Saturday, September 24, 2011

F1 Singapore 2011

This was the fourth year in the running that Singapore was hosting the F1 race and the second time that my younger brother and I attended.


We took MRT, alighted at Lavender MRT station and took the free shuttle bus service to Gate 1. The place was abuzz with activities. Funky music filled the air. The many kiosks selling F1 merchandise and big golly balloons all added to the drumming-up of the F1 thrill factor.

Upon entrance, we were greeted by stilt performers with afro hairdo. They were also very friendly and offered to take a picture of us.

The crowd was just nice, not too thick for comfort. There was enough room for all to enjoy the performance around and to take in crisp fresh air. We took our time to sample the performance on our way to our seats. The leisure walk towards Marina Channel was relaxing with the cool evening breeze accompanied the gently lapping waters.

We were able to reach our designated seat in time for the start of Formula One Third Practice. The ushers were very efficient and courteous. They promptly guided us to the correct seat when we seemed a little lost.

The view from our seats was set against the Singapore Flyer and it marked the start and end of the lap. From our angle, we would be seeing the fast cars zipping by as they crossed the finishing line of the lap.

After some time, we decided to walk down further towards the Singapore Flyer as our tickets came with free rides on the Singapore Flyer. That was the highlight of the night.

It has probably been a year or so since I last boarded the Singapore Flyer. This time, I noticed that the miniature model of the Singapore Flyer and some models with interative element were exhibited as one walked into the passage leading to the capsule. These exhibits were much welcome as they broke the monontony of waiting to board the capsule, not that the wait was long.



The inclusion of the ride at Singapore flyer in this F1 event was a Fabulous One. We enjoyed an unparalleled bird's eye view of the Marina Bay Street as the capsule gradually brought us up 165 m above ground. The air-conditioned capsule carried 10 to 20 people and we could follow the fast cars zooming around almost the entire track.

After the ride which coincided with the end of the practice round, we were close to Gate 2. We exited the event venue and walked to Promenade MRT station. Along the way, the friendly and knowledgeable ushers were there to help. There were also ample and clear directional signs. This pointed to good planning beforehand all the way to the execution. All in all, it has been a fantastic experience.

No comments: