East Coast and the Famous Chilli Crab

My first evening post but tomorrow will be a roller coaster ride with the big move to the "Cilliers Bungalow". Busy packing and amazing how much extra stuff we have gathered over the last month. I will miss the "Apartment" in some ways, but really look forward to getting to our own place.

Any case, back to the East Coast. We went there today and it is absolutely awesome. The stretch is 4.5 kilometers of unspoilt gardens, parks, entertainment venues, food spots and separate roadways for different sport activities. Walking, cycling, running, roller blading etc. You can also hire bicycles for and hour or more. We visited 3 spots and eventually settled on East Coast Lagoon. Big trees, families, dogs, BBQ Pits and a great food hall. Obviously it was a public holiday and the EID festival, so rather busy but very festive. Perfect place to have a BBQ or a nice picnic with friends and family.

And then, lunchtime and the "Elusive" chilly crab that I have been dying to eat. I have it in good faith that this is the best place to savour this meal and I was not disappointed. Zelma had the Chicken Satay (She can not eat any spicy food) and I placed my order. One time Chilly Crab. They delivered it to my table, steaming hot, big, pink crab drenched in a thick chilly sauce. First advise, wear old close so you can really pig out and bring a towel. Serviettes just does not cut the grade.

My exact words after the meal. O my Lord, and I was sweating like you can not believe. I have never had crab before but this is to die for. Nice meal to share with friends and definitely needed thick slices of white bread to scrape up that last bit of sauce. I am hooked.

The East Coast Park is highly recommended and so is the food. We ate at the East Coast Lagoon food hall. Oh, for those of you who do not understand the Public Parking, a local was very friendly and explained it to me and sold me tokens from his own stash. You buy booklets from garages and 7 Eleven's, tare out a page and indicate the date and time and put on you dash. Easy when you know how it works. Learn something new everyday.

Here are some photos.

Hannibal and the River Cruise

We went down to the Hannibal European Bar & Grill at Robertson Quay Friday night to meet with Zelma's management team for a get together. The Hannibal bar is a very nice place with excellent food and very cost effective. Philip, the organiser ordered food for the table, most of the starters and some picks from the main menu and we all tugged in and shared the food. Wine and beer flowed like rivers and I met some very nice people. All of them are Expats and the new "Boss", Andreas and his family only arrived here on 06 August from America.

Ended up sharing stories with each other from all over the world and some serious compliments for South Africa. Made me feel proud. Nicola, expat who spent 5 years in South Africa even spoke some Afrikaans. The "Boys" ended up having a serious discussion about the rugby world cup and lots of strong views on who would win. Called it a night around 11h30 and learned a new lesson in Singapore. Getting a taxi at the waterfront that time on a Friday night means a "Long" wait in a queue. You can phone and book a taxi for an extra $3.5 but we ended up waiting for 35 minutes. We got back after "pumpkin" time and went for an early morning swim. Great evening with a hangover the next morning. Did not expect that one so soon.

On the topic of rugby, I watched the Aussie/All Black game live on Saturday and what a game. So back to my predictions and I am going out on a limb and put my peg in the sand. Australia is going to win the World Cup. They have now won both the Super 15 and the Tri Nations, have a youth full hungry team that play awesome rugby and matched the All Blacks intensity. There goes. Sure, I will get hammered on that one. And then I learned on Facebook my beloved Sharks lost to the Lions. Damm. And who said you can not have a barbecue on the seventh floor. Check out the "neighbor" Saturday during the rugby. Flames and all.

Singapore election day was on Saturday and after a closely contested race Mr Toni Tan was elected as the 7th Singapore President. He beat his closest rival by a mere 0.34 percent. One candidate got less that 12,5% of the vote and then you loose your $48000 deposit. Eina !!!!

Did the tourist thing yesterday and took a River Cruise from Robertson Quay. Very informative and interesting trip. It is the Mid Autumn celebration with decorations all along the river and Moon Cakes for sale all over the place. Went past the F1 Main Grand Stand, The Merlion (Singapore's mascot with the head of a lion and the body of a fish), Clarke Quay, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore Flyer and lots more. Apparently a room in one of the Hotels facing the race track can fetch up to $13000 a night during the race weekend. See photo's below and more on my Facebook.

It is a public holiday tomorrow and Wednesday is the move to the house. The next 2 weeks is going to be hectic with the dogs and hopefully the furniture also arriving. Not sure when my next post will be so have a nice week.

