This tour to Singapore and the United Kingdom was put together by Andrew Taylor and John Barns Graham in 2005.

Andrew being conversant with the Travel industry in which he worked put together the arrangements for the transport and

accommodation. He also arranged the Tourist destinations in Singapore, for our 36 hour stopover there. In that he

accommodated a visit to the Freemasons Hall.

John organised the route plan for the UK,

and the production of the brochure for

sending out, and also the design of the

logo for the Masonic Jewels tours, which is

as you can see New Zealand in the centre

of the filled in square and compasses, and

has written this presentation. In choosing

the venues to visit, as many places with

specific masonic interest have been

chosen, and the naming of famous

freemasons with photograph or painting is

included on the slide.

As John had lived in Scotland for over 35

years, and knew most of the roads well, he

could estimate what was possible for

driving, but also give the particpants time to

look around their daily destinations. He

developed spreadsheet which recorded all

the details of the proposed journey.

Such items as

After meeting up with our New Zealand masons and their wives the Group departed Auckland for our first stop - 36 hours in

Singapore.

Wherever we went we found the Singaporeans very proud of their founder Freemason Sir Stamford

Raffles. They even named a Hotel after him which is world famous. The group paid a visit and took in its

unique ambiance.

Our trip to Freemasons Hall which was built in 1879 was special for the tour party. We even had our

photograph taken on the steps before entering. Our first stop was the restaurant, one which is open to

the public and has an International cuisine. The Menu comes in three different food categories Local,

Western, and Vegetarian, and it stretches to 3 pages long with 41, 31 and 12 choices respectively in

the categories.

The Lodge room is upstairs, and the door shows the effect of the number of meetings that is held - There

are 8 English Lodges, 1 Irish and 2 Scottish Lodges working out of the Lodge rooms, Not to say several

side orders, for one of which the Lodge room was set up. We were shown the Lodge Room by the

permanent Tyler. The lodge room has a lot of dark wood panelling which makes it rather dark compared

with the bright sunlight outside. It has a rather magnificent small pipe organ and a ceiling with a raised

centre of blue. The pavement is tiled with external tiled tassels.

Also on the same floor is a small Lodge room which can be used for rehearsals, side orders and the like. This has a stained

glass window in the West. Down the staircase on the outer wall is a series of small stain glass windows which have been

sponsored by some of the early Lodges and side orders. This staircase leads to the top of the outer steps, across from its

door is the doorway into the Masonic Club, opened in 1887, which features a very English style bar. This is only open to

brethren and their guests.

Being near the equator darkness falls at 7.00pm, and it is a lovely warm temperature which makes for a perfect time to take a

walk. We walked around the retaurants, cafes and bars with their tables out along the walkways. However it was our walk in

the local park which proved most interesting. One could see small

brightly coloured lights flying round the sky, doing loops, barrel rolls

and all sorts of aerobatics. These belonged to "Goflykites". Radio

controlled with electric motors and small batteries to provide power for

that and the coloured led lights, their owners flew them around the

park. They were able to hover silently above the heads of pedestrians

as well as peform the amazing aerobatics.

After visiting Santosa Island and the Orchid Gardens after our night in

the hotel, the group joined up with our Australian Masonic couple in the

airport we had a night time flight to the UK.