On the eve of Singapore's National Day, my family and I
decided to take a ferry to Batam Island to celebrate the holiday. However,
our plans quickly went awry. We struggled to find a taxi to take us to the
ferry terminal, and when we finally arrived, we faced a long wait due to an
unexpected crowd. The ferry ride was uncomfortable, with many passengers
feeling seasick and vomiting.
Once we arrived on Batam Island, our disappointment continued. The
watersports center we were supposed to visit had burned down, and we were
forced to go to a Go-Kart center instead. We spent two mind-numbing hours
watching children queue and take turns on the limited rides. The souvenirs
available at the shops were exorbitantly priced, and Batam City was dirty
and squalid.
The only bright spot in our trip was the delicious seafood lunch we had.
However, even that was short-lived, as we had to navigate through muddy
streets to get to the shopping centers. The uninterested salesgirls and
beggars outside the shops made us appreciate the comfort of shopping in
Singapore.
Our tour guide refused to take us to a popular shopping center that didn't
offer him a commission, instead trying to sell us his homemade cookies. The
return journey was just as frustrating, with no taxis available and closed
roads due to the National Day Parade. We waited restlessly at a coffee shop
for the roads to open.
In the end, we were relieved to be back in Singapore. The trip was a
disaster, and I vowed never to celebrate a public holiday abroad again. |