Singapore "Swing"

Barely back from Milan and Lake Como, with my circadian rhythms still somewhat confused, I leave next week for Singapore, and then on to Chiang Mai, Thailand.

I spend only one night in Singapore, between flights, and you might well ask me why I'm taking this circuitous route.  Because of a cooler, more complicated plan that my sister and I originally planned together with my nephew and his wife.  My nephew lives and teaches in Chiang Mai.

The idea was to meet in Singapore, explore it a little (I'd been there a couple of times before, but never for long), and then take the train through Malaysia to Bangkok, stopping along the way to see a bit of Malaysia and, perhaps, sample their beaches.  I'd fly home from Bangkok, and the others would proceed to Chiang Mai.

Unfortunately, for various reasons my sister was unable to make the trip at the last minute, but I already had the nonrefundable airline reservations.  So I'll stay overnight in Singapore, then fly via Bangkok to Chiang Mai.  I'll spend a week in that very attractive and relaxing town, socializing with my nephew, who will be on vacation, and then fly to Bangkok to connect with my previously booked flight home to Seattle.

I'll be gone about ten days, only six of which will be in Chiang Mai.  The rest of my time I'll be flying, cooling my heels in airports, and staying in hotels -- both in Singapore and in Seoul airport's 12-hour-stay, inside-security hotel which exists for the exclusive use of persons in transit.  I'll have a 14-hour stay in Seoul between my flight from Bangkok and my flight to Seattle.

This isn't an itinerary that I ever would have arranged from the outset, but it evolved organically out of unexpected events.  But it will be fun, and the heart of the original plan -- to spend time with my nephew and his family -- remains intact. 

There will be photos, of course.  I'd post of photo of me downing a Singapore Sling at the Raffles bar in Singapore, but the drink is vastly overrated.  I'll stick to gin and tonics.