Birthday celebration

So, this happened.

While checking in to the Conrad Centennial Hotel, the fellow at reception asked if it was my first time in Singapore.

Yes.

What brought me there?

Otters.

…

(Actually, he and his colleague were impressed that I knew about the otter gangs.)

Also, I booked time off several months ago because Wednesday’s my birthday, so I thought I might as well spend it in Singapore instead of the District They Call Columbia.

Well, fine. He handed me some documents about the deal I was getting (breakfast included, $100 USD credit, plus more stuff and $30 USD credit), and then reached over and handed me this card:

“How did you guys do that?”

(Look, it was 0800 and I’d spent the previous 24 hours getting there while getting no sleep.)

He gestured to his colleague, who’d pulled out the card and personalized it.

Well, on the Thursday I was sitting at the hotel bar, drinking champagne, when I realized that it was gone 1900 and the hotel cake shop closed at 2000. So I told the bartender I was just going to pop over to the cake shop, and I’d be right back.

He said, “I’ll do that for you.” And he did.

And that’s how I came to be celebrating my birthday with an absolutely scrummy cake in my hotel room in Singapore.

Seriously, people—that hotel was the absolute bomb. Everyone there took amazing care of me.