Friday, December 3, 2010

Doctors visit - An apple a day...

Don't freak out - I'm not going to go into detail about a doctors visit... in fact I am not even sick :)

I ventured to the clinic today simply to obtain a referral letter for a physiotherapist (back and rib issues... not going to bore you with details) - why? because in Singapore, to be able to claim the visit on your private health insurance, you have to have been referred by a GP. Good times.

Anyway, I am super impressed with the service at the 'walk-in' clinic - much faster and more efficient than any I've been to in Sydney (WITH an appointment!).

But that is not why I am blogging...

I'm in the waiting area and sitting next to me are 2 super cute Singaporean kids - aged (max) maybe 7? One is playing games on an iPad, the other is texting (and talking about the fact she is texting) on her iPhone! I look down and there is another iPhone sitting on the seat next to the boy playing on the iPad!

So these CHILDREN (potentially in kindergarten) are sitting on their own, in a waiting room, playing with like $3000 worth of gadgets! They were CLEARLY theirs, complete with funky phone cases and accessories etc...

I am in shock.

Does anyone else think this is crazy? What are these kids going to have when they are teenagers!?
I know Singapore is known for it's rich residents but far out... really?

Call me old fashioned, but at their age, I was SUPER happy with a cardboard box!

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Taxi driver confessions...

So after many many crazy taxi rides with even crazier drivers, I thought it's time to put pen to paper and document the top 3 things I have heard/learnt over the last couple of months in the backseat of a cab... I am sure there will be more to come!

#1 (and my personal favourite) - DOGS
Driver: 'Dogs can sense if you have eaten dog before'
Me: 'Really? How?'
Driver: 'They just know'
Me: 'What about cats?'
Driver: 'I'm not sure, I don't eat cats'
Me: 'but you eat dog?'
Driver: 'No I don't eat cats or dogs'
Me: 'So how do you know that dogs can tell if you have eaten dog?'
Driver: 'I just know'
Me: 'Fair enough...'

#2 - YEAH
After some discussion...
Driver: 'Are you Australian?'
Me: 'Yes'
Driver: 'I can tell... you Aussie's say 'yeah' all the time... ' 'You want to go here? 'Yeah'? 'Do you like Singapore?' 'yeah'...
Me: 'Yeah, I guess we do say it a lot...' 

#3 - LITTLE INDIA
Driver: 'Do not go to Little India on a Sunday, you will be swallowed by a sea of black'
Me: 'Sorry?, what do you mean?'
Driver: 'You know Indian people, they all have black skin and hair, the street is full and you will not be able to find your way through the sea of black. Also taxi's will not go there on this day'.
Me: 'Oh of course.... ok...' (In my head: OMG are you serious! Poor choice of words buddy!)

Thursday, November 18, 2010

A little 'crowded'

Last night I had my very first 'cinema experience' in Singapore.

Yes, Harry Potter is in town and as a dedicated fan, I couldn't not go on the opening night! :)

I bought our tickets online about 3 days prior and was shocked at how many tickets were available! I was thinking - are these Singaporeans crazy?? this is the last installment people! (I know, I know, not everyone is into Harry Potter.... but everyone should be :P)

Thankfully (and unfortunately) the locals did not disappoint! The cinema was packed, I saw only a few scattered free chairs in a theatre of over 500! Oh yes, I am not exaggerating, this place was bigger than Sydney's IMAX, but with a standard size screen and a slightly tiered floor! Crazy!

As expected, hubby and I went as 'back seat rebels' - always the best seats in the house in Aus! Not so much in Singapore - you are a LONG way from the screen..... Thank god I was lucky enough to have a Singaporean lady sit in front of me! (I'm a short ass, and struggle at the best of times to see the screen!)

Next time we plan to hit up gold class - we figure the cinema will have to be AT least half the size! :P

Plus, who can resist huge couches, good food and wine whilst kicking back watching the latest flicks?

Monday, November 8, 2010

Celebrations & public holidays!

So, Australian's love to promote the fact that Australia is indeed a multicultural society... BUT we don't really celebrate the multiculturalism on a national scale...

Here in Singapore, the nation celebrates key religious festivals by way of a public holiday! AND the whole country seems to get behind them and understand what is being celebrated and why! Brilliant!

Here is a snapshot of the public holidays for next year!