Friday Morning Wrap Up

We have been in Singapore for nearly a month now and the move to the Bungalow now only days away. I want to mention some stuff I miss from back home this morning. First and foremost is our friends and family, lunches and weekend get togethers which are sorely missed.

Some of the more obvious things like knowing your whereabouts, pork bangers for breakfast, tinned spaghetti in tomato sauce (Have not found it here), my pause button on the DSTV remote (to fast forward and skip adds), the shower back home (been doing the Hunchback of Notre Dame the last month to fit in the "little" short shower), my car (not the same status symbol when using the bus), the double basin in the bathroom and the Spa Bath back home (and no, the jacuzzi on the pool deck is not the same - it's in the open where other humans can spy on you).

The not so obvious is that early morning wee in the garden with Diesel, boy time, "Free Willy" style. Gave it some thought but doubt it will work from the ninth floor. Come on, all the boys do it. Mothers teach us when we are small to do this. Living on the ground floor and having my fully equipped kitchen. There is no oven in the apartment which makes cooking a serious challenge.

And working off course. The only way I can describe my current situation is like taking sick leave when you are not sick. You end up feeling guilty or so I have been told by some people. Now, if that does not attract some comments nothing will.

On to a funny article in the paper this morning. 85 cars were stolen in Singapore last year and I quote, "These cars are often left unlocked with their keys in the ignition, making them easy targets". That is a "disaster". On average one car every 4 days.

Something else I feel strongly about is never let your friend or for that matter anybody borrow you car and here is the proof. The headline should read. You are a dead man, Friend.

From the CarScoop Blog - Check the video

Man Drowns Friend’s Porsche 911 Turbo into the Rheine River

Friends are supposed to, you know, be there for you whenever you need them, helping and supporting you. But that doesn't seem to be the case with two men from Switzerland that may have to face a potentially friend-shattering situation...

You see, friend number one lent his prized Porsche 911 Turbo to friend number two. And what did the latter do? Did he go to Germany to max it out in an autobahn? Did he get a ticket or the license plates seized by the Polizei? Did he have the car towed for parking illegally?

Nope…he just drove friend No1's supercar into the Rhine river. Not a pretty sight, as you can see from the "fishing" video that follows.

We have been invited to a "Informal Work Get Together" with Zelma's work this evening at the Robertson Quay which should be very nice. I will report back on Monday and will be doing my best to make a "Human' friend.

I wish you all a great weekend and remember those comments.

A Little Bit of This and That

So, a quick breakfast update. Dhal Currie, Roti Prata and Mash this morning. I know. It sounds weird but very nice. This is a curry haven and so far I have not been disappointed. Went to lunch yesterday with Zelma down at the Marina Bay and we looked up the burger joint that I could not remember the name. It is called Carl's Jnr in the Marina Bay Shopping Center and has the best by far juiciest burgers in town.

Quick mention on some of the fast food joints here. There are the usual suspects like KFC, Mc Donald's but then there are some nice ones we do not have back home. There is Kenny Rodgers Roaster's (The best corn muffins with their main meals), Starbucks (Only recently opened a branch in Fourways and I do recommend a visit) - (Great coffee, confectionery and try the pepper chicken puffs), Mos Burger, Stensens, Mc Cafe, The Salad Bar (for the rabbits among us), Garrett's (Best Popcorn in the World), Auntie Annie's (Ice Cream Heaven) and loads others still to try out.

Now, if I had the sort of money Richard Branson has, then this would be my treat. Fly you all over here for an excursion to remember. As I walk thru Shopping Centers, prowl the streets and enjoy the great food, it always reminds me of different individuals. Shoes for this one, Sunglasses for that one, Popcorn for only one, great food and beer for the boys and so on.

I actually worked it out. Split the group in two and send the girls on a free for all shopping spree which will free up the boys for at least a week to indulge in more serious stuff. Great curry, double burgers and buckets of Tiger Beer down at the Bay, with some serious "Bird Watching". This is a topic I have not mentioned and probably will not elaborate on too much. Singapore has a collection of some of the finest and most beautiful "Birds". Zelma also reads my Blog.

There, daydream of the century but it would be something very special.

