Going on leave while still in S’pore isn’t a waste. Here’s how I make the most of my ‘local holidays’.

For the longest time, I refused to go on leave unless I was leaving the country.

It just seemed like a waste of my precious two-odd weeks. Leave was for holidays; holidays were for travelling. Go on leave while in Singapore? Incomprehensible.

The turning point was when Covid-19 hit. Trapped in Singapore, I ended up wasting a fair few days of leave when they couldn’t be rolled over to the next year.

Today, I’ve become a strong proponent of taking leave while in Singapore (and no, it doesn’t involve staycations).

It’s admittedly a bit of an art form, though. Here’s how I do it.

Step 1: Detach from the world work

It’s hard to distance yourself from work when you have notifications popping up every few minutes.

Solution? Mute all your work chats. Some of my more determined colleagues have even deleted their messaging apps entirely, just to get away from the noise.

A good rule of thumb is to display a photo to indicate you’re on leave.

No more meeting invites, questions, or lunchtime jios from well-meaning colleagues who missed your handover email.

Step 2: Plan an itinerary

But what to actually do while on leave?

If you’re like me and tend to get restless just staying at home, the answer is to plan your itinerary — just like you would while you’re on holiday.

I decided to try and recreate some of my favourite holiday activities, with unique finds and travel-exclusive products from iShopChangi.

Feel free to save as inspo.

Wine and chill in Australia

One of my favourite things about Australia is the laid-back atmosphere.

Here’s a core memory I made on a recent trip: We had steak and red wine in our Airbnb, before going for a quiet, vaguely wine-drunk walk around the neighbourhood.

It was something I’d never do in fast-paced, high-stress Singapore. So of course, I decided to try and recreate it.

I cooked myself a steak and had it with some Chateau Tanunda Grand Barossa Shiraz from Australia, which I got from iShopChangi.

Established in 1890, Chateau Tanunda hails from Barossa Valley, one of Australia’s most famous wine regions.

It’s known for its Shiraz grapes, the most widely-planted variety in the continent — and, I thought, a pretty appropriate choice for my Australia throwback.

The fruity notes of the red wine went beautifully with the steak.

As I sipped the Shiraz — which was silky-smooth and immensely enjoyable by itself — I felt a sense of calm that I rarely get in Singapore.

I also logged off Instagram and did a crossword, in the spirit of digital detoxing.

It almost felt like being back in Aussie again. I didn’t even have to suffer through an eight-hour flight.

Picnic in Japan (No flights required)

Ah, the classic Japanese springtime picnic.

On a few occasions I’ve admired the picturesque scenes: Trees laden with cherry blossoms (or sakura), and picnic mats laden with food.

It’s a Japanese springtime tradition, celebrated with snacks, sweets, and sake. There’s even a term for sipping sake under the cherry blossoms: hanami-zake.

While I don’t have enough money or leave for another Japan trip this year, I wasn’t going to let that stop me.

I packed my picnic mat and headed for the Botanic Gardens.

For the full hanami-zake experience, I brought with me a taste of Japan: A bottle of nigori sake.

I chose the Tamano Hikari Junmai Daiginjyo Sasa Nigori Spring Sake from iShopChangi’s sake selection, which comes in a beautiful sakura-themed bottle.

Tamano Hikari has been around since 1673. It brews just one type of sake: junmai, a pure, traditional sake made only with rice, water, and koji.

All these ingredients are from different parts of Japan. Even the water used to wash the sake rice is carefully sourced from Monoyama Hills, home to one of the country’s 100 finest waters.

In the Botanic Gardens, it was relatively quiet. I felt a little self-conscious, setting up shop alone on the banks of the Eco-Lake.

Bright side: I basically had the whole grassy patch to myself. I chose the spot with the prettiest view of the lake, and spent the next hour reading, napping, and watching the black swans glide through the water.

When I felt peckish, I unpacked my food and sake and had a nice breakfast.

The nigori was creamy and refreshing, and brought me straight back — emotionally, not literally — to my favourite park in Japan.

It hardly felt like I was in Singapore.

Highland hike in Scotland

When I was in Scotland, my friends and I would spend the days hiking up rolling hills and around beautiful lakes (or lochs, in the Scottish dialect).

At night, we’d stuff ourselves into a cozy little pub, and gossip over drinks until we were all tipsy.

To recreate this, I decided to take an afternoon to do a hike I’ve been meaning to do: the Mandai Boardwalk trail.

I was lucky and went on a pretty cloudy day, which meant I wasn’t dying of heat.

The weather also had the added benefit of giving the scenery a distinctly gloomy, Scottish-highland vibe.

At the end of the hike, I parked myself in a quiet spot and poured myself a glass of Strathmill 2014/2024 10YO Amarone Finish, which I’d gotten from iShopChangi’s whisky selection.

A product of Lady of the Glen, an independent bottler in Scotland, the whisky is sourced from distilleries and hand-bottled at natural cask strength.

Fun fact: The brand’s name, “Lady of the Glen”, is a homage to the Green Lady — a beautiful and tragic ghost rumoured to wander the halls of Stirling Castle.

Spicy and sweet, the Scottish whisky was the perfect end to the day.

I’d decanted it earlier in a tumbler with plenty of ice cubes, so it was also refreshingly cold after an afternoon of exertion.

With no work notifications to disturb me, I took some quiet time to appreciate both the scenery and the drink.

It might just be the whisky talking. But in a way, it was even better than actually being in Scotland.

Reflections

Honestly, it does sometimes get a little claustrophobic living in Singapore.

Although I’d love to be able to take off whenever I’m in need of a break, it’s not always possible.

But it is possible to take a breather in Singapore, although it requires a little more effort and planning.

Next time you feel like you need a break, try it. Apply for leave, turn off your notifications, pretend to be a tourist.

While you’re at it, why not have a drink? After all, you’re on holiday.

Want to drink around the world too, without leaving the comfort of your home? Get 15 per cent off with no minimum spend with the promo code MSXISC15 when you shop with iShopChangi* — the e-commerce extension of Changi Airport Group.

Shop a wide selection of whiskies, cognac, wines, and more from around the world, as part of iShopChangi’s “Drink Around The World” campaign. Also get your booze delivered to your doorstep in just two hours at S$10 flat with iShopChangi’s on-demand delivery service. No travelling required, but remember to drink responsibly.

*T&Cs and product exclusions apply. While stocks last.

Writing this iShopChangi-sponsored article allowed this writer to go on leave. Honestly, that’s a win.