New Year's DaySaturday 1 January
Chinese New Year (Buddhist)Thursday 3 February
Friday 4 February
Good Friday (Christian)Friday 22 April
Labour Day Sunday 1 May
Vesak Day (Buddhist)Tuesday 17 May
National DayTuesday 9 August
Hari Raya Puasa (Muslim)Tuesday 30 August
Deepavali (Hindu)Wednesday 26 October
Hari Raya Haji (Muslim)Sunday 6 November
Christmas Day (Christian)Sunday 25 December

We recently celebrated Diwali (or Deepavali) - the festival of lights. For Hindus, like my husband and his family, Diwali is the most important festival of the year. When asked, they often refer to this day as their equivalent to New Year.

This year, after completing prayers at home, I headed into Little India to join the street celebrations!

What an atmosphere! I am not exagerating when I say thousands flocked to the area, some shopping for groceries and fresh flower garlands for the gods, others decorating themselves with traditional mehndi, dining out or enjoying a picnic with friends & colleagues.




Though it appeared that most were there to lap up the monumental once a year sales! 

Oh yes, DVD's, CD's, clothing, shoes, carpets, electronics... you name it, it was on sale, and we're talking BIG discounts!

I was told by some locals, for the best deals, to head to the EXPO located opposite the famous 24/hr Mustafa shopping centre. They instructed me to go AFTER 2am for the best bargains. (Yes.. 2am. The EXPO essentially remains open until everything is sold, which is usually around 5am... ) I couldn't last that long, but did go at 11.45pm and left at 1.30am... talk about crazy! I can see how the best bargains are toward the end. Even at that hour (after about 1.00am) some stalls began auctioning off $120 outfits to the highest bidder (for around $15!) - brilliant!

       
            
The EXPO kind of reminded me of Paddy's markets in Sydney, just with 10 times the amount of people, 1/4 of the space and 5 times the heat! Boy was it hot. As you looked around, there wasn't a dry back in the house! Sweat was literally pouring off everyone, though that didn't seem to stop the intensity of the shopping!

Like I said.... Crazy!

I ended up scoring 5 Indian outfits, a much needed bottle of 7UP (it was all they had!) and a CD, all for under $70!

It was such a fabulous experience - can't wait for next year! 

Until then, I look forward to celebrating all the other religious festivals with the Singaporeans!

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Little India

Walking the streets of Little India has become (by no real surprise) one of my favourite things to do. I love the people, the culture, the food, the sounds and smells of this district.

My first trip to the amazing place was one to remember... hot, 30+ and humid, the cotton outfit I'd selected to wear (specifically to be comfortable and as cool as possible) was sticking to me, sweat dripping down my back... Serangoon Road, a road I thought I could cover in 15 minutes seemed to never end. (I still haven't covered the entire street, let alone the whole district!) I shopped my heart out, made a few friends (shop keepers that 'took' to me) and had the most amazing masala dosai and chai. I was planning my next trip before I'd even left :P

Shop windows are filled with draped sari's and outfits; their sparkle and colour draw your attention, copious jewelers showcasing rows and rows of yellow gold jewellery worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, bargain outlets where you can find just about anything for under $10, beauty salons that offer standard treatments along with henna hair treatments, threading and mehndi.

There are restaurants, music stores, tailors and money exchange outlets. A 7/11 and 24 hour shopping centre! The air smells of spices and incense and the narrow foot paths are filled with local shoppers and tourists (often spilling out onto the street, due to lack of space).

The sound of the latest bollywood tracks or classical favourites follow you where ever you go and then right in the middle of all the chaos, the Sri Vadapathira Kaliamman temple, a beautiful structure that took my breath away.

I haven't yet been lucky enough to travel to India itself, so for me this is as close as I have come - and this taste, only leaves me wanting more.

Monday, November 1, 2010

Food glorious food?

Singapore is like being stuck in a mall that is filled with candy stores, bakeries & fast food outlets...

The temptation of unhealthy food is everywhere and it is SO cheap... it haunts you... Every shopping centre, hokka centre, the streets, the supermarket... and what's more, the majority of locals eat out EVERY day, so the social environment doesn't encourage you to eat well or eat at home!

Or if you do decide to eat at home, you can always order McDonald's or KFC home delivery! 24/7!

What appears to be a local favourite is fried chicken wings. My god, I have never seen so many chicken wings consumed in my life! Everyone here LOVES them! and everywhere here seems to serve them!
Hokka centres, food courts, bars, pubs even IKEA! and what's more, it is considered a 'side dish', so... 6 people are sitting at a table with their actual meal in front of them (rice + something... in HUGE portions) and then, they may have up to 4 plates of fried chicken wings (average 8 per plate) in the middle of the table for everyone to share! OMG!

The Singaporeans are thin, yes, but they can't have good cholesterol levels.. surely!?....

