A top response to Mr Jones’ video went: “I’ve literally never seen someone so excited in Singapore, it’s so refreshing.”
Another said: “Awww, this is so wholesome! Glad you enjoyed GBTB (Gardens by the Bay).”
Many Singaporeans also thanked Mr Jones for “loving Singapore” and for sharing his experience, saying that his video had made them “swell with pride” for the country and appreciate it more.
One commented: “Thanks for reminding us that Singapore is pretty nice. Many things to be thankful for.”
Another declared: “As a Singaporean… I’ve never been there, but you hyped it up so I’m going to go.”
Others congratulated him for ticking the gardens off his bucket list and offered recommendations of their own, such as hawker centres and the MegaZip flying fox on Sentosa Island.
One TikTok user said: “May the hawker auntie give you extra chickens always.”
Responding to TODAY’s queries on Monday, Mr Jones said he had made a two-day stop in Singapore as part of a larger Southeast Asia trip. In fact, he had cut short the Thailand leg of his trip in order to head to Singapore early as he was “just so excited” to visit the Gardens.
“I had seen it online so many years ago and I just knew it was somewhere I wanted and needed to go,” he shared. “My experience at the Gardens was everything and more, I could not believe my dream became my reality.”
Mr Jones was also heartened by the positive reactions to his video from Singaporeans, saying: “The reactions (on) my TikTok video are why I do what I do. And I love that I can make people feel a certain way about their own culture! It’s so rewarding.”
He added that he was “gutted” he had only two days in Singapore, but “knows for a fact” that he will be back.
