On our last day in Singapore we decided to take a quick cab ride to the botanical gardens, within which the National Orchid Garden resides. We were particularly interested in the latter because a recent episode of the hit TV show “The Amazing Race” had contestants race through the gardens to find the Margaret Thatcher orchid.

It was drizzling lightly when we arrived at the garden, but this didn’t stop us from exploring the vast expanse of indigenous plants – especially since it was free. We took a less-traveled path into the woods, where various plants and trees were marked with their Latin and common names. As it turned out, the path took us almost directly to the entrance of the orchid garden. The National Orchid Garden contains hundreds of different orchid varieties and hybrids, each with its own distinct characteristics. I am an orchid-lover, but have never been successful at keeping them at home due to the dry winters and a lack of consistent sunlight in my home. Orchids are very particular about their climate, and they wither away if the conditions are not just right. Orchids do really well in Southeast Asia’s tropical climate – warm and humid.

We paid our $2.00 entrance fee and bought a couple of umbrellas since the rain was starting to pick up. The landscaping really accentuates each type of orchids – some grow on stumps or trees, while others grow in the ground or in a hanging basket. There are many fountains and pagodas throughout the garden to rest take pictures.

In addition, we found a mist room containing some orchid varieties that require constant misting. There was also a cool room, but it was closed for construction. Finally we made it to the V.I.P. garden, where certain orchid types have been named for government officials or royalty who had visited the National Orchid Garden. Among them we found one for Benizir Bhutto, Princess Diana, Queen Elizabeth, and of course Margaret Thatcher.

Finally our time was up, and we found a cab to return us to our hotel. We needed to pack everything up and head to the airport and our next destination, Borneo.