In the supermarket I can't even explain the depth of processed foods, sweet bread, snacks, lollies, chocolate, biscuits, spreads, dairy snacks, local sweets & ice cream... actually... when I really think about it, I'm not sure if there actually is more junk than in Australia, or if it is just the fact that there are less healthy options and the supermarkets are smaller, so it looks like it is filled head to toe with sugar treats, but in fact it's not?

All I know is, I NEVER bought naughty snacks when living in Sydney (I wouldn't even walk in that aisle), but here it is unavoidable! Every aisle is filled with them! I just came back from the supermarket here with Tim Tams, Ritz crackers, sweet biscuits, nutella and BBQ chicken buns! Ridiculous!

I think from now on I am going to attempt to do my shopping online - so as to avoid temptation!

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Shopping like a local

When I entered Little India's Tekka wet market for the first time, I was not surprised by the wet floors and interesting aromas coming from the many stalls. I expected this. In fact I expected THAT part to be a whole lot worse... From what some locals had told me, most expats don't tend to shop at the 'wet market's' as "the absence of air conditioning, wet floors, terrible smells and dirty surrounds are not appreciated..." wow... Boy are THOSE expats missing out!

So, I am beginning to sense that the locals (in particular, taxi drivers) have very stereotypical ideas on what expats like and as such, are giving me advise and guidance that encourages me to stay clear of what I am beginning to think are some of  Singapore's most fabulous places!

The smells of the wet market (to me) were welcoming, telling you before you turn a corner what is awaiting you in the next aisle... Tub after tub after tub of fresh vegetables, row after row of juicy colourful fruit, an array of different meat stalls, with everything from Mutton and lamb to chicken and beef, buckets of powdered spices, packets of lentils and other Indian cooking must haves and of course tables and tables filled to the brim with cold ice and fresh seafood.

I came to Little India's market because I needed to get some spices (I figured it would be a good place to start!), it is also the only market in Singapore that is open ALL day - so from around 7am - 9pm. Not all stalls are open all day, but essentially, anything you need, you will be able to get. (Of course - for the freshest produce and the 'pick of the crop' I am told you are best to go EARLY - which for Singaporeans is before 9am, god I love this country!). 

I found the people in the market to be super friendly, though I am still trying to work out if this is just a case of 'white Aussie girl in the middle of a predominantly Indian market' or if that is just how the people are there? Quite frankly, I don't care! Big smiles, everywhere you turn, everyone happy to have a chat (perfect for me! I'm sure those of you who know me are nodding... ), they cut your meat and will even fillet your fish on the spot! (Of course, the guys were quite sad at the fact that I did not wish to keep the fish head...)

Look at the below and tell me you can't SEE the freshness, IMAGINE the smells and want to EXPERIENCE this!

 

 
So what did I bring home?

Grapes, mangoes, limes, kiwi fruits, tomatoes, snake beans, snow peas, carrots, chillies, Chinese veges, okra,  potatoes, curry leaves, coriander, spices, gee, flour, lentils... yumo! 
 





In terms of prices, vegetables, meat and spices are cheap - fruit and seafood, not so much BUT they are MUCH cheaper and MUCH fresher that anything you will find in a local supermarket.  

Something new to me, and rather fascinating about Singapore is the fact that almost everything is imported (the country itself is too small to cater to fields and animals), in fact, most meat and dairy comes from Australia! From what I have seen, fruit and veg tends to come mainly from neighboring countries like Malaysia and Thailand, whilst seafood can come from as far as Europe! 

I left Little India Tekka wet market calculating how quickly we would eat the produce I just purchased - so I could plan a return trip ASAP :)

Since this adventure I have found another wet market a little closer to home (Whampoa) though it, like most wet market's in Singapore is only open in the morning from around 8am - 12pm. I will be making a trip very soon!

Here's hoping it too exceeds my expectations!

Monday, October 25, 2010

A trip to the post office...

Today I made my maiden voyage to the Singapore Post Office. Fun times.

To begin with, finding the post office was a challenge! In Singapore, I am told there are minimal post offices, not every district has one, so most people have to travel 'quite far' to their nearest post office. Quite far in Singapore is only around 10 minutes, but still.... :P

So once I found mine, it was an interesting experience to say the least... one that did differ somewhat from the the post office's back home in Australia. I mean.... last time I posted a parcel overseas for instance, I don't recall having to pay for the tape used to seal the box?

Yes, random.

So today I needed to post 1 x letter to Australia, 1 x parcel to Australia and send 1 x local fax... Why am I faxing in today's day and age? Good question! I needed to email or fax forms to the local utilities company (for some reason you can't post the forms to them...?) AND Hubby is in Boston so unable to scan and email them...) - Oh the joy!

