We faced a dilemma today: to go to Batam or not? That was the question.
As I’ve mentioned previously, we define countries based on the Travelers’ Century Club country list. Because their definition of a “country” includes territories that are politically, geographically, or ethnically diverse, Indonesia is broken into a series of different “countries.” This means Batam (grouped with Sumatra) is counted separately from Jakarta (Java) and Bali (Lesser Sunda Islands), which we’ll also visit.
That said, we weren’t sure Batam would be worth the bother. On the one hand, going there would only cost about $150 for the three of us roundtrip. That’s actually very cheap on a per country basis. (By comparison, a simple Caribbean cruise may cost upwards of $1500/country). On the other hand, we really like Singapore, want to see more of it, and will be leaving tomorrow. As a result, I hemmed and hawed. Ultimately, we agreed to go… I simply couldn’t leave a “country” on the table. But, it was a really difficult decision for us as we’re quickly closing in on the 100 country goal, as we already have line of sight (booked trips) to country #91-92. Plus, the final 8-10 should be relatively easy, as we’ll have done all of the heavy lifting following the successful completion of this trip.
Anyway, we took the 10:50 ferry to Batam. We purchased the tickets ($138SGD) at the pier, cleared immigration, and boarded the ship. The ride took about an hour. Yet with the time difference (-1 hour), we arrived roughly when we’d departed. Unfortunately, it was raining—in buckets—on the island (as it had been in Singapore). This curtailed any really sightseeing. Instead, we went to the nearby mega mall, which was an interesting experience. It was home to American fast food chains (KFC, Pizza Hut, A&W, and Starbucks), as well as knock-off stores of high-end retailers.
The mall in Batam...
In fact, photography was banned inside the mall as the counterfeiting was fairly blatant (e.g., the fake Ralph Lauren store was branded “Polo” and even had faux sales tags). The knock-offs were remarkably accurate, but they weren’t good enough for Libby’s discerning eye. Libby has no qualms with me buying her a $1,000 handbag, but she can (and did) deliver a 20 minute monologue on the sins of paying $20 for the $1,000 impostor purse. “Besides, everyone knows all of my purses are real. So they’d think my fake purse was real too, but I’d always know it was a fake.” Who can argue with that logic?
We did manage to get a (authorized) Batam Starbuck’s Travel Mug.
Ultimately, we were both glad to have visited Batam for a few reasons. Singapore would have been a hot, humid washout most of the day anyway. We also managed to see something new and different. It was a bit of a (brief) diversion from the more beaten path, which only increases one’s travel confidence and willingness to explore further. We also learned that Indonesians (at least those on Batam) love little kids. Emerson was a rock star with the locals! So, once again, we found ourselves as Americans half way around the world in a predominately Muslim country and discover (unsurprisingly) that they’re kind, friendly, and interested people who welcome visitors (including Americans) warmly and love children.
As Yoda might have said: uplifting it is.
Emerson planning the rest of our day while awaiting the ferry in Batam...
We returned on the 12:50 ferry, arriving in Singapore around 3pm. Thankfully, the rain had just about stopped. This allowed us to visit the Singapore Botanical Gardens, including the swoon-worthy National Orchid Garden. I don’t know much about orchids beyond the fact that they live pretty happily on our kitchen window sill. Yet to my amateur eye, this place seemed to have it going on.
National Orchid Gardens, Singapore
Acres of lovely orchids to explore...
Of course, I imagine it’s not difficult to grow orchids in a climate that closely approximates someone’s armpit. It was hot and humid today after the rain left. Yikes! My light blue shirt was so soaked from moisture coming at me and from me that it turned about five shades darker. Nonetheless, we enjoyed ourselves.
Tonight, we went to a hawker center for Singapore’s national dish: chicken rice. Delicious! I honestly didn’t believe that a simple dish of boiled chicken and seemingly plain rice could be so awesome. Come on, right? Wrong. It’s fantastic. Both the chicken and rice are delicious, as well as the brown soy and chili sauces that accompany them (thereby allowing each person to customize it to their taste). The cost? About $3USD per person.
We also caught the end of a multi-cultural dance showcase tonight performed by students from the local schools. It was surprisingly enjoyable…
The Singapore Youth Festival's multicultural dance show...
Tomorrow, we leave on a very early flight for Bali (w/ a 2hr layover in Jakarta).
Today’s box score: +1 country (Indonesia, Sumatra)
Emerson,
I saw your picture looking at what seems to be a brochure of various attractions. You, the concierge and I know that you actually had a racing form in front of you. I understand Singapore has a great track. When you head over to the Turf Club bet one for me! Good luck!
Love,
Granddaddy