We had another pet-friendly staycation at Capella on Sentosa Island. This time it was the four of us – me, my dogs Lou and Abby, and Luna, our new kitten friend. Last month, while walking on the busy Bukit Timah Road, I heard a meow so soft I wasn’t sure at first. I had to look more closely, even with the full moon. Sure enough, there was a tiny grey kitten by the drainage. Long story short, we now have a cat.

Previously, Lou, Abby, and I stayed at Capella for a staycation and to spend time with my friend. She was transiting with her two boys on their way to Australia. Capella is the only hotel that accepts large dogs and as far as I know, cats. For monthly stays, Singapore has pet-friendly serviced apartments.

[Update: Capella now has a 15-kg one dog limit.]

With a little kitten, this was a much different staycation. I spent more time at the villa and going out for short jaunts – dog walks, breakfast, swims, spa appointments, and when my friend Sheila came for a drink. Lou and Abby quickly settled in, perhaps because they’ve been here before, perhaps because they’ve moved several times with me. So they’re used to it. We have an incredible trust in each other, that’s not quite there with Luna. She’s getting more relaxed around the dogs who are gigantic to her. Sometimes they accidentally step on her little tail. She is just so tiny.

We stayed at a one-bedroom villa. The thoughtful Capella staff had set up bowls, bottled water, and beds. This was new; I had already packed them. For the first few days, Luna mostly hid under the bed. This seems to be her MO in new places. Then she started coming out of her shell, finding Lou’s tail irresistible. I have a video of her appearing from nowhere, jumping at Lou’s wagging tail. I also brought her toy. So Luna spent her time playing, napping, and discovering her own tail that kept enticing her with little flicks. This staycation was low-key, and I loved watching Luna’s antics. Her discovering the world, and her own body.

Pool & Drinks

Capella sits on thirty acres of rainforest. It’s a beautiful setting, with lots of paths for me to walk with Lou and Abby, and to explore on my own. This time, we didn’t go beyond the Capella grounds. We did see plenty of peacocks, which Lou and Abby are still intrigued by.

There are several pools, including one that’s adults-only. This is my second staycation at Capella and I’ve only ever seen a couple of people at the pool. I love spending time in the pool, so relaxing and peaceful. Each villa also has a plunge pool, which I don’t like as much as it’s a lot colder. Also, it distresses Lou and Abby when I’m outside by myself. The patio is not walled off and so not secure for them to be outside unsupervised.

One afternoon, my friend Sheila came for a visit. We went to the bar and had some cocktails. Having dogs and a cat is like having kids – sometimes it feels like life is all about them. So having some adult, human, and alone time is great. Since I work at home, I make sure to go out by myself each day, whether it’s for a midnight movie, a foot massage, or getting a roti prata at the food court by my place. If I’m not out grocery shopping, meeting clients, or facilitating a workshop.

Unlike kids, I can leave my animals alone at home for several hours at a stretch. By now, Lou has been with me ten years and Abby about eight, so I know them well. Thankfully they have no separation anxiety and given their age, they are often napping and not ripping into anything. Luna being only a few months old also is usually napping. At Capella I had her crate in the bathroom where I had set up her litter box. This is where I would leave her whenever I left the villa. I’m gone only for a couple hours at the most anyway.

Palawan Beach

Palawan Beach on Sentosa is a popular place to go. This is where we went for our morning walks, before beachgoers arrived. The beach was always empty for us. Lou and Abby, both good swimmers, love getting into the water and with no one else on the beach, they got to run free. I also waded into the water and enjoyed our morning ritual together. Lou and Abby seemed to enjoy walking across the suspension bridge. They always headed this way. On the other side is a little island, apparently the southernmost point of continental Asia.

Before I moved to Singapore, I had already heard several ghost stories from a trusted source. So I did investigate about the most haunted places. The name for this island was Pulau Blakang Mati, meaning “the island behind which lies death.” It was only about fifty years ago that it was renamed. Being a busy port, pirates frequented the waters around Singapore, even after the British settled here in 1819.

In 1942, Singapore fell to the Japanese. Commander of the British forces, General Arthur Percival, agreed to unconditional surrender. During the Japanese occupation, Fort Siloso at the western tip of Sentosa was a prisoner of war camp to house the Australians and British. Places like the Old Changi Hospital are well-known for being haunted, from the brutal torture of prisoners and the general elimination of possible anti-Japanese elements by the Japanese military police, Kempeitai. About 50,000 were then buried across Singapore, including in Sentosa.

So only morning walks at the beaches for us.