I left the post office after around 20 minutes (super quick compared to Sydney!) with 20 envelopes, 10 local stamps, 5 international stamps, a large roll of tape and $45 poorer!

The cost breakdown went like this...
1 local envelope with stamp - .40c
5 International stamps - $5.50
10 local stamps - $1.30
20 blank envelopes - $2.40
Post box (Medium size) - $2.40

(all very reasonable - if not cheap wouldn't you say?)

Sending a local fax (2 pages) - $6.42! (compared to .40c to post!!!)
Sending a 600g parcel to Australia - $25.35 (wowzer! No wonder the box is cheap, they are robbing you on international postage charges!)
Tape (to tape up the box... yes, I'm serious... they taped the box up, handed me the remaining tape on a roll and charged me) - $1.40

Lucky for me there was a lovely gentleman assisting me :) Thank you Singapore for valuing customer service! He outlined the 'cheaper' postal options for me and saved me what could have been hundreds of dollars spent!

Everyone at home. Apologies in advance, presents might become virtual before long...

For now, my only worry is my parcel clearing customs in Australia after paying that much for postage!... The fact that one of the items is made from wood was an afterthought...

*Fingers Crossed!*

Thursday, October 21, 2010

A day in the life of... me

My poor hubby spends much of his time flitting about the world on business. I see him rather infrequently (to say the least), so try to make the most of when he is home. Dragging him out and about as well as ensuring we have some quality time at home.

I have been lucky enough to have my husband home for a full week! We have been having a blast, hanging artwork, finding 'homes' for all our bits and bobs, chatting about my adventures... but on Sunday he is off again for 2 weeks! Missing my birthday, Diwali (my husband is Indian, so we celebrate all Indian festivals) AND potentially our anniversary! Oh the joy...

Now. While I can sense you freaking out, I will tell you calmly to relax. This is normal and completely ok. Trust me :)

I stay positive and make the most of it.

I am quite comfortable on my own, in fact, whilst I am a very social person (love being around people, meeting new people... being out and about), I do really enjoy spending time on my own. What's not to love? I only have to please myself, pick up after myself, I can do whatever I like, whenever I like and I can enjoy my own space.... how I like it! (Maybe that's the 'only child' in me talking...)

Take the past few weeks for example....

I have; 
Unpacked our life, furnished and organised our home
Explored several districts in Singapore
(Traveled to Australia and back)
Eaten great food (in the dodgiest of places... including meals with an average cost of $3!)
Searched/applied for jobs online
Had a quiet glass of wine (or 2) whilst watching shows like America's Next Top Model, Keeping up with the Kardashians and Kamora.
Shopped for clothes, food, pantry items and gifts
Been to temple
Been to markets (wet and dry... will explain in more detail another time...)
I have walked, taken the MRT (train) and traveled by taxi (with the some of most hilarious drivers you will ever meet!)
Baked my own bread and cookies
Enjoyed many (you can never have too many...) cups of Earl Grey tea, Jasmine Green tea, bubble tea and Masala Chai *love*
Taken a tonne of photos...
Started a blog...
and met some amazing people - including (but not limited too); Babu - the Indian construction worker from our condo who has offered to take hubby and I to temple, Willy - the coolest 70 year old taxi driver ever and a famous Roti Prata maker who had one of the most friendly faces I think I have ever seen and boy did he make kick ass Roti Prata! Yumo!



Don't get me wrong, whilst living my own personal adventure daily is fun... like anyone, I have moments where I get a little sad, lonely and need some company (interaction is such a fabulous thing!), which is hard, when you don't know anyone - that for me, is the toughest part about being in a new place. Few friends.

I often see people out and about in their groups, socialising and gossiping... and then there is me, on my own. That is tough...

I miss my friends and family. Starting over and finding new friends is going to be hard, finding friends that 'match up' to the ones I have back home is going to be even harder!

Thank god for Skype! The best thing since sliced bread (not the Singapore kind... the bread here is terrible... so bad that I am baking my own!)... With Skype I can chat with everyone, for free! AND I can SEE them! Words can't express how amazing this software is!

My thoughts go out to all the people who have made the leap to move O/S in the past, BEFORE this kind of technology existed. Now THAT would have been tough!

Back on the bright side, I am confident that once I find a pilates studio to join, spend some more time at our condo gym & pool and most importantly, get a job, things will change and I will meet more people.

A day in my shoes will be even more fruitful, so I will have even more adventures to share with hubby when he is in town!

I will eventually have my own circle... yes... :)

People will want to be my friend, won't they?

