Who among us quoted Isaiah 60:22 frequently? Is it really alive in our hearts everytime we say it or it’s just a motion? Is it really worth to wait upon the Lord’s favor or we are just impatient and do our own thing? Can we truly recognize the time of God?
I was awed when I landed at Terminal 1, Changi Airport, Singapore last December 6, 2023. It marked my first international trip and kind of memorable to me. The carpeted flooring astonished me and the cleanliness of the place captured my heart. It’s no longer a story to me because I witnessed how beautiful the place is.
What are you going to do if you have a lay-over of 19 hours and half in the airport? I decided to explore the place. What? Yes, I was there already and then what, just to sit down and do nothing? No, that’s not my personality. To be candid, I was not feeling well too but it didn’t stop me to roam around. When I asked my companion if they want to have a tour, they declined as they were not feeling well too so I just left my baggage to them.
Terminal 1
The entrance is quite old and yes, it’s the oldest among the four terminals of the airport but still, well maintained. Branded merchandise was all around the place and it feels like, you’re inside a mall and not the airport.
Crowded, yes because it catered international services around the world. You can’t explore the place in an hour, so I need to move faster as I don’t want my companion to worry about me because I’m exploring alone. I need to go back before dinner since my luggage was with them.
I brought with me my passport, plane ticket to India and ID just in case to be inspected. I’m in a foreign land so I need to be careful. Yes, I’m used to travel alone and I trusted God’s protection and guidance.
At
first, I only wanted to explore Terminal 1 but when I observed that there was a
skytrain connecting to other terminals, I adventure Terminal 2.
Terminal
2
I
felt like a happy child because of my adventure. I didn’t know what awaited me in Terminal 2 but
I trusted God for everything. I just
need to be sensitive to His dealing on this tour.
The
merchandize were similar to Terminal 1 but in a higher level. What amused me was the Enchanted Garden and
the Orchid Garden. The beauty of the
flowers were awesome and good for the eyes.
I
never had chance to enter to any of the stores because I run out of time but there
was a particular store where it caught my attention due to its unique
architecture. I just took photos of it
because I’m more on site seeing rather than wasting my time for window
shopping. Taking pictures and selfie were
enough for me and I’m happy to share it.
Terminal
3
I was
delighted when I saw the giant Christmas tree and the flowers at the departure
hall next to skytrain. I thought, the flowers
were fake but they were real and that amazed me. I was smiling while staring at them. They were so beautiful. It seems like my heart will explode because
of happiness.
While walking around, it caught my attention the giant figures. I felt surreal but I saw this scene before. I thought, I only dreamt a weird place but I didn’t know that it was real and it was in front of me. Wow! If I didn’t take the risk to explore the place, I will never have the chance to see these things.
I didn’t take pictures of the stores anymore because it looks the same to me except for the Bacha Coffee and the tea house. I’m more attracted to the art pieces found in the airport than the stores actually.
I was
shocked when I saw another piece of art near the Immigration. It can’t be real because I saw it once in my
dream. I swear. I didn’t know that the weird images I saw in
my dream were at Changi Airport. No wonder
the place was familiar to me. It took me
quite sometime to see it up close because I didn’t know the right way.
The Saga. That was the art I saw. I was stunned because it can’t be real. It was the second art piece in this terminal that I saw in my dream. What’s more to see in this terminal 3?
I was
about to go back to the skytrain departure when I was directed to the inner side
part of the airport and guess what, it’s the Butterfly Garden. You can’t easily notice this part of the
airport because it was a hallway going to the restaurant. I’m grateful that I was led there. Butterflies were flying around beautifully.
Terminal
4
I was
about to cancel my tour to Terminal 4 due to time constraint when I felt like,
my tour is not complete if I’m not going there.
I rushed and I was awed because it was separated from other
terminals. It was the only terminal where
there is one entry one exit policy and kind of strict when it comes to their
security services.
The security blocked me and checked if I’ve flight in Terminal 4. I casually told them that my flight was in Terminal 1 and I’m just going to explore the airport. They smiled because I sounded like crazy. I told them that I’m just killing my time. The more they heard my explanation, the more I looked suspicious. I shown them my passport, ticket, boarding pass and ID. They scrutinized my documents. Good thing that I brought them. It saved me from trouble. The security allowed me to enter the airport and they just shook their heads. They can’t believe that I was there just to explore the place and to kill time.
It seems like, this terminal is for elite, for corporate people and the most luxurious one. I don’t know, that’s how I described it because even the carpeted flooring were different, the stores were kind of luxurious than the 3 terminals and the architecture were superb. I felt like, “I don’t belong here” since the aura was kind of rich in power and famous people.
Again, the ground was kind of familiar to me while approaching the Heritage Façade. It seems like, I just revisit the place and you know what, I almost cried when I saw the hanging clock. I didn’t expect to see it there as well as the façade. I was astonished because it was once a dream and it became a reality. I can’t really believe what I saw in front of me. What an awesome God. If I didn’t finish the tour, I wasn’t able to see the reality of my dream. No wonder I felt something while thinking of canceling the trip. It was the fulfillment of my dreams after all.
While waiting for the shuttle, I’ve talked to the old man working in the airport. I forgot his name but he was a good. When he learned that my flight will be the next day, he told me to visit the jewel which near the terminal. In as much as I wanted to, I have to consider my companions. My luggage was with them and need to go back for dinner. If ever I decided to explore the Jewel, I need to enter the immigration and documentation process. I thought about that too and I didn’t make it for fear that if I can’t go back at the appointed time and I can’t go to India. Maybe next time. If I only knew earlier, I should have been there but maybe, not the right time yet.
You know, I didn’t explore Changi Airport over the internet to be candid. What I only knew was, the flooring of the airport were carpeted and the cleanliness was superb. On that day, God shown me that the places and images in my dreams were real and it’s up to me to explore it. Too bad, I wasn’t able to visit The Jewel. It was just outside of terminal 4 but due to time constraint and conscience, I have to let it go.
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