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)

It’s simply awesome. The zoo is essentially a tropical forest populated with animals in naturalistic, ‘open’ settings. There are few (and in some cases no) barriers—and no cages—between the people and wildlife. So, depending on the species, you feel that you’re visiting them more-or-less in their natural habitat. Honestly, if I were an animal, I think I’d live pretty happily at the Singapore Zoo.

Our visit took the balance of the day. The only downside was the heat and humidity (though, as Floridians, it felt more-or-less just like summer at home). Fortunately, it’s very shady, the sky was a little overcast, and there were plenty of cold drinks to be had. You can get to the zoo via public transport, but we opted for a taxi because it’s much faster and they’re very affordable in Singapore.

Here are a few snapshots from the Singapore Zoo:

Good example of the naturalistic setting for these lions...

A Komodo dragon, who's relatively close to home...

A ring-tailed lemur, up close and personal...

Emerson fell asleep on the way home from the zoo and continued to slumber after we returned to the hotel. Once she awoke, we went out to explore more of the Orchard Rd area. Singapore is an interesting city. It’s a rich stew of numerous cultural influences. It’s tropical, historical, and contemporary. It offers a fusion of Asian cultures wider than Hong Kong or Macau, which are both strongly Chinese in their unique ways. Yet, Singapore feels less “foreign” to a Westerner. Indeed, I think it’s an ideal gateway city for those new to Asia.

Tropical and modern...

High-end retail aplenty...

European influences...

Tonight we had dinner in a hawker center (think: Asian food court, but with awesome and affordable food unlike at malls at home). Libby and I had a full Chinese BBQ (Char Siu) and rice dinner for about $3USD per person. And, it was far better than what we’d pay $10-15/pp. for at home.

Tomorrow, I think we’ll make a run at the Riau Islands in Indonesia.

A few other matters…

Health updates: Emerson developed a fever again last night, but her temperature was fine this morning. She’s got a runny nose, but she’s otherwise her usual happy self. It seems to be just a cold. Libby’s otherwise back to normal, albeit a bit tired. I continue to feel fine… though I keep away the plague to descent.

Visa clarification: I meant to say this on my Day #10 post, but I forgot when writing… how’d we miss the visa requirement in the first place? Honestly, it was a simple oversight. I checked the requirements for every other country on the trip. Most either didn’t require a visa for Americans or granted them on arrival. Given that I’d never heard anyone mention visa requirements for Australia (including the airline on booking our inbound flight) and that Australia is—well, how should I put this?—part of the developed, English-speaking world, I simply made a bad assumption. Fortunately, it was entirely recoverable, but I’m still really annoyed with myself for not clarifying the requirements in advance. Such an amateur mistake!

We arrived in Singapore (where “cleanliness is next to godliness”) a little late, just after 1pm. It was nearing 3 o’clock by the time we’d cleared immigration, grabbed our bags, passed through customs, found a taxi, and drove to the hotel. We’re staying at the Marriott Singapore on Orchard Rd. It’s a nice hotel with impeccable service in a great location.

After our arrival, we explored the Orchard Road area (a lot of high end hotels and retail) and had Chinese dim sum for dinner (which was very good but the dishes we selected didn’t wow us like those in Macau). Well, correction, Libby and I had Chinese. Emerson thought it was a good idea, but she found it too authentic for her… so, she ended up eating a favorite of American kids traveling abroad: McDonalds.

Actually, the visit to the Mickey D’s had a silver lining to it. As it happens, they offer a “Durian McFlurry.” That’s right. Ronald and his boys cooked up an ice cream dish made from a fruit that airlines ban. This could elicit only one three-word response: Must. Try. Now. The verdict? It smelled and tasted (at least in McFlurry form) rather a bit like the amoxicillin from our childhood (you know: the sort of faux-bubblegum, slightly bitter, chalky one).

We retired early tonight (aside from me, your intrepid travel writer). As an update from yesterday: Libby’s basically back to normal. Aside from a bit of a runny nose, Emerson is her usual self too. And, thus far, I’ve managed to ward off the cold.

Tomorrow—I think—we’re going to try taking ferry to Batam in Indonesia. Why? Because it counts as a separate country (per TCC rules) from other parts of Indonesia and it’s only 45 minutes away by boat.

Today’s box score: +1 country (Singapore)