Singapour.

And it did. In sheets and buckets, with spectacular and magnificent lightning and thunder, ear-splitting crashes milliseconds apart, as if the heavens were being torn asunder.

We were in the middle of High Tea at Raffles, an ambition we've had for many years after reading Somerset Maugham's books on the Far East. Sir Stamford Raffles, you may remember founded modern Singapore and his hotel plays an important role in many Eastern stories.

The High Tea was excellent, complete with artillery sound effects, the likes of which I haven't heard since leaving Central Africa.

Singapore impresses and well illustrates the shift in progress from West to East. Vibrant, brash, highly intelligent and swarming with the eager young.

Our day was complicated by everyone (3,000) having to clear the ship early while it was prepared for the next leg. Imagine having to move that number out, through immigration and customs and then welcome aboard an almost brand new set of 3,000 customers, mostly Aussies to boot! Chaos!

Here are some pics...

The first three are at Raffles, the last the view from our new balcony cabin.