An excursion to nearby islands
Excursions are a part of education. One day we had a pleasant surprise when our teacher told us that we are going on an excursion to the nearby islands around Singapore. The coming Sunday was chosen and we were asked to be at school around 6:30 a.m. We were very happy and waited eagerly for the day. In the meantime, we planned the program for the trip.
On that day everyone was present at nearly 6 o’clock. A bus had been arranged to take us to the World Trade Center pier to take the launch of the islands. There was a big crowd of holidaymakers buying tickets. But our tickets had been arranged and one launch had already been reserved for us. We all rushed in.
My friends and I took seats so that we can have a better view. My teachers cautioned us about the danger of leaning on the boat’s rail and looking over the sea. The boat left the pier around 8 a.m. and we enjoyed scenes of huge ships anchored at the harbor and some big tankers in the deep seas.
The boat moved faster into the sea where it was rough. The boat started swinging from side to side. The early morning breeze was so cool and very soon the boat berthed at Kusu island, which is known for its Chinese temple. We then had our breakfast and snacks and we wasted no time exploring the beach.
We left the island in an hour’s time and our next stop was St. Johns islands. The sea was clear crystal blue and even at that time, we saw many swimmers and some were resting under the tree. Some holidaymakers were watching us play and some were irritated by our mischief.
We finished our lunch there and our next stops were Pulau Pinane, Sentosa, and other islands. Our boat merely passed by the island and we were not allowed to disembark as time was running short. We returned to the World Trade Center pier around 5 p.m., and quickly the bus took us home.