A Moment of Light photography by Carl Street

After a few weeks in the UK it was time to get back on the plane and find myself in Singapore where I would be for five days before heading back home to New Zealand.

I had been through the incredible airport a few times but never stayed. This time would be different though so that I could meet with friends I'd made in Greenland a few years before. I stayed in a beautiful house just a few km's from the airport and made full use of the rooms air conditioning to combat the incredible heat and humidity, phew!

I'll be honest I really wanted this leg of the journey to be over with as soon as possible so I could get back home spend a few days in Queenstown then get back to my own bed. However, Singapore grows on you really quickly and I will definitely go back at some point.

Singapore with a land area of 719 sq km is considerably smaller than New Zealand which at 268,838 sq km is almost 374 times larger! Not only is New Zealand considerably larger it also has a lot less people with Singapore being home to almost 1.5 million more people. I honestly thought with those kind of statistics that the place would feel really crowded and yet somehow it doesn't. Towering skyscrapers dominate the landscape for a visually mind boggling spectacle and yet there were still pockets of the old town left to explore and enjoy. Due to its culture it is also incredibly safe to explore. At no time did I feel uneasy even when in quiet backstreets or travelling the crowded MRT late at night to get from the city centre back to my room.

I must say a big thank you to my various friends who were extremely hospitable treating me to a variety of local food that, while I have no idea what I was eating most of the time, was delicious :-).

It was with mixed feelings that after just a few short days I was back at the airport again ready to go home. There is a lot more to explore in that city and the diversity of destinations only a short hop away so at some point in the future when we head to the UK we will definitely stop on the way there or back for an extended stay.

It had been a very interesting and diverse few weeks away but it was time to go home. What an amazing sight the Southern Alps were as we headed to Christchurch and then a few hours later into Queenstown.

I am never in any doubt at all that New Zealand is one of the most stunning places on this planet and I am very, very fortunate to live here.....it is soo good to be back :-)

Thunderclouds build over Singapore as we come into land

Buildings tower above you in the city

The Marina Bay Sands hotel......the mind boggles!

Cool architecture all around the city

It wouldn't be long and this place would be full of people enjoying the light show....time for me to move on!

The artificial trees not only look amazing they also have a very important role to play in the self regulating geo dome behind

Thanks to my friend Hui-E I got to see some of the old town, I am so pleased that they didn't knock everything down in the pursuit of those high rise buildings