Updated by: May 7, 2026
Always humid, Always alive
Singapore is a relatively short flight from Melbourne. Always humid. Always alive.
I travel there mainly for work — a large travel industry conference called ITB. But I always bring the family. I do the days, we do the nights together.
Few cities on earth have a story quite like Singapore’s. In 1965 it was expelled from Malaysia — a small, resource-poor island with no hinterland and no obvious future. Within a single generation it became one of the wealthiest nations on earth. The transformation is so complete that it’s easy to forget how recently it happened. Walking through the gleaming streets of Marina Bay, it’s almost impossible to imagine what was there before.
On our first visit we stayed at the Marina Bay Sands. That rooftop pool above the Singapore skyline is something else entirely. We stayed up there for hours.
Our second visit was more eventful. My daughter fell ill and vomited in the taxi. I felt for her deeply.
The following morning I was also feeling a little fragile after exploring Singapore’s nightlife with some friends. We had eaten the most delicious satay sticks from a street vendor the night before. I decided that was probably the cause.
My wife agreed. She had no choice — I told her before she could ask. I’m not sure she believed me.
My daughter’s best friend is moving back to Singapore soon. For a ten year old, losing your best friend to another country is a particular kind of sadness.
It does give us a very good reason to go back though. Satay sticks all round.
Paul Mercuri
Wake Up Here Founder