I'm a likable person... I'm fun... I think....

Monday, October 18, 2010

A place we can call home

We are the kind of people who love our home, we love to sit and chill at home, cook at home (very un-Singaporean..) and entertain at home. What makes you proud of your home and what makes your home 'you' is made up of all the nick-nacks you have acquired over the years, along with some 'signature' items and of course your furniture.

Setting up house is super fun when you have no time or budget restrictions, when you know how much you can expect to pay for things, where to shop and where to find those special pieces that make your place unique and 'you'. For me, unfortunately setting up house in Singapore was more like a project with a deadline. We needed key items to be able to live there, so the clock was ticking!

We made the call to sell our TV unit, lounge and desk before moving to Singapore. We figured, we were due for a change AND not knowing what size or shape our place would be, we were best to buy new pieces to suit once we found a place. We also didn't own a dining table AND we wanted to use our old bed as a guest bed in our spare room (we want people to come and visit us!!), so that, plus all the above items were immediately added to our shopping list. We also desperately needed some storage shelving, to make the most of the extra space (as I have mentioned before, cupboards here... not so spacious..)

I had envisaged (or maybe more appropriately dreamed of) purchasing beautiful Asian inspired pieces - solid dark timber... maybe a bargain antique piece or two... but where to shop? Research told me that there are what sounds like a million antique warehouse stores stocking this kind of furniture in Singapore, but which one do you go to when you're on your own, don't speak Chinese and don't know your way around Singapore..? and more importantly, how do you know if you're getting jipped or not?

After a mammoth online hunt (a rather unsuccessful hunt I might add.. we are just too fussy!) .... Hubby and I made a trip to Ikea and Harvey Norman (ah the familiar!) to suss out what they had on offer. Harvey Norman came through with the goods - a simple solid timber, low bed, at a bargain price. Where we got jipped... the mattress! Wowzer! Yes... we went for the Sealy Posturepedic - King size... but far out! We're talking about the price of a decent second hand car in Aus!

After our success at Harvey's we hit Ikea - and boy did we shop. It was a marathon effort until close at 11pm! (yes they are open DAILY til 11pm). Actually it was the most fun hubby and I have had in ages, running around the self serve area trying to find everything, load our trolley and get to the checkout in time... (classic... that is rather tragic!) We got the key pieces we needed (in the look we wanted), plus we got storage shelving and a heap of little 'must have' bits and pieces (god love Ikea!) and... all at an Ikea price. *Happy days*

If I didn't already have a soft spot for Ikea... I would now - in Singapore they also offer a flat rate for delivery and an assembly/installation service for 6% of the items value! AMAZING!

I also shopped around for linen - another 'OCD' point of mine. Everything has to be just right... the right look, colour, pattern, texture, thread count... anyhow, I found a store where I again cleaned up. It's an Aussie brand that I (as an Aussie) have never heard of... classic. The brand is called 'Aussino'. In a nutshell, good quality Manchester for a good price. I ended up going with something COMPLETELY different to our old set, just to 'change things up a bit', I also invested in some 'Singaporean pieces' - a bolster and body pillow (apparently everyone here has one or two.... and with hubby traveling all the time, I thought why not! I need something to snuggle lol). He got home on Saturday night and loved what I had picked out - Hooray!

Thanks to the handy delivery/assembly men from Ikea and Harvey Norman, along with my stamina and determination (OCD) to unpack :P we're at a point now, where we are almost done... :)

Our once empty apartment, is starting to look like home :)


Though, I am in need of some fun... I am still keen to find one antique piece for our dining area (not a necessity though), so that will give me plenty of time to enjoy the hunt!

Friday, October 15, 2010

Finding the perfect place

I found house hunting in Singas like shopping for that pair of shoes that you have in your head, but can't find. You search for what feels like every second of every day but just can't find them OR you find them but they are 5 times what you're willing to pay AND they don't fit. Very frustrating.

As with shoe shopping. Also a task that is best done on your own, not with your husband :P

Apartments or condos as they call them in Singapore are traditionally a lot smaller than in Australia. In particular, the cupboard / storage space is almost non existent in some... My theory here is that from what I've seen, the majority of locals and expats are hot and skinny SO they wear smaller (and less) clothing. Therefore they require less cupboard space!

This is far from the case with me... my curvaceous figure and love of clothing and shoes means... excess cupboard space is required... my hubby also has enough T-shirts to clothe a small army, as well as a forever growing collection of suits and business shirts - SO the challenge was on!

