Sungei Buloh

One of our favourite places in Singapore was Sungei Buloh, a nature reserve on the north coast of Singapore overlooking Malaysia, on the site of some former prawn ponds. The forecast was good so Jimmy and Jenny Boh took advantage of his sabbatical by collecting us early from the hotel and we spent the morning walking round the reserve. It was their first visit and whilst our umpteenth one of our best. As we walked over the bridge to enter the reserve a family of four otters were playing on the bank and a crocodile was coasting hopefully downsteam (hence the 'beware of the crocodiles' signs everywhere!), neither of which we had seen in the reserve before.

As much was new to Jimmy and Jenny we took our time and as a result saw much more detail ourselves - monitor lizards were everywhere, a beautiful chameleon sat quietly on a branch above us, and mudskippers slid backwards into their holes awaiting suitable prey.

Bird were not as numerous as in the migration periods but there were good flocks of waders - Ruff, Mongolian Plovers and Redshanks in good numbers - some of them colour ringed - and we watched a Little Egret as it stood quietly in a pond and then scraped the mud and waited for something to move, at which point it was eaten with alacrity.

Our timing for the visit was perfect as the tide was just coming in as we arrived and almost full as we left. We were also delighted to meet Subaraj, a local nature guide who had led many trips for us with the Singapore Natural History Society and who was equally enthusiastic about the otters.

Whilst we were lunching in a food court on the way back someone begun waving at Jean across the tables and it was the former Chieftain of the St.Andrews Society with whom we had spent many happy evenings dancing - and who was pleased to see us.

In the evening we were collected by Chee Ming and Jenny who took us back to their place for a meal with Wei Lim and Michelle - and their four lively children (two each!). Chee Ming and Wei Lim were both original members of our young adults cell group and we had watched them meeting Jenny and Michelle. Wei Lim had proposed to Michelle whilst staying with us in Tewin in Christmas 2003 and we had attended both weddings and I had preached at Wei Lim's - so folks who are very special us again - and good to catch up and share their lives a little.

(Photos: Jenny Boh with Jean and I, Mudskipper, Otters, Little Egret, Whimbrel, Monitor Lizard...)