In theory, 12 hours of layover in Singapore could mean a little side holiday before our actual holiday.

In theory, as soon as our plane landed at 5:00 in the morning, we could hit the ground running and explore the city together with the early morning joggers and cyclists who rise with the sun.

In reality, we were too tired to do anything except hang out at Changi Airport’s lounges. And besides, whatever plans I had to tour Singapore was flexible, at best. Non-existent, at worst. I mean, it wasn’t for lack of planning. The only place I wanted to go was the ArtScience Museum. I thought Raven might enjoy it. But it was indefinitely closed at the time so that was obviously a no go.

Merlion Park was vaguely on my list. So was Gardens by the Bay. Both were up in the air as I wasn’t too keen on getting out of the airport. I had been to Singapore before and to be honest, there’s not really much to do there once you’ve already been. And given the time restriction, it wasn’t exactly worth the hassle.

But there’s only so much lounge-ing you can do before you start to go a little bit crazy. By 9am, we decided to snap out of our lethargy and clear immigration to check out Jewel Changi Airport just so we could claim we actually went to Singapore even though the shopping centre was literally connected to the airport and was only a walking distance away from the terminal it felt like it was part of the airport itself.

Up in the al fresco area of the shopping centre where we walked around waiting for the shops to open, the heat and the humidity was a slap to my system fresh out of Melbourne’s winter.

I was sweating demurely like a pig.

Home to the world’s tallest indoor waterfall cascading down 7 storeys high, we were lucky enough to catch the first show of the day. Together with the crowd, I stood in anticipation for the dramatic moment the water slowly pooled and flowed from the huge transparent basin above us like a stiff neck waiting to happen before it gushed down into an equally huge catchment bowl below.

Indeed, it was a majestic sight to behold. Whereas Raven saw little rainbows forming, I saw power and might in the element of water.

(Which oftentimes brings me to my Roman Empire: What element is the strongest — the most destructive — of all?)

Before long, the crowd that so eagerly anticipated the water show slowly dispersed and moved on with their lives except for one lady taking selfies with a proper tripod who was probably an influencer or something.

I mean, I was starting to get bored of it myself. Jeff looked like he was about to fall asleep behind the trolley. I guess physically and mentally, we weren’t in the right state to give the man-made wonder the appreciation that it deserved. Although that’s not to say that we didn’t. Because for the first five minutes, I have to say I was appreciating the hell out of it.

The only person who made the most out of our Jewel Changi trip?

Raven.

Jeff and I took turns walking with her in and out of shops that sold “cute stuff.” To her, everything was cute. Something she shared in common with all the rest of the people who lined up outside of Pop Mart waiting for their turn to go inside and purchase overpriced doll keychains and what-not to accessorise their lives.

Raven bought a Lulu The Pig blind box from one of the shops because she was never into Labubus, thank God. I wanted to buy an item that was already opened because my sleep-deprived brain was like, it’s cute… why not?

Annoyingly, the staff said I couldn’t buy that particular character I liked. She said I had to buy the blind box.

And risk NOT getting the ONLY thing I wanted?!

Seriously, the whole blind box concept is ridiculous to me. I don’t understand it at all, apart from a busine$$ perspective. I mean, sure, there’s a chance I might get what I want, but that’s like, less than a 20% chance if there’s, say, 6 characters in the series.

I only want what I want. Anything more screams consumerism to me.

Except for art supplies. Because they make my soul happy.

*Raven at 9 years old