When moving O/S, another tough call is 'where' to live. Singapore (compared to Aus is SO small, smaller than Sydney!) but there are SO many districts to choose from. Our short list was the East Coast and the central region. After much discussion, advice from other expats and many viewings, we opted for the central region near Novena. The main reason being that the 'general consensus' was that the East Coast was more suited to families (we have no plan to extend ours anytime soon) and that being a young 'new' couple in Singapore, we should be at the centre of the action :)

Price is another issue... wow is renting EXPENSIVE in Singapore! Monthly rental is around 3x Sydney rental prices (and we think they're expensive!). Not to mention, you also need to factor in stamp duty, radio and TV license charge, ALL utilities, pay TV (only 3 local free to air channels with minimal content and not all English speaking programs) and any servicing/repair charges for all appliances provided by the landlord (oven, stove, microwave, fridge, washing machine, dryer, aircon..).

You are also locked into a 2 year contract - you can only break the contract if you leave the country AND you must pay the balance of rent owing...

The positive things about real estate in Singapore (yes there are positives); Firstly, you have your own agent to show you around (So, there is an agent that represents the owner and an agent that represents the tenant). My agent was fabulous (Thanks Charles!), he doubled as a tour guide, giving me the tourist spiel as we flitted about from place to place.
Secondly, the apartments and complex facilities (or 'projects' as they call them here) are AMAZING. Most have a resort style pool area, gym, tennis court/s, outdoor areas, BBQ pits and common rooms you can book for private functions.

After my initial recon mission in July + 1 full week of searching when we first arrived here, we settled on a place and started leasing from the 1st Oct. We really had to lock in a place by the first week of Oct anyhow, given we were flying out to the wedding in Aus on the 8th and we had to be out of our serviced apartment on the 15th! Nothing wrong with a bit of pressure!

After living in a serviced apartment for 4 weeks with 'hotel feel' furniture and fixtures that just weren't really 'us'. We are very very happy with our decision. We are in a brand new condo with fabulous facilities, close to the city and an MRT line. Our condo will soon be offering a free shuttle to the Novena shops/MRT, so convenient and cost efficient! AND we have a variety of food outlets and a 24 hour open air Hokka Centre within 8 minutes walk from our door step. Love it!

Dare I say... home sweet home?

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Weekender...

Usually when you think about a weekend away, it involves a quick trip followed by endless relaxation and 'time out'...

I just returned from a weekend away.... in Australia.
Yes, I flew from Singapore to Sydney on Friday night and made the return trip on Monday... oh the joy!

Why? Impeccable timing! Hubby's best mate got married (an event we couldn't miss) - so even though we had JUST moved, JUST signed the lease on a place and in my case JUST started to find my feet... we made the trek back home - for the weekend.

Take a seat. Itinerary and highlights to follow!

Depart (Friday):
8.30pm
After 6 hours of sleep on Thursday night and a full day of gallivanting and shopping on Friday.

Arrive (Saturday):
Plane lands in Sydney at 6.55am (Note: NO sleep on the flight.... feeling and looking like hell)

The most beautiful friend in the world (Elle) picked me up from the airport, greeting me with a welcome home sign - wow! seriously! My first sign EVER - totally made my morning :)

Shower: 
Much needed refresh and WAKE UP!

Breakie:
Breakfast in Brighton le Sands with 2 beautiful friends who made the effort to get up early on a Saturday morning - they couldn't live with themselves if they didn't come and see me knowing I was only in town for 2 days (that's what I'm telling myself anyway!)
3 chai lattes, 2 glasses of water and a serious plate of food later I am still struggling to keep my eyes open... PUSH ON WOMAN!

Lunch:
My AMAZING family (mum, dad and co) drove 4 hours to come and see me - for lunch! (My family still live on the north coast of NSW). Seeing them and hanging out for the few hours they were in town immediately made the whole trip worth while!
Lunch for me - 2 cups of Earl Grey tea and 2 glasses of water... 
I also scored a fabulous house warming gift from my cousin - much love Bob x

Chillax: 
Before heading 'out' again I needed some time out (just not too much, so as to put me to sleep!). The perfect remedy... My brother in law makes a killer cup of tea! (6 in one day isn't bad is it??)

Dinner & bullshit:
Not what you're thinking...
Bullshit is a fabulous game of cards - even better if you have relos like mine!
My cousin put on a amazing spread for dinner - BBQ chicken, potato bake, salad, sides... not to mention antipasto prior - yumo!
I brought the wine ;)

Sleep, glorious sleep:
10.30pm - I hit the pillow like Mundine hit Soliman.

