inside an impressive Victorian structure with a clocktower. The place had numerous eateries, largely from southeast Asia, but also from other parts if the world. Satay Street runs outside Lau Pa Sat, and we ordered chicken / mutton / prawn satays. We also had some beer. We then ordered more food from the food stalls inside Lau Pa Sat. I enjoyed a delicious Korean meal consisting of chicken, fried egg, and rice.

Kamalini and Rehaan went back home with Varun. Vineet, Sonali and I walked around Lau Pa Sat, roaming around, chatting and taking photographs. When we were tired, we then took a taxi back home. Back in college, I was teased a little because my Hindi was not quite fluent. I told Sonali my Hindi had improved over the years. In order to get first-hand evidence, she asked me to converse only in Hindi through the taxi ride back home. I managed quite comfortably!

Lau Pa Sat

Satays at Satay Street, Lau Pa Sat

Koren dish at Lau Pa Sat

Vineet, Sonali and Varun at Lau Pa Sat

Day 10 - 

I went for an early morning outing with Vineet, as we walked Rufus. We enjoyed our morning chat. After breakfast, Kamalini, Rehaan and I went to ACMS Medical Centre nearby for our Covid tests, a mandatory requirement for our return back to India. 

After lunch at home, Kamalini, Rehaan and I caught the MRT and a bus, and we made our way to Singapore Zoo. The incredible zoo certainly ranks amongst the world's best. Most animals are not in cages - they are in large pits, where they can be seen without obstruction, and they can also move around freely. We saw lions, rhinos, giraffes, zebras, a leopard, chimpanzees, a pygmy hippo, kangaroos, orangutans, white tigers, Asiatic elephants, pelicans and penguins. We also saw several shows - the Rainforest Show (with cockatoos), the Animal Friends Show (with dogs and cats), and the Splash Show (featuring a sea lion). Saw the bronze statue of Ah Meng, an orangutan who died several years ago, but was one of the zoo's top attractions through its long life. The zoo had plenty of places where we could eat and drink. It also had a tram system, and we kept hopping on and off so that we didn't get too exhausted with all the walking! Rehaan got me to buy him a bunch of animal toys and that really made his day!

Giraffe, Singapore Zoo

Orangutan, Singapore Zoo

Pelican, Singapore Zoo

Penguins, Singapore Zoo

Tram, Singapore Zoo

Rhinos, Singapore Zoo

White Tiger, Singapore Zoo

Zebras, Singapore Zoo

After the zoo visit, we went to the nearby Night Safari. We went on a half hour tram ride, during which time we saw a lot of nocturnal animals. We saw mountain goats, deer, a white lion, elephants, an Indian rhino, hyenas, dholes and a lot of other wildlife. The experience wasn't as great as the zoo, because it was after all nighttime, and visibility was that much lower - it was also difficult to take pictures. We came back home rather late at night, very satisfied with our day. 

Day 11 - 

This was our last day in Singapore. Vineet and I went into town together and spent half a day out. We went to Little India. I loved the many murals on the wall there, depicting scenes from life in India. We visited three Hindu temples - Siddh Peeth Shree Lakshminarayan Temple, followed by Sri Veerakaliamman Temple, and finally Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple. The latter two are South Indian temples with beautiful, coloured gopurams depicting idols of gods and goddesses. At Sri Veerakaliamman Temple, we ate pongal and sweet pongal. There weren't any spoons on forks, so I had to eat with my hands. That sounds like quite the normal thing to do, but anyone who knows me also knows what a rarity that is! Vineet couldn't resist capturing the moment on video and immediately put it up on our XL96 WhatsApp group!! We went to Mustafa Department Store. I was impressed at how everything under the sun seemed to be available in this huge store spread over multiple levels. I picked up some chocolates and other goodies from there.  

Sri Veerakaliamman Temple

Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple

Me at Sri Veerakaliamman Temple

From Little India, Vineet and I made our way to Suntec City. Saw the five towers there, and the so-called Fountain of Wealth in the centre. At Food Republic in Suntec City, Vineet and I had some refreshments to keep us going. We walked to Arab Street, and saw the many wall murals there. We also saw the exterior of Sultan Mosque, with its impressive gold coloured dome. Vineet and I returned home in time for lunch.

Suntec City

Fountain of Wealth, Suntec City

Sultan Mosque

Later in the afternoon, Kamalini, Rehaan and I returned to Suntec City. We explored the mall a little. We went on the Duck Tour, in a vehicle that goes in water and on land. The tour consisted of a 40 minute ride in the Marina Bay, and a 20 minute ride along the roads of the city centre. 

Duck Tour

In the evening, Kamalini, Rehaan and I went to visit Reet, Ritu and their 7 year old twin daughters, Ariana and Anaira. Reet is the brother of Kamalini's cousin's wife. We had a wonderful evening with them, over drinks and dinner, before returning to Vineet and Sonali's place. We were leaving for home very early the next morning, and we thanked Vineet and Sonali for their wonderful hospitality. 

At Reet and Ritu's home

Day 12 - 

We got up very early in the morning. Jane insisted on waking up early to give us tea and something to eat. Very kind of her indeed, though I had said we'd manage just fine. We got ready and left for the airport by 5:45 to catch our 8:20 Air India flight to Delhi. Vineet woke up to say bye to us. The ride to the airport wasn't without its share of excitement - all our other cab rides in Singapore were largely very smooth, but this particular driver seemed like a frustrated Formula One driver, and we were quite relieved to reach the airport in one piece!

It was really a fabulous family holiday, made extra special by the warmth and hospitality of Vineet and Sonali. Yes, travel has become very expensive after Covid, so there was certainly a bit of a financial pinch. But we had loads of fun. I came back and fell ill the very next day, and was knocked out for the next three weeks. After sunny Singapore, the cold wave in Gurgaon gave my body a sudden thermal shock, and that's what probably caused it! But fortunately, the health issues came after we had returned home, so that didn't interfere with our memorable trip in any way!