What a year of firsts! This year is the first time we have been to the NDP parade because Jonathan had tickets! It wasn’t the actual day, it was the second preview, but I feel it was still a pretty fantastic experience. This will be the closest to the parade since we were at the Marina Barrage area on SG50’s NDP celebration. For all of you out there, NDP stands for National Day Parade.

Naturally we were pumped up and excited, wearing red and white, we decided to take the MRT to Promenade station. It was also our first time at this station! It was a huge crowd but I have to admire the logistics of moving such a large body of bodies. It was simply a great job done by the members of the police force and volunteers. After all, safety is a number one concern so although it is inconvenient, it is also necessary.

All along the way, you are greeted by volunteers who welcome you and give you hi-fives, creating an electric contagious atmosphere. Finally after all the metal detectors and other checks (I had encountered a little drama for bringing my ever purposeful Ninja Wallet) and but it was a surprising short queue to our seats.

This is the very first fun pack I ever got! It is filled with goodies.

When I first saw it, it was filled with mysterious items and I didn’t have time or space to take it all out. Here’s everything we got. Our favorites are the tattoos, the snacks (especially salted egg fish skin or potato chips and the Khong Guan biscuits), a little bottle of hand sanitizer, and the booklet of vouchers.

Dinner never came to mind due to all the hype and adrenaline until I realized that the event was from 5pm until 8:30pm. Luckily, food of sorts was provided. Nothing fancy but it does the job.

After you are seated, they start off with warming up the enthusiastic crowd with some fun, songs and activities, and motivators were there to get the crowd reach the highest levels of elation possible, without giving everyone Ecstasy drugs. Grace loved the presenters, especially Gurmit Singh.

Highlights of our NDP 2018 Experience

Air, Land and Sea

Look up in the sky! No, look down at the river. No, LOOK, on land! Aerial displays are my absolute favorite every parade. Someone please put me in a fighter jet or chopper, I might die but at least I’ll die with a smile on my face.

This year, we are treated to parachuting divers (Red Merlions???) who plunge straight into the water, chute and all. I wonder how do they swim with all material that dragging them down?! Then we see the regular parachuters aka the Red Lions. We did whhooooaaaaa-yeah! 10-ish times. I lost count. Then it was the always-awesome, neck-craning, adrenaline-pumping, eardrum-busting sonic boom of the jets as they zoom past.

Finally, to end the segment, a chinook (aka massive awesome helicopter) drags a gigantic Singapore flag across the audience as Majulah Singapura plays in the background. Majestic, simply majestic.

Hilarious Substitutes

This is something you don’t see at the actual parade, simulated ministers and heads of state. You can see these boys are thoroughly enjoying themselves, acting as DPMs here.

Sing-a-long to National Day Songs

It’s been a looooong while since I had a National Day songs singalong. Remember we used to do that a lot in school? Be warned though, nostalgia will hit you like a train when you start singing the remake of the “We Are Singapore” theme song, prepare the tissues.

And then there is the placard challenge where you lift the placards given inside the funpack based on the color sticker on your chair. When everyone lifts it up correctly, it will show “We ?? SG” on the TV! Here is a video of the placard challenge from our angle.

Insanely Massive Props

The stage is huge and the performers, although plentiful, were so teeny on it! Therefore colossal props are needed to make it seem more complete and grand. I love the ethereal balloons and I’m not alone. There were many “oohs” and “aaahs” emanating from the audience when they came out.

Ending with a Bang

Any NDP, even if it is a preview, isn’t complete without fireworks. For the first time, I had the best view of the fireworks ever. My photos don’t seem to do it justice so I had to take a video.

It was a fantastic experience for all of us. Most of all, I have to say that the weather was perfect throughout the whole time we were there and I could not ask for more.

Happy Birthday Singapore!