Welcome to Singapore!

Ok, I am back, by popular demand. A couple of weeks ago, I got an email from a reader who wondered why I wasn't writing as frequently anymore. Honestly, I did not know that there were people who read this blog other than a few people I know. So now that I am popular (yeah!), I am back to writing more.

I remember the day I landed in Singapore in May. It was 5.30 am on a Sunday morning. I cleared immigration, pulled out two big suitcases from the carousel and languorously dragged myself and my suitcases out of the airport. I stepped out, looked around, looked at a familiar face, smiled and walked ahead two steps. Something did not seem right. Then I looked at the familiar face again. My friend Uma Thurman (to borrow from Penguin) came rushing at me and gave me a big hug with a loud 'Hi' that made everyone around give us a big stare. I took a few seconds to realize what was happening. 'You wouldn't think that we would not receive you is it? Welcome to Singapore!! '.

I secretly hope that someone receives me at airports and railway stations wherever I go, but having stayed and traveled alone most of last 10 years, I never expect anyone ever. I was totally surprised to see her at the airport. Absolutely touched. Poor her, she got up at 5.15 on a Sunday morning, waking her husband up in the process. Somewhere amidst all this thinking, I realised that Uma Thurman mentioned that 'we are here to receive you'. So I asked her, who is 'We'?

She pointed me to the escalator. As if right out of a classic airport scene in a movie, Penguin descends. Only background music was missing. She limps across swiftly. Penguin had twisted her ankle the previous evening, yet was cheerfully limping over at 5 am to receive me.

As we went over to my guest house to drop my luggage, I heard their sinister plans. They wanted to garland me, play loud music at the airport amongst other things to embarrass me. However, luckily, that plan could not be executed. After dropping luggage off at my guest house, we went to Uma Thurman's house where she made amazing blueberry and choco-chip pancakes. Slurp! Pancakes/ waffles with maple syrup are among my favourite breakfast items. The start in Singapore couldn't have got better.

I got a call from my friend Sp, who couldn't make it to the airport as she had an early morning shoot. Yeah, she is acting in an amateur movie (something like Hyderabad blues) and I can bet, she is going to be amazing at it. She is playing the lead actress. So Yea Sp, invited me over to her place in the evening and was quite insistent that I meet her that evening itself. Later that evening when I landed over at her place, she whipped out a carrot cake which she had baked amidst her busy schedule for my birthday. So I cut my birthday cake, blowing a small candle, wishing hmm.., for good luck. The cake was absolutely fabulous.

As I tucked into my bed that night, slowly drifting to sleep, I smiled at the great start I had in Singapore.