On to some real stuff. Had a Skype session with some of my ex colleagues yesterday and Anton asked me about the election process here. The Presidential Election is currently in progress and here are some interesting facts. There was 6 initial candidates narrowed down to only four on 12 August and the voting takes place on 27 August. A very short and quite clinical process. Candidates must get a Certificate of Eligibility based on strict rules. One of the conditions - You must have $100 million in paid up Capitol as set out in the Constitution. That certainly rules out a lot of "Grave Robbers'

The Presidency and the Government are separate entities and the Government does not endorse any candidates. The people must decide and voting for the 2.7 million voters is compulsory. The candidates do have "Rallies" and Debates on TV and in the paper to convince their voters, but it is very organised and no riots and such nonsense is allowed.

Managed to finally get the 46" HD Television for the Bungalow yesterday and here is something I also did not know. Your signal strength influence the clarity of your TV picture. A trick used by some retailers is to boost their signals to make the in store TV's really look awesome. I posted a link and article on my FaceBook yesterday to explain the different TV technologies.

In  conclusion I have to chat about the comment on my Blog Post by Orangefoamfinger yesterday. I want comments and feedback, but how can he call my a "House Husband". What a cheek. I gave this some serious thought and in the end, at least for now he is actually right. The convincing factor was. I look forward to my wife's payslip.

So, back to washing and ironing and maybe a relaxing Jacuzzi later. Just Kidding.

Two days to the weekend and enjoy the day.

A Visit to Singapore in a Nutshell

I decided to put together a condensed version of what you can look forward to when you visit Singapore. As I said before it is a very central country so lots of stop overs are possible to make your holiday even more cost effective and adventurous. The information is based on what we have done so far and also plan to do on our list of interesting places. You can get more information on the websites and also on my map on the blog.

Obviously our friends and family have the added benefit of staying at the "world famous" Cilliers Bungalow for a nickel and a dime. Full writeup to follow once it is up and running in September and off course your entertainment include the renowned personal chef and funny man the host himself, Eviltwin. Please remember to bring along some good South African Dry white wine to ensure you get the maximum entertainment. So here goes not in any particular order;

World class shopping and dining experience as discussed in previous post and more to come.

Visit China Town and Little India (Food and Cheaper Shopping)

A must visit to the awesome Marina Bay Sands (Hotel, Shopping and Casino)

Take a ride on the worlds Largest Observation Wheel, The Singapore Flyer


The MINT Museum of Toys. 50,000 vintage and childhood memorabilia exquisitely displayed in a 5 story contemporary building.

A visit to the worlds biggest Rain Forest Zoo and the famous Night Safari where you can 1000 nocturnal animals you have never seen before.

Experience the worlds Largest Bird Paradise, Jurong Bird Park

Enjoy and explore Asia's favourite playground, Sentosa Island. This is a 2 day visit at least and include things like A Butterfly Park, Insect Kingdom, Numerous Thrilling Rides, Tiger Sky Tower, Mind blowing Cable Car Ride, Underwater World, Restaurants & Bars, Beaches, Theaters, Museums, Worlds Largest Wind Tunnel for indoor Skydiving and loads more to mention. You can also shoot across by mini train to Singapore's Largest Retail and Lifestyle destination, Vivo City.

A Separate visit to Universal Studios at Sentosa.

Visit Snow City - Singapore's Coolest attraction. Experience real snow in a sub zero climate and a 3 storey high snow slope.

Visit Omni Theater, a 5 storey high, 23 meter wide IMAX Theater which delivers a cinematic experience like no other.

Visit the world acclaimed, Singapore Science Center displaying 1000 interactive exhibits.

For the night time thrill seekers you can visit Clarke and Robertson Quay for dining and clubbing until the early hours of the morning.

A must visit to the famous Funan, 6 storey Digital Mall. The 6th floor is open 24 hours a day if you can not sleep.

Museums, Parks, River Cruises, Spa's, beaches and shows that will blow your mind.

Take a drive around the Singapore F1 Track or be a pilot for a day in the world class Flight Simulator.

All this and much more in a very safe, clean exhilarating city with a modern and efficient transport infrastructure and excellent weather. Do not visit from November to January. It is monsoon and lots of rain according to the locals.

Hell, it sound like a work for the Singapore Tourism Board.

Honestly, you have to have this visit on your Bucket List. Do not leave without having the famous Chilli Crab and visit as many Food Courts and Hawkers Centers as possible to enjoy all the local food Singaporean's love.

If this post does not entice you, nothing will.

The Singapore Food Courts & Hawkers Centers

When you first walk into a food court or hawkers center it is just so mind blowing and and at the same time very intimidating. They originated from the original street vendors which upgraded and moved into permanent locations, either air conditioned in shopping centres or more traditional in the suburbs and on the streets. When you walk in you are hit by the wonderful smells, hoards of people eating and drinking with array of food stalls neatly lined up representing food cultures from all over the world.

