C'est La Vie.....

Yesterday, Ricko has left Singapore for Bali after staying in Singapore for 5 days and 4 nights. We really enjoyed each other's company, and I, of course, definitely missed his warm-hearted, comical and personable antics. I would not know when we can meet each other but we can keep in contact with each other through MSN. Ricko had taken his trishaw tour with Danny around the historic central district, covering Chinatown, Little India, Mohammad Sultan, CBD, Singapore River and famous Merlion Park before meeting me at his hotel.

Together we went to Wisma to have lunch before we headed for Changi Airport Terminal 1. I told him that in 2008, Terminal 3 would be opened, adding the total traveller capacity to the current passenger handling capacity that is borned by Terminal 1 and Terminal 2.

Singapore Changi Airport's Terminal 3 will have a flat but intriguing roof consisting of many skylights allowing natural light into the terminal building. The roof will limit the amount of direct sunlight into the building through the use of louvres suspended above and below the skylights, filling Terminal 3 with diffused, ambient light during the day. At night, artificial light bounced off the ceiling creates a soothing and comfortable environment for passengers. This unique feature of Terminal 3 will also be seen by passengers waiting to collect their bags at the baggage claim hall. And an interesting thing to note that Terminal 3's roof is the FIRST OF ITS KIND IN THE WORLD.


Passengers using Terminal 3 can expect to move around with ease and minimum dependence on signages. This is possible as Terminal 3 will adopt a see-through layout concept, making it easier for travellers to orientate themselves. This is part of the four guiding principles adopted by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) when designing Terminal 3, namely, clarity, natural lighting, external views and maintainability.


Terminal 3 and its associated works will cost S$1.5 billion. It will add a capacity of 20 million passengers a year, bringing the total capacity of Changi Airport to 64 million passengers till the year 2020. When opened in early 2008, Terminal 3 will add another 28 aerobridge gates to Changi Airport, with up to eight that will be designed to handle the new generation of large aircraft, the A380. (See information below on A380)



The first Singapore Airlines A380 takes shape at the final assembly line in the Airbus Headquarters in Toulouse, France with the installation of the tail fin measuring a whopping 14.1 metres high and 12.9 metres wide. The historic mounting of the trademark Singapore Airlines logo onto the aircraft fuselage could take place only after transporting the fin from Hamburg, Germany to Toulouse, which took two-and-a-half hours, and then waiting an additional painstaking 11 days for further paintwork to be completed. The aircraft will first be used on the Kangaroo route between Singapore, Sydney and London.

Singapore Airlines will be the first airline in the world to fly the Airbus A380 in 2006. The Airline made the order for 25 A380s (10 firm and 15 on option) in September 2000.



There could be a possibility that Singapore may build Changi Airport Terminal 4 in 2020 if the passenger handling capacity is beyond the maximum passenger handling capacity.

Finally, after Ricko got his boarding pass, I quickly ushered him to the Thai Airline office to change the departure date from 6th April to 8th April from Bali to Bangkok. The airport staff is very friendly and helpful. Within minutes, it has been settled and the airport staff issued him a confirmation slip. Then we went downstairs to JollyBean and we had a last soja drink together. Finally it is time for Ricko to check in. We hugged each other and I bade him Bon Voyage. No one would know when and where we can meet and finally his familiar shape has diminished into air while he walked to the right. Goodbye Ricko till we meet again. Au revoir Ricko jusqu'à ce que nous nous réunissions encore. Time really passed so fast since we met last Friday.

Then I walked down the basement to take a free shuttle bus to see the budget terminal which recently was opened. It was just a simple warehouse with just a word "SIMPLICITY" describes this one-floored and 'minuscule'-sized terminal which only requires 5 minutes' cursory glance before I headed back to the Terminal 2. I took Bus 36 down to Orchard to browse travel books in Borders Bookstore and Gilbert sms-ed me where I was. I told him my whereabout and we met up for dinner. We shared a lot of things together about work, and other matters before we went home.

As I was walking towards the Orchard MRT Station, I paused at a moment and asked myself why I am here for and what I am doing on this earth. I remembered one of our conversation between Ricko and I that we must live for today, not living in the past or far future. We never know what tomorrow may bring and what the future holds for us. What is the point of painting fairy-tale and rosy dreams of the future that we want to be or we want to have, and yet these dreams would never or may not come true? Anyway i shrugged and mumbled to myself, "C'est La Vie....Life goes on."