Leg 2: Singapore to Melbourne

As the lights slowly started to become bright on the airbus I awoke from my deep slumber, the sleepers, cocktails and 3 seat stretch had served me well. We will soon be landing in Changi airport came the announcement from the speaker system. Bingo! I'd slept the majority of the journey.

As I took a big stretch and familiarised myself with my surroundings I looked out on what looked like an army of fishing boats stretching out from the bright green island of Singapore. In my sleepy daze I would have forgiven myself for thinking I was still dreaming, from overhead the island looked like a maze of swampy moss and perfectly maintained canals, lakes and other water features.

Stepping off the plane reminded me of how my home looked after a good old spring clean! The floors, walls, windows, hand-rails, airport vehicles and staff were immaculate (not suggesting of course I have home vehicles or staff, it just smells nice and shines after a clean). A huge, sparkly building, not clinical just clean and efficient. Wow, I'm in Singapore! Not for long granted, but for now, I'm here!

First things first, a call to my adorable man and a transfer of messages to my family and friends, I switch on my reliable iPhone and wait...........and wait............and wait..........and, oh balls! No signal, no roaming, here starts the challenges! RS is without communication and is instantly unnerved!

A worldwide phone card.....that's what I need, so I proceed to locate a store to buy one. Easy! The smile creeps back onto my lips, 5-10 mins on the phone and I can have a proper explore of this magnificent airport. Following my calls I proceed to leg it so I can hit the shops, I'm sure there must be a shoe shop round here, it's a no brainer. On route to the unknown yet undoubtedly delicious mecca for feet I feel for my phone, I remember using it to get the numbers but I'm not clear in which bag I have put it.

Laptop bag....no phone.....Hold-all.....no phone......jacket pocket.....jeans pocket.....I'll just check the laptop bag again and holdall and jacket and jeans and........oh shit! With the entire contents of two oversized carry ons spilled all over the floor I am quickly making the tidy airport look rather scruffy! It must be at the payphone, it must be, it's only been 5 mins and Mul told me that Singapore airport was the safest place, never ANY CRIME!

I arrive at the phone to find a chap making a call, um, excuse me.....have you seen an iphone??? With a shifty expression and embarrassed look he responds with the negatory (deliberate spelling)! Nope sorry love! YOU HAVE IT I KNOW YOU HAVE IT I, YOU HAVE IT YOU GIT, GIVE IT BACK, GIVE IT BACK I scream inside........I run to lost property, to information, back to the payphone, back to information, to the pay phone but it was nowhere to be seen. Oh brilliant, now i'm travelling solo with no means of comms at all. AND I KNOW THAT THE MAN HAS IT short of frisk him I have no choice but to forget it, report it lost and get on with my journey.

I spend the rest of my 30 mins at Changi with a pout, not only have I lost my phone, I have not shopped for shoes or taken in the airport and it's cultural offerings, it's a good job I'm coming back for the night or the Singaporeans may have had a dose of angry Smart ;)

Leg 2: Singapore to Melbourne, not so lucky, crammed in like a sardine, luckily it's only 7 hours so I zone out and dream of Melbourne...........