As you walk past, staring at the individual food items, trying to make some sense of the whole lot your stomach growl from hunger. And one other important thing is the cost effectiveness is also amazing. You can buy a very decent meal for between $3 - $7.

People from all walks of life gather here to dine and enjoy life together. There is loads of meat, noodles, rice, curries, sweets, soups and local drinks to choose from and you can mix and match as you prefer. To date we have only enjoyed one meal in a food court although we have visited them on numerous occasions.

Before you can enjoy the experience you have to get a understanding of how it works and what food to choose, hence my purchase of the book I mentioned in my previous post. I want to enjoy the full culinary experience and look forward to the journey. I will share my findings in forthcoming posts with you all.

The Great Singapore BBQ

In the land of Soup and Noodles there is BBQ meat. Finally, the much anticipated complex BBQ evening arrived Friday night. Could not wait for 19h00 and promptly proceeded to the 6th floor pool deck. We arrived with a nice party atmosphere, greeted by the apartment complex manager, Alan and got handed some very nice Sangria's. The whole complex, kids and all was in attendance. Had a chat to Alan and the Chef (forgot his name) and strolled over to check out the food.

And there it was. The main food table with proper Lamb from the Spit, slices being carved from the bone, slightly pink in the middle and tender. The rest of the table consisted of sliced baked potato, gravy (looks like ouma made it) and cooked green beans. Nice. There was another table with some spring rolls, wasabi prawn salad, "Vegetable" potato salad (what the hell) and sliced cheesecake. So we did what every "starved" boerjie would do. Had ourselves 2 helpings each of lamb and potatoes with gravy. Zelma had slice of the cheesecake and then the chef hauled out BBQ racks of lamb, so we had another helping each for good measure and loads of Sangria along the way. Awesome !!!!!!!!!

Must also mention the Friday breakfast goodie, Beef Bacon. Looks like normal bacon but taste like biltong and actually very nice. We did the shopping for the living in limbo Saturday and I managed to drive too and find 3 different malls without the assistance of my trustworthy GPS auntie. Nice one.

Visited the dogs in the afternoon but no photos allowed so we will have to wait. Can not visit next Saturday as it is voting day here and the facility is closed. Rest of the weekend reserved for washing and ironing, so sadly no visit to the East Coast. Must still have that Chilli Crab.

How do you know you are new in the country in a parking garage. Simple. Singaporeans all reverse park. Weird, but apparently allow for quicker exit when you get in your car. I must also come out of the closet and admit I have been watching Martha Steward every morning In my defense they do have a lot of cooking on the program.

Another nice program I have been watching is The Doctors TV. Check out the website. Interesting with lots of medical breakthrough's and advice. http://www.thedoctorstv.com/

I have mentioned the Singapore Food Courts before, but so far we have only had on meal there. Not that there is lack of choice, but to tell the truth it is scary when you do not know what to order. Bought a book on Friday called "There's No Carrots in Carrot Cake" , 101 Hawkers Dishes Singaporeans Love to help us conquer the Food Courts. I will do a separate article on this which can help other newbie expats and my other readers will hopefully find interesting.

PS. There is really no carrots in Singapore Carrot Cake. It's not what you know so let me include this as a teaser.

It is not the sweet western desert. Instead this savoury dish is made from steaming white radish and rice flour until a coagulated (Big word) shape is achieved. The cake is then broken into chunks and stir-fried till slightly charred. Egg, Soya Sauce, White pepper and Chilli sauce is added with spring onions serving as a garnish. It can be eaten as breakfast, as a snack or part of a dim sum spread and is very popular for sharing with friends.

I wish you all a great week.

Singapore - The Adventure so Far

Hey, hey its Friday and the weekend is here. Been in our new country for 21 days.

My friend, Gatoe asked me yesterday what the highlights were so far so here goes. Singapore is a very nice country, cosmopolitan and diverse culture, with great weather, friendly people and everything is super efficient. From a living here perspective you can not want for anything. It is modern and the spectrum of available products is mind blowing to say the least. Not cheap so you must be clever when it comes to shopping, but not unlike anywhere else I guess. I include the stuff we did when i accompanied Zelma earlier this year on a business trip.

From a shopping perspective, the list of choices are endless. I  have done Raffles City, Bