So exciting to be in Singapore. Fabulous food everywhere. I love the variety of Asian food, and it’s available everywhere all of the time.  Delicious little dimsum for breakfast, chicken rice, laksa, nasi goreng – all favourites of mine.  And of course wonderful food from all around the world. But while we’re here I think we’ll stick with some local dishes, visit some of the bustling hawker centres and get some ideas to cook up something when I get home. But first, a look at the crazy new cityscape.

I love Singapore, it’s as if the city has been engulfed in plants. From the fabulous mahogany trees along Orchard Road to the orchids that spill from every hotel and also line all the roads from Changi airport to the centre of town. Everything is carefully looked after, fresh and abundant. It’s as if all of life wakes up right here. I love it!

A walk around the Botanical Gardens in 34 degrees and it’s definitely time to sit down at the beautiful Halia Restaurant in the ginger gardens. Try and get a table outside, and order one of their refreshing signature mocktails (they do sell cocktails too!). I ate prawn satay with glass noodles, salad with mango and ginger flower dressing, fresh and delicious. Then a leisurely stroll through the gardens, past Swan Lake and down Orchard Road to gaze in through the windows of the fabulous boutiques (window shopping only today!). To revive and refresh buy a freshly prepared juice from one of the juice stalls.  I chose orange, carrot and ginger to get me going! Going to track down some nasi goreng tonight.