Sentosa Island Getaway

Dangling high in the air, attached to a single metal cable is obviously not Caroline's idea of a relaxing start to the weekend, as she has a distinct green tinge around the gills. However, we are heading to Sentosa island via cable car to Resort World's Universal Studios and I'm almost certain this is going to seem tame in comparison.

It's about $70 each to get in so it's my turn to go slightly green and queasy as panic sets in at getting some cash out. In reality this is actually not too bad - approx £35 each. Alton Towers in the UK is about the same price. Mind you at Chessington you can take a family of 5 for the same price!

Once in there, we are in a land of make believe, not dissimilar from Singapore itself, where nothing quite seems real. We walk through downtown Hollywood then into New York where we witness Lights! Camera! Action! a live special effects show of a hurricane hitting New York's sky line. Not a bad start.

We chicken out of going on some mental rollercoaster after they announce that it the ride is temporarily suspended. If only you could do the same when commuting on the Tube in London....

So, Caroline thought the Cable Car was scary, huh? Next we get on The Mummy ride. I don't realise I'm screaming but I must be - Caroline is laughing at me when we get off - I thought that was her high pitched screeching. There is a lot of lurching about and falling down huge bottomless pits - what makes it really scary is that most of it happens in pitch blackness, like a real nightmare...

We go to see Shrek in 4D and it is really good - 3D specs on, you get the 4th dimension with a splash of water here and there, moving seats and gusts of air. Bit like watching a film with a bunch of hoodies in Hammersmith Broadway, really, but without people talking loudly on mobile phones, innit.

Despite this, we're not quite prepared for spiders falling around us in 3D with a terrifying brushing against our legs as they fall to the floor! Not sure what all the kids made of it but there was an awful lot of screaming - and not just from me this time. If only it was Hammersmith Broadway: da yoof would be outta there like a shot!

The rest: Waterworld (entertaining enough), Lost World (gave up queuing) and burger in a diner (pretty good) All done, we head to Sentosa beach!

The beach is great, lined with bars all the way along - expat heaven! We dive into one (Coastes), hiding from the rain that's just started and get stuck into a jug of Carlsberg. We move on to the bar next door (Bikini Bar); I realise pretty quickly why we couldn't get a seat there straight away. Bikini ogling seems to be what's attracting the largely male clientele. And why not? Except I'm facing the other way and sitting with the Mrs...

We while away a couple of hours with the dulcet tones of drunk Australians and a fine selection of tunes from the house DJ as a soundtrack. Bliss