The first rule of travel is: be prepared for the unexpected. Its corollary is: sometimes the unexpected can be the most enjoyable part of travel.

We recently experienced both rules.

We were scheduled to leave Heathrow on Sunday the 27th at about 10 PM on a flight to Singapore, with a connecting flight from there to Perth, Western Australia, to visit some dear friends who used to live in London.

As it turned out, our flight left London over two hours late due to a series of mishaps: a cargo hold not loaded properly; a sick passenger; refueling; and waiting for approval for a late take-off. Needless to say, we missed our connection in Singapore.

The airline sent a representative to meet us at the arrival gate, and it turned out to be the start of an unplanned but quite enjoyable 12 hours in Singapore. After collecting our bags, we were escorted onto an air train system that connected the airport to a very nice airport hotel just 2 minutes away. The airline gave us vouchers for the hotel, for 2 dinners, and 2 breakfasts the next morning.

The hotel in Singapore was beautiful - cool, modern, with interesting design details combining Asian influences with all the comforts of a luxury hotel. The dinner was a buffet that highlighted all of the cuisines that Singapore is famous for: Malaysian, Indian, Chinese, Italian, and English. Breakfast the next morning was a similar combination of tastes.

The delay in our first flight meant that we arrived in Perth 12 hours later than planned - at 1 PM, rather than 1 AM. It also meant that we arrived (relatively) rested, clean, and comfortable, rather than arriving tired, smelly and hungry. We had a brief but enjoyable introduction to Singapore, and we are looking forward to our planned stopover there on the way back from Perth. I often say that planning a trip can be half the fun of a trip, but it is important to be open to unplanned experiences once the travel begins.

May you all have a great 2010, and remember to enjoy the unexpected!