Breakfast/Brunch/lunch (Sunday):
9.30am the wedding kicks off! A formal affair, everyone dressed to the nines. The ladies are rocking out Summer evening dresses and I am in my high-neck winter coat (clearly my body had acclimatised to Singas already...)

Far from my usual Sunday morning! Decorated marquee, antipasto platters, bread, scotch, vodka/cranberry and beer. Wowzer! Yes, it was a Macedonian wedding :P

10am - 12pm - Loads of dancing and drinking, as well as shaving the groom (with an axe) and baking bread - followed by more dancing and drinking!

Something I found crazy is the band doesn't get paid to be there! Rather they are paid by tips from the guests! This goes for the reception too! (Note: going to a Macedonian wedding - cash up on the way!)

After a catered lunch we said farewell to the best man as he set off to deliver the bride her shoes.

I loved all the customs, like our Hindu wedding the year before, I found the cultural things are what makes the wedding different and interesting.

Wedding ceremony & reception: 
2.30pm - 4.00pm - wedding ceremony
4.30pm - 5.30pm - me frantically getting ready for the reception - dress, hair and make up change!! Yep, the Macedonians go all out. I bought a hot Charlie Brown dress for the occasion.
Thank you Elle (also Macedonian) for your advice and amazing talents yet again (hair and make up).
6.15pm - we hit the reception.
6.30pm - 12pm - More food, more dancing and a lot more drinking!

Sleep glorious sleep! 
2am-ish...

Bye bye (Monday)
Semi sleep in, breakfast and another fabulous brother in law cup of tea.

The dilemma... to sleep on the plane or go for the twilight marathon?

The marathon won for 2 reasons...
Firstly, if I slept I was concerned I wouldn't sleep Monday night when I got 'home' (Singas).
Secondly, EDWARD! Hello!.... and maybe a hint of Jacob with no shirt....

Yes I am a Twihard... as far as I am concerned it was the ONLY way to end my weekender on a high!

My life on a ship...

As if moving isn't stressful enough... try packing up all of your belongings, loading them onto a 20ft container and watching it drive off to be put on a ship for a 2 week trip to Singapore...

It's one of the few times in my life I prayed daily... God, please do not let my life sink to the bottom of the ocean...

So... In the past 10 years I have already moved a total of 6 times... I like to think of myself as a sort of expert in the field now, although every move seems to bring with it a new set of challenges... moving from the country to the city, moving from the north to the east, moving out on my own, moving after only being in a place 6 months... moving in with the man I ended up marrying... moving to SINGAPORE...

The weeks prior to an O/S move, you spend time sorting your clothes and belongings (what to take, what to toss, what to keep but store...), canceling accounts, redirecting mail, selling furniture and appliances, leasing your apartment, dividing your plants and food and of course saying your goodbyes (that is the toughest part!)

The BEST thing by far about moving this time was employing a relocation team. No matter how much of an expert you think you are, no one could do this (maintaining sanity) on their own! Thank you Kents - you made the move as enjoyable as a move can be... and you sent cute removalists to pack up our house, even better :)

I also have to give a HUGE shout out to my mum - if I am the moving expert... she is the moving queen... or something of the like :P She has helped me move EVERYTIME (I think there is a big part of her that is stoked that I have moved O/S, one less move she will have to help with lol). My mum is just a power-house - I couldn't have done it without her (her physical and mental support is truely invaluable).

So back to the cute removalists.... I mean the relocation team...

They come to your house, log your items into some amazing piece to technology that spits out a list of all your items, there cubic dimensions and/or the no' of cartons required to pack everything - AMAZING!!

They also arrange all your customs paperwork etc and guide you on the do's and don'ts.. including how to ship DVD's into Singas.. a country where a 'sexual look' is considered porn!

Once a date is set, they send spunky removalists that love rnb music to your house to spend the day packing, singing and chatting to you - you sit back in an unwrapped spare chair and watch them work - AMAZING!!

You then look around at your life packed into boxes, watch as they load it into your shipping container and drive off... This is when you hope to god that you will see it all again on the other side - the goods that is.. not the removalists... (well you can hope!)






Of course - prior to all this you have to pack your 'holiday suitcase'... what you will live out of for the next 2 weeks or potentially more.. for me, this had to include the basics + cossies + a decent selection of shoes + interview outfits + winter clothes for the remaining days in Sydney! AND all this has to weight less than 23kgs!

So mine didn't weight 23kgs...

it was 26kgs... not too bad - I was quite impressed really :) My hubby's weighed 29kgs, so who's the diva!?

Lucky for us, hubby's company put us up in a serviced apartment for 4 weeks, enough time for us to find a place, get to know Singapore and shop around for furniture etc. The most challenging part for us was a wedding in Aus that fell 3 weeks in...

