We've just arrived in Singapore with a team to film with Olympic gold medalist Joseph Schooling. He's something of a legend, not just in Singapore, but globally. He's Singapore's first-ever gold medalist. That makes him akin to royalty here. He's 24 and one of the nicest people you could hope to meet.
Maybe there is something in the water here, because everyone we've met from the Singapore Sport Institute have been incredibly friendly, open and sharing with us. In fact, Singapore has this vibe permeating throughout every facet of it, from the Hawker centres to the elite sportspeople and scientists, to the happy, positive buzz of the restaurants and bars lining the banks of the Singapore River.
Small in size. Singapore covers about the same land area as the Otago Peninsula. The city state is home to more than 5.5 million people who refer to Singapore as their "little red dot". It has been one of the world's great trading centres and gained independence in 1965. These days it is a global financial centre and a dazzling city to explore with some of the most progressive and beautiful architecture you could see. It features in lots of public spaces and the city's municipal buildings. The Marina Bay Sands looks like a ship wrecked on the seeds of three young buildings, which sprouted beneath it hoisting it 200m (57 floors) above the bay as they grew. It's an architectural wonder, but then Singapore is filled with them.
The only downside to Singapore is that there are no waves – probably a wave pool complex, but no actual ocean waves. The sea here is sheltered by the Indonesian archipelago to the south and west and Malaysia to the north. That's what made it such an ideal trading hub.
The good news is that Indonesia is well within striking distance for a decent boat or it's a two-hour flight. That's where we're headed next.
See you at the beach ... Derek
PS Our surf photographer friend Logan Murray shared a rare insight into his life chasing the more and more elusive empty line-up shot. You can read Logan Murray's full story (complete with SAS training) right here on NZ Surf Journal.
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