I was trapped (voluntarily) in Changi Airport ... and I loved it!
Weather-related travel chaos has hit Europe and the U.S. West Coast, disrupting holiday plans for thousands of tourists. Many have been left stranded as key airports such as London's Heathrow have shut down due to severe weather.
When you're stuck with nowhere to go, airports can be torture -- Singapore's Changi Airport is the glorious exception.
Recently voted the World's Best Airport, Changi Airport has so much to do that we challenged a local writer to spend 24 hours exploring. The only condition -- stay in the airport for the entire day.
Though admittedly no one is likely to be snowbound there, the Changi itinerary he came away with almost makes us wish we might be.
Beat that, Heathrow!
9 a.m. Breakfast and wheedling
Pin-striped businessmen and women with rolling carry-ons gnaw on snacks prior to boarding. I badger the counter staff to combine my sandwich and tea receipts. You get one ride on The Slide@T3 for every S$10 on your receipt.
9:30 a.m. Shopaholic Singapore
The main strip in Terminal 1 sells everything from casual wear to luxe goods, and everybody’s favorite -- booze. The area is dominated by low ceilings, neon signs and orange glows.
Like Vegas, I don’t see clocks or daylight. Terminal 3 is just the opposite -- bright, open and airy.
10:30 a.m. Spa bliss
Aside from the free OSIM leg massage thingies scattered about the airport, tired feet and aching shoulders can also make their way to the Fish Spa (Terminal One, near Gate D41; Tel: +65 6542 8308) for a quick massage: 20 minutes of foot reflexology, 20 minutes of shoulder kneading, and endless dipping into a pool of Turkish fish that nibble at dead skin on the feet. Feels better than it sounds.
11:40 a.m. Time to work
Emailed boss. Set up meeting with client. Updated Facebook profile. LOL-ed a comment on my friend’s blog. Tweeted my observations. Logged off. Doh! Forgot to clear browser cache!
Noon: Lunch wrangling
The Green Market (Terminal 2; Tel: +65 6546 1928), a pseudo-Japanese restaurant, is all about organic food. I fall in with a couple of Changi Airport staff who are interested in my 24-hour quest and wrangle an invitation to lunch with them. Apparently airport staff get cheaper set menus.
“My favorite restaurant is Hard Rock Café (Terminal 3 transit lounge) because they change their menus every so often," says Terry Lim, Changi corporate communications executive.