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

First impressions count

So.. I arrive in Singapore in late July for a 10 day reconnaissance mission (quite pointless really, given we had already made the call to move... and started all the respective relocation tasks... ) Anyhow... we stayed near Suntec City (close to hubby's office). THANK GOD the concierge at the PanPacific was so amazing and helpful! He gave me suggestions for meals, day and night activities and shopping hot spots. Hubby was working like a trooper so I had to occupy myself for breakfast, lunch and dinner...

Weather:
Everyone warned me about the heat and the humidity.. It didn't bother me! I spent my days and nights walking around outside and loving it. It sure beat the chills of Sydney. I found the best people watching on the streets of Orchard Road...

Orchard Road: 
Wow...
Women on Orchard dress like they have stepped out of a magazine. People watching is fab - a great mix of locals and expats all donning designer apparel, hand bags and shoes.
I sent my husband a text within 30 minutes of walking the street jokingly asking if we had a spare $10K to spend. Seriously, whilst there are many many stores within a reasonable budget, there are also what seems like hundreds of designer stores calling you with their breathtaking window displays, signage and collections - Dior, Chanel, Armani, Gucci, Cartier... and the list goes on! Not to mention, there are multiple stores within minutes walk of each other! I don't know how the survive... oh wait... this is Singapore...

Shopping on Orchard Road was my first eye opener to the role shopping plays here. It is crazy.

Shopping (in general):
I found many of the shopping centres confusing... they don't seem to have the same 'flow' as shopping centres in Sydney... for this reason, I didn't enjoy shopping all that much. I felt lost, constantly wondering around trying to work out where I was and if there was anything worth looking at... I did in time stumble across a few fabulous sales staff though, they certainly brightened my mood. I have to give particular mention to a lovely lady that assisted me in PARCO, a section in Mellenia Walk that showcases local designers work. I picked up a couple of unique tops *love*. I also scored some cute shoes - Charles and Keith :)
The only thing about the shoes... is most aren't leather - I think the idea is, buy cheap, buy more and keep up with the fashion - so get rid of it when it goes out of style... I can deal with that (to a degree) but will still be hunting for some classic leathers!

The Esplanade:
Marina Bay is stunning by night and has a great buzz about it. People seem to enjoy heading down to the waters edge for a beverage or two (even though the prices are WAY up on Sydney). Being on my own, I enjoyed walking along the waters edge path and eating out at the open air food centre - prices there are cheap (for the area) - the chicken satay sticks were a highlight :)

MRT:
Wow! I had to think hard about how I would cope if I ever had to use public transport in Sydney again... What an amazing system - cheap, fast, easy to use and reliable... the stations are air-conditioned and super super clean - You could eat off the floor! or not... be mindful that you cannot eat or drink on the platform... the fine is something like $500-$1000... I saw this warning sign, as I was taking a sip from my freshly squeezed juice... Eek!

Little India:
My hubby is Indian and I am a big fan of Indian clothes (and food) so I was very keen to get to Little India. It was everything I expected and more. This is a place that I am still keen to explore further - it just goes on and on - Jeweler, clothes store, food outlet, restaurant, jeweler, clothes store, beautician, jeweler.... It was a hot day of shopping - I wouldn't recommend going on hot days - most stores don't have aircon, or at least the aircon isn't very strong, so trying clothes on can get a little sticky...
For great vegetarian food, I had recommended to me and would now recommend to others ' Komala Vilas' - masala dosai is delish :)

Night Safari:
I know... such a tourist, but it was recommended by the hotel AND my cousin, so couldn't go wrong.. well not terribly wrong anyhow! Scammed hubby into going on a Saturday. The animals, buffet dinner and enclosures were great.. You basically eat, then board a 'train' which takes you through the park - an announcer educating on the animals as the train passes. You also have the opportunity to get off the train and walk around, to get more 'up close and personal' with the animals... this was highly recommended  BUT  I would say... NOT on a Saturday. It was so busy and we spent what felt like hours waiting to get back on the 'train' after we had disembarked... overall it was a unique and memorable experience.   

Apartment hunting:
This is how I spent most of my days... oh the joy! Far out. A good way to get to know your way around Singapore though - if you have a good real estate agent - like I did (Thanks Charles!).
Long days, a million photos later and wowzer is renting expensive in Singapore!

All in all, the trip was great - I had the blessing of encountering lovely people, enjoying great food and service and exploring on my own without getting lost or feeling unsafe.

First impressions...
Clean
Safe
Friendly
Efficient
Warm :)

I can live here....