By: Errol Casiano, M.D. (Class 2000)
Posted: December 27, 2006

     The sound of the aircraft engine woke me up. I was on board a flight which just took off from Changi Airport. I had a four-hour stopover at the airport after flying from Manila to Singapore. It was a good thing the airport offers a number of things to do during the stopover aside from the usual shopping and dining. At Changi, you can enjoy the sun and fresh air at the outdoor pool or you can get bubbly in the Jacuzzi. You can also have a workout, take a shower or catch a nap at the Rainforest Lounge. Or perhaps have a massage at Transpa and check emails for free at the different internet stations.

     The flight from Singapore to my destination took another eight hours. It is such a long flight if you have nothing to do, but when you are on board Singapore Airlines, you have a number of options of enjoying the flight.

(top to bottom) The author at Manly Wharf in Sydney, Australia. Sydney Opera House (scanned from a postcard - design: Suzie Bartel and Photography: Tom O’Flynn). The view at Manly Beach.

     First, you can dine. For breakfast, they serve fruits, yoghurt, fried egg noodles with shrimps or mushroom-parsley omelette with chicken sausage. For lunch, you can have smoked turkey salad and either pan fried fish in basil cream sauce or deep fried marinated chicken. And for dinner, they serve smoked salmon with lettuce and either lamb navarin or braised egg noodles with soya chicken.

     Second, you can drink. They have a wide range of refreshing beverages including the Singapore Sling, a concoction of dry gin, Dom Benedictine Cointreau and cherry brandy, shaken up with lime and pineapple juices and a dash of Angostura bitters and Grenadine. They also serve an international selection of beer like Tiger and Fosters, wines, spirits, and Sunfresh juices.

     Third, you can watch an in-flight movie (Miami Vice, Superman Returns, Lady in the Water, etc.) or a television show (Two and a Half Men, Friends, etc.), play video games, answer some trivia or personality questions on screen or listen to music.

     Fourth, you can read in-flight magazines and newspapers or a book if you have brought one or have bought one at Changi Airport.

     Fifth, you can get to know the stewardess. You can call the stewardess and tell her your headset is not working and she will be glad to replace it. You can ask her for a deck of playing cards or request for a blanket. By the time she goes back to you the third time around, you should already have gotten to know her a little bit and perhaps obtained the information that when they rest overnight in Manila, they stay at Hotel Philippine Plaza (formerly Westin).

     And of course, you can sleep during the flight which is the last thing I would do but I eventually did.

     It was summer in December in the city where I disembarked. It was sunny but the winds were cold. Temperature was 19 C. It was a wonderful weather.

     My days start at 6:00 AM. In the mornings, I usually take a walk by the beach where plenty of pretty babes play beach volleyball. Then I eat my breakfast of bacon, poached eggs, bread, Edam cheese and hash brown. Work begins at 9:00 AM and then we have a 15-minute morning tea at 10:00 AM where they serve Danish pastries, muffins or Tim Tam, their famous chocolate biscuit. Lunch is a longer break from 12:00 to 1:00 PM. Afternoon tea is served at 3:00 PM and we go home at 4:30 PM. I go back to the beach after work.

     In the afternoon, there are more people on the beach especially sunbathers and kitesurfers (surfers who use inflatable kites tethered to harnesses to glide through water and air). People in this country love three sports activities. First is beach volleyball. Second is kitesurfing. And third is bushwalking, which could simply be called hiking in other countries. But in this country, bushwalking covers a wide range of terrain from desert walking to ski touring and from easy track walking in rolling country to canyoning in the Blue Mountains.

     We eat dinner at 7:00 PM in daylight. The days are longer at this time of the year so Daylight Saving Time is in effect. People here usually have steak and fries or fish and chips for dinner. As for the drinks, the bars have a wide selection of beer like Victoria Bitter, Pure Blonde, Tooheys, Cooper, Crown Lager, James Boags and Hanh Premium.

     I thought to myself. This is such a good place to live a good life. The weather is wonderful. The people are nice. And the food is great. It is just too good to be true. It must be just a dream. It was about 25 years ago (I was just a kid then) when my uncle sent me pictures of this place. He lived there for five years. He is now based in Los Angeles. How I wished during that time that I could also visit that wonderful place. I never thought my wish would realize 25 years later. It is a dream… a dream come true for me. For a week, I was able to experience this wonderful life in this wonderful place. This is "life down under."

     One week is not enough time to go around Australia, but it is enough time to be able to eat Australian steak, drink Australian beer, and meet a Sheila (slang for Australian woman). I was sent there by my company for a training course. And although I only had a limited time to go around, I have indeed visited a few famous places.

     Manly Beach. Our hotel, Manly Pacific Sydney, is located right on this famous beach, which is considered to be the jewel of the north shore beaches by many people. This is where I walked in the mornings and where my Sony Cybershot digital camera captured the most pictures.

     Sydney Opera House. This opened in October 1973 and is one of Sydney's most popular icons. Now, it is home to the Australian Ballet, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Ensemble Theatre, etc.

     Harbour Bridge. This is also one of Sydney's famous landmarks. It was completed in 1932. Locally known as the "Coat Hanger," this bridge took eight years to build.

     Bondi Beach. It took us an hour from the hotel to get to this trendy coastal resort, which is backed by attractive parkland. It has a number of cafes and restaurants which look out over the beach. Perhaps this is where you can find one of the best steaks in town.

     Taronga Zoo. We were supposed to go this zoo but we did not make it. We got caught in traffic and the zoo closes at 5:00 PM. This zoo is Australia's leading zoological garden. This is where you will find not just the koalas and kangaroos but also the platypus and the wallaby (related to the kangaroo but generally smaller and more colorful).

     Dreams do come true especially this Christmas season. It pays to work hard, do good and pray. By doing these, we are able to celebrate the holiday season much more meaningfully. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone!

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