Scarlet Macaw at Jurong Bird Park

Scarlet Macaw at Jurong Bird Park
Originally uploaded by Leone Fabre.

The image was taken at Jurong Bird Park here in Singapore a week or so ago, one of the places that we visited with our grandaughter and she actually enjoyed it!!!!

She is 13 years of age and staying with us for ONE MONTH, yep, a whole month....... in hindsight a bit too long for her as she really has no idea of the benefits of traveling overseas, learning new things and seeing new cultures.

We thought a month would be ideal, but she is a very young and naive 13 year old and all she wants to do is watch TV, play with the dogs or visit 'fun style' places. Thats OK too, when we suggest more interesting places to visit in Singapore, she shows no interest.

Yet, she has been out every single day!!

We took her to the Island of Batam (Indonesia), but she tells others that all she did was sleep and rest. No mention of meeting different people, walking along the boardwalk, eating other foods or staying in a village.

So much has happened in the past few weeks I cannot even begin to start writing all of it down ....... to start with she has never even seen a cloth napkin, let alone used one, showering daily was a revelation, eating out and not playing with her food and cutlery was a new one, she had no idea of the concept of shopping and receiving change in the process!!

Just as well the possible trip to KL, Malaysia would be just too much for her to cope with and decided against it!!!

Other adults here in Singapore thought she was about 10 years of age and were utterly surprised to be told that she is not far off 14. One of them, a school principal, questioned her on a few subjects and was horrified to hear her negative responses.

Apparently she is supposed to be writing in her journal about what she eats, what she see's, her feelings and thoughts........but all she writes is step by step items like:

Today we did this.

Yesterday we went here.

VERY BASIC entries any 5 year old would do.

I think it will be good for her to be going home next week and back to her family and the life that she is comfortable with.

Anyway, am off to Melbourne to take her back home next week and then Friday night will see me happily back home in Singapore!!!!!