Taking photos

On my birthday, Murphy thought long and hard what he wanted when he traveled for 10 months in China in 2002.  He decided that it was a sophisticated camera, with more capabilities than a point and shoot.  After just buying a beautiful SLR just before he left for India, he SO graciously and kindly offer me his Nikon digital SLR.  Alex and I accepted to try it out for a week (Bob, Ashton, Morgan and Davi were leaving in a week and could return it).  I taught Alex the basics of an SLR and we each took a number of photos on it.  I loved taking night photos with it and motion photos with it.  I took an awesome one of a little girl at a reggae concert that we went to.  She was dancing around a bunch of dancing adults.  but for one moment, long enough for me to take the photo, she stopped dancing while they all continued.  I love the picture.  It wouldn't have been possible with a little point and shoot.  I should mention though that the first night in Pondicherry that Alex and I came uncomfortably close to losing the camera.  Thankfully it was India and as usual our stuff was very safe.  So we sent home the camera.   I think the camera is too big for us to take, but since I really enjoyed the camera for this week, I would like to look into a camera that I could buy in Singapore, if we can find the right one.  Here is where everyone comes in to help: perhaps if you like cameras and have done research or know someone who can help, let me know.  I was thinking of maybe one that can turn off the auto focus and also open the shutter longer in darker shots.  Is this only possible in a SLR or can we find something in between Murphy's camera and a little point and shoot in terms of capability and size? I will arrive in Singapore on Feb 11 and prob leave Feb 13.  So that's my timescale.

Lots of love and affection,
Katie