My Reflections on the trip to the Singapore Flyer

On Friday, I had a ride on the world’s biggest observation wheel. It is also the first observation wheel that Singapore has ever had. I felt privileged that my school was one of the first few schools that were allowed to board the Singapore Flyer. I was really thrilled and excited about the trip. I had passed by the Flyer many times and had always wanted to be in one of the capsules. I had many expectations from the ride. On the night before, I even listed them out on a piece of paper.

As the observation wheel is about forty-two storeys high, I hoped to see the tall buildings in the city area from a bird eye’s view. I had always wanted to see the Esplanade from a vantage position because it is a unique structure. Moreover, there is construction work going on in the Marina area because of the Marina Integrated Resort as well as the Marina Barrage. This area is fenced up but on the Flyer, I hoped to see how the construction work is going on.

I believed that the wheel would move at a fast pace but I feared that it would be unventilated and overcrowded. I was also worried about its stability, as each capsule would seat twenty people. Nonetheless, when the day finally arrived, I was filled with excitement.

Before the ride, the waiting area was very lively as everyone was eager to board the capsule and there was a cacophony of student chatter. I visited the rainforest right below the Singapore Flyer and experienced an overwhelming serenity there. There were many different kinds of trees and the air in the rainforest was very fresh. In addition, there was a mini fountain to cool the place down and the feeling was revitalizing.

We had to board the capsule quickly as the wheel was moving continuously and many people boarding the same capsule as me. The capsule was better than I expected. It was stable and spacious. I thought that with twenty people in one capsule, it was going to be really stuffy and unstable. Fortunately, it was not and there was still much space for moving around within. The view from the top of the Flyer was fantastic. The thing that excited me the most was the view of the Esplanade. It was very prominent unlike the other buildings surrounding the Flyer. When my capsule reached the top of the Flyer, I felt as if I was flying in the air. I could feel as though I was growing taller all of a sudden and it seemed like I was nearly the same height as the buildings! However, I felt terrified, as I was slightly acrophobic. I managed to overcome that by not looking down and just looking straight at the buildings.

During the ride, something caught my attention. In order to measure the volume of the capsule, my friends used their own bodies. It was interesting as it was my first time coming across such a creative idea. I thought that it was brilliant of them to conceive of such an idea in such a short time. First, they compared their heights. Next, they used their bodies to measure the different dimensions of the capsule. Only after they had verified all the required dimensions, they calculated the volume of the capsule using the formula of the cylinder. I was very impressed by this and thought that it was a memorable part of the trip.

I feel that the trip was worth going on as it was a whole new experience for me as I had not been on an observation wheel or a Ferris wheel before. Although it was not as stimulating I had expected, I enjoyed the feeling of being up in the wheel and enjoying the panoramic scenery. I would take the ‘flight’ again as it was a pleasurable experience. However, I hope to take the flight in the night the next time: having seen the view in the day, I now wish to see Singapore’s night view. I would strongly recommend the flight to my friends and family members as I hope they could experience the wonderful view that I did, as well as the exhilarated feeling of being in the air.

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