7. WHEN THE SEA LED ME TO SINGAPORE

After five long days of sailing with nothing but endless water around me, the horizon finally began to change. The route through the Malacca Strait revealed the coast of Malaysia and Indonesia. Slowly, the empty blue sea turned into a busy scene of vessels and fishing boats.

At first to my untrained eyes, all ships looked the same. Every big vessel was a “tanker,” except the container ships, which I could spot easily because their colourful stacks were visible from miles away. I laughed at myself, but I could not help asking the duty officer every few minutes, “Look at the big ship, what kind of ship is that?” He smiled and explained patiently- how bulk carriers could be identified by their hatch system, RORO carriers looked like giant buses floating on the water, and gas tankers had dome shape structures on the deck.

Slowly I began to recognize them on my own. And when I finally got it right, I shouted, “Look, a bulk carrier!” with the pride of a child showing off a new trick. In that moment, I felt like I had learned something big, something that belong to the secret world of the sea.

The fishing boats, however, touched me in a different way. Through my binoculars, I watched men tirelessly working with nets and ropes on those tiny boats, rolling, and pitching with every wave. They reminded me of the Sindbad the Sailor stories from Alif Laila serial I loved as a child-only these were real people, living that tough life every day. Smith told me they often stayed out for two or three days, fishing day and night before returning to shore. I stood there quietly, humbled, thanking God for the comforts I had in life.

The Malacca Strait was busy and chaotic, but once we crossed it, the Singapore Strait opened like a grand stage. The first thing that caught my eyes was the colour of water-a deep mesmerising sea green. Then came the sight that took my breath away: ships, hundreds of them, anchored as far as I could see. It was overwhelming, almost like entering another universe.

It was afternoon and the view was crystal clear. Slowly, the skyline of Singapore rose in front of me. My eyes caught the iconic Marina Bay Sands complex-the one I had seen so many times in movies, like Hrithik Roshan’s stunts in Krrish. And there it was, in reality, standing proudly above the green waters.

It was December 19th,2020-the year of COVID. I knew there would be no shore leave, no chance to set foot in this city. Yet, strangely I did not feel disappointed. I was completely content standing on deck, holding my binoculars, gazing at that magical view. I kept closing my eyes just to hold the picture inside me, knowing it was a memory I would carry forever.

As I looked up, I noticed planes taking off one after another from Changi airport, the busiest in the world. Out of curiosity, I started counting. Every 10 seconds, a flight would rise into the sky. Ten seconds! I was awestruck by how such massive system could work so perfectly, so smoothly, without pause.

Soon, our ship anchored, and within minutes, small boats started arriving with provisions, stores, and bunkers. Everything was so organised, so timely-it impressed me deeply.

By evening, the whole scene transformed again. One by one, the ship switched on their deck lights until it felt as though I was surrounded by a floating city. More than 500 vessels glittered around me, their lights reflecting on the green water. The Singapore skyline too lit up, as if joining the festival of lights. Marina Bay Sands looked like a glowing ship balanced on three towers, shimmering like something out of a fairy tale.

I felt like I was in the middle of Diwali, though I was thousands of miles away from home. The sea, the ships, and the city together created a vision so enchanting, I can still see it whenever I close my eyes.

Smith stood beside me, watching me silently, and then said softly: “Be patient, one day we will roam that city.” His words filled me with hope, and I sighed, holding on to that promise. That night, I realized something powerful: some places capture your heart even before you step on their soil. For me, Singapore was one of those places.