What Happens When You Travel in Singapore Without a Plan?

Exploring Singapore

Last year was, in many ways, a difficult year for me.

It didn’t start that way. In fact, I began the year on a high—traveling across ten different countries, constantly on the move, doing what I’ve always loved. But somewhere along the way, something began to feel off. By the time the year came to an end, I found myself drained, tired, and creatively exhausted. It wasn’t just physical fatigue—it was a kind of mental burnout that quietly builds up when you don’t pause long enough to notice it.

Around that time, I received an email from the Singapore Tourism Board. They were reaching out to understand the challenges I was facing as a travel filmmaker—and invited me to a two-week residency in Singapore to work through them.

It felt unexpected. And honestly, a little intimidating.

But it also felt like something I needed.

Arriving Without a Plan

I arrived in Singapore with very little clarity. There was no rigid itinerary, no fixed output expected—just a loose idea that this experience might help me move forward.

That uncertainty was both freeing and unsettling.

On very little sleep, running mostly on coffee and curiosity, I landed in the city wondering what the next two weeks would bring. For someone used to planning every frame and every story, this was unfamiliar territory.

The first day was simple—rest, reset, and allow myself to slow down. That, in itself, felt like a challenge.

Finding People, Finding Perspective

Things began to shift when I met the other creators who were part of the residency.

Over a thoughtfully curated lunch at Higher Grounds, hosted by urban farmers Marcus and Alexys, we spent time not just eating, but understanding where our food came from. It was a rooftop farm—quiet, intentional, and rooted in sustainability. We tasted ingredients right where they were grown, and for the first time in a while, I felt present in the moment.

More importantly, I felt less alone.

As part of the program, each international creator was paired with a local creator. I was paired with Amanda.

We connected instantly.

She already understood the kind of creative fatigue I had been dealing with, and our conversations felt easy and honest. There was no pressure to perform or impress—just a genuine exchange of ideas. She shared simple, practical ways to approach my work differently, not as a constant output machine, but as something more mindful.

That perspective stayed with me.

Looking Beyond the Surface

As I began exploring Singapore, I realized this journey wasn’t just about recovering from burnout—it was also about rediscovering how I see a place.

Singapore is often perceived in a very particular way—modern, efficient, shaped by colonial history. But when you begin to look beyond that surface, you uncover layers that are far more nuanced.

I spent time understanding the different communities that make up the country, and how their histories intersect. It’s easy to simplify a place when you only look at its skyline, but the real depth lies in its people.

Through conversations with locals like Firdaus, I began to understand how deeply rooted these communities are, and how their stories continue to shape modern Singapore. There’s a richness here that doesn’t always make it to typical travel itineraries.

And that’s where things started to change for me.

Slowing Down, Intentionally

For a long time, my approach to travel had been fast-paced—moving from one location to another, constantly chasing the next story.

But here, I found myself slowing down.

Not because I had to, but because I wanted to.

I spent more time observing than filming. More time listening than speaking. Whether it was walking through neighborhoods, sitting quietly with a cup of coffee, or simply having unstructured conversations, these moments began to feel more valuable than anything else.

It reminded me of why I started doing this in the first place.

Not just to document places—but to experience them.

A Different Kind of Journey

This residency didn’t give me clear answers. It didn’t suddenly solve everything.

But it did something more important—it gave me space.

Space to think, to reflect, and to reconnect with my work in a way that felt honest again. It helped me step away from the pressure of constant output and return to the fundamentals of storytelling.

I also began to see how important it is to engage with people—not just as subjects in a frame, but as individuals with stories worth understanding.

Singapore, in many ways, became a backdrop to that process. Not just as a destination, but as a catalyst.

Moving Forward

As the two weeks came to an end, I didn’t leave with a fixed plan for what comes next.

But I did leave with clarity.

Clarity that I want to travel differently.

Clarity that I want to tell stories that feel more grounded.

And clarity that slowing down is not a weakness—it’s necessary.

This journey wasn’t about covering Singapore in the way a typical travel guide would. It was about experiencing it in a way that allowed me to reconnect—with the place, with people, and with myself.

And sometimes, that’s exactly what travel should be.