Before I travel to a new city, I always make a note of what my expectations are. I remember my first holiday to Basel, wondering what to expect: a mix of architectural beauty and heavy industry and exciting diverse European culture. My expectations were met. Singapore could not have been more of a shock. I anticipated density, intensity, urban pressure & pace. Its status as a commercial and industrial hub led me to believe I would not see a tree for weeks! How wrong could I have been?

Right in the centre of the island of Singapore lies the Central Nature Reserve, which was to be our home for the morning. Subsequently I have discovered that Singapore is known as the Garden City, and from the moment we began our walk through the Nature Reserve it became clear why it holds this nickname. Being a child from a cooler climate, I struggled with the temperature at the beginning; walking through the streets of London certainly doesn't build up the kind of sweat that this expedition did! Thankfully, we kept a steady moderate speed, and stopped for water along the way. Although the sun beat down on us relentlessly, most of the walk was sheltered by beautiful trees, and the relatively high altitude allowed a steady breeze to cool us as we explored. 

I was lucky to be surrounded by experienced Central Nature Reserve lovers. Had I visited on my own I could easily have found myself lost on one of the many trails that lead through the Reserve and around the massive lakes. Being with my native guides from the Swiss Association I was spoilt with insider knowledge, and we completed all the perks of the journey without having to work too hard! The Tree Top Broadwalk was one of the many highlights of my day, with incredible 360 degree views and a real sense of excitement and adventure. This was not a complete walk in the park for me however, as I am a little scared of heights, so with both my hands gripping the handrails tightly I made sure I did not spend too much time suspended above the valley below! For this reason when we reached the observation platform a little later, I sat back and enjoyed the rest whilst the children raced to the top to check out more stunning views.

Monkeys are by far my favourite animal. It was therefore a great treat to see a few swinging above us on the branches as our journey took us closer to the MacRitchie Reservoir. However you don't want to get too close as their hyperactive nature and familiarity with humans means that they are likely to pinch food right out of your hands! It was also exciting to see lots of Terrapins and even a Lizard or two (Well done to the keen eyes of the children for spotting these!) The ants too were amazing: huge, organised and constantly working, perhaps a reminder that whilst we were enjoying ourselves in the sunshine, others were working away in busy offices across the city. 

Those of us with a literary interest were subtly stimulated along the route by quotes carved in tiles by the path.  William Wordsworth was one of the first to greet us, "Come forth into the light of things, let nature be your teacher", perhaps a reminder that in our rush to create towering cities, the lessons we can receive from nature must not be overshadowed.  One of the final quotations I remember seeing was Shakespeare, "One touch of nature makes the whole world kin", and as I read that, I thought how fabulous it was for a London lad to be in Singapore as a guest of the Swiss Association; In this case, an international kinship was truly being formed by nature.

I love following Mum and Dad from city to city, although when I do I always feel a bit guilty as Dad works so hard, and I just have so much fun! The main thing that has always made this possible is the hospitality and kindness that is shown to me by Dad's colleagues, their families and friends. Our adventure through the Central Nature Reserve of Singapore was no exception, and I will always hold fond memories of my day there.

Joe Mason
Visiting Son of Sue and David Mason, members of SAS