The weather forecast in Singapore.
I could have taken this picture the first day I arrived or today. It wouldn't matter. The weather forecast is always the same.
To a point I stopped looking at the weather forecast, to a point that it is not a topic for discussion whilst on the phone with Europe. It- is- always - the - same.
Singapore is situated almost -but not completely- on the equator, at the southern tip of the Malaysian peninsula.
It is hot and humid in Singapore, all year round. Temperatures never drop below 23°C, even at night, and can rise up to 35°C.
Humidity is always higher than 80%. The rainy season is considered from November to January, but it rains often and almost every day.
Some facts I found on the internet:
Location: Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia
Geographic coordinates: 1 22 N, 103 48 E
Area: total: 647.5 sq km (23kmX42km)
Land: 637.5 sq km
Water: 10 sq km
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 193 kmLowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m
Highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m
When we arrived last year we promised ourselves a few things:
we would never put on the aircon.
we would walk to school (10min) and the MRT station (15min).
we would swim every day
we would eat outside every day.
I would wear my Russian high heels.
well ... never say never, I guess.
We do sleep with aircon now. It took us a while to accept it though. We tried everything from sleeping naked to sleeping with the fan under a blanket, from putting the aircon just 2hours before sleeping time to finally leaving it on all night. I had to get used to the noise it makes, a constant background humming. It wasn't so much the noise itself as the fact it covered up the streetnoise and the noises outside your room. I couldn't hear MsLollipop crying at night when she was having a bad dream. She has learned to snuggle up in our room now, when that happens.
We do walk back home from school (as there is an ice cream shop on the way) , but in the morning we catch the bus (2 min walk) to cover the two bus stops to school, or the MRT. It is either that or start school or office in a drenched shirt / uniform.
We do swim every day and eat out every day. Bliss.
I only wear my Russian high heels on very rare occasions now. I've turned to flipflops, toeshoes or however you call them very quickly. You know, the shoes with one thingy between your big toe and the one next to it. It is just so much easier ...
We learned some new 'nevers' :
Never leave your house without sunglasses and suncream.
Take a shawl with you, not for outside but for inside as they tend to put the aircons on 'freezing' in taxi's, restaurants and malls.
Never leave without an umbrella. Umbrellas work both ways here, as a protection against the sun, and against the rain. It can rain every day. Usually in the afternoon when I have to pick up MsLollipop, or in the morning when we have to leave for school.
The first time we got soaked to the bone was when we still walked to school. When it rains it pours. It doesn't drizzle in Singapore. It comes down with bucket loads. It is actually a warm rain, but it soakes you in minutes. Even under an umbrella you are wet from toe to knickers. Somehow the rain climbs up again as soon as it hits the ground. Very peculiar phenomenon.
Life comes to a short stand still when it rains. Taxi's are fully booked and hard to catch. Busses and cars have to slow down to be able to advance. People will take cover and wait. It never rains for long and the downpour lasts mostly for an hour or so.
I have become fond of this rain. It briefly returns the oxygen in the air. After a downpour the streets are clean , the air is fresh and the humidity is temporarily bearable. I can live with this one long season. But I do start to miss the other three. The colours and smells of autumn. The cold winters with fresh clean air. The expectations of spring, when promises hang in the morning mist. Opening a window in the morning and breathing in a clean gush of fresh air. Summer will be spent in Belgium, and we will embrace those long nights outdoor where you need to cuddle up close under a blanket or a sweater.
Meanwhile I enjoy my breakfast in the early sun, my swim in the afternoon and my dinner outside in the evening.
Life is good.
Enjoy!
Evelyn
I could have taken this picture the first day I arrived or today. It wouldn't matter. The weather forecast is always the same.
To a point I stopped looking at the weather forecast, to a point that it is not a topic for discussion whilst on the phone with Europe. It- is- always - the - same.
Singapore is situated almost -but not completely- on the equator, at the southern tip of the Malaysian peninsula.
It is hot and humid in Singapore, all year round. Temperatures never drop below 23°C, even at night, and can rise up to 35°C.
Humidity is always higher than 80%. The rainy season is considered from November to January, but it rains often and almost every day.
Some facts I found on the internet:
Location: Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia
Geographic coordinates: 1 22 N, 103 48 E
Area: total: 647.5 sq km (23kmX42km)
Land: 637.5 sq km
Water: 10 sq km
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 193 kmLowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m
Highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m
When we arrived last year we promised ourselves a few things:
we would never put on the aircon.
we would walk to school (10min) and the MRT station (15min).
we would swim every day
we would eat outside every day.
I would wear my Russian high heels.
well ... never say never, I guess.
We do sleep with aircon now. It took us a while to accept it though. We tried everything from sleeping naked to sleeping with the fan under a blanket, from putting the aircon just 2hours before sleeping time to finally leaving it on all night. I had to get used to the noise it makes, a constant background humming. It wasn't so much the noise itself as the fact it covered up the streetnoise and the noises outside your room. I couldn't hear MsLollipop crying at night when she was having a bad dream. She has learned to snuggle up in our room now, when that happens.
We do walk back home from school (as there is an ice cream shop on the way) , but in the morning we catch the bus (2 min walk) to cover the two bus stops to school, or the MRT. It is either that or start school or office in a drenched shirt / uniform.
We do swim every day and eat out every day. Bliss.
I only wear my Russian high heels on very rare occasions now. I've turned to flipflops, toeshoes or however you call them very quickly. You know, the shoes with one thingy between your big toe and the one next to it. It is just so much easier ...
We learned some new 'nevers' :
Never leave your house without sunglasses and suncream.
Take a shawl with you, not for outside but for inside as they tend to put the aircons on 'freezing' in taxi's, restaurants and malls.
Never leave without an umbrella. Umbrellas work both ways here, as a protection against the sun, and against the rain. It can rain every day. Usually in the afternoon when I have to pick up MsLollipop, or in the morning when we have to leave for school.
The first time we got soaked to the bone was when we still walked to school. When it rains it pours. It doesn't drizzle in Singapore. It comes down with bucket loads. It is actually a warm rain, but it soakes you in minutes. Even under an umbrella you are wet from toe to knickers. Somehow the rain climbs up again as soon as it hits the ground. Very peculiar phenomenon.
Life comes to a short stand still when it rains. Taxi's are fully booked and hard to catch. Busses and cars have to slow down to be able to advance. People will take cover and wait. It never rains for long and the downpour lasts mostly for an hour or so.
I have become fond of this rain. It briefly returns the oxygen in the air. After a downpour the streets are clean , the air is fresh and the humidity is temporarily bearable. I can live with this one long season. But I do start to miss the other three. The colours and smells of autumn. The cold winters with fresh clean air. The expectations of spring, when promises hang in the morning mist. Opening a window in the morning and breathing in a clean gush of fresh air. Summer will be spent in Belgium, and we will embrace those long nights outdoor where you need to cuddle up close under a blanket or a sweater.
Meanwhile I enjoy my breakfast in the early sun, my swim in the afternoon and my dinner outside in the evening.
Life is good.
Enjoy!
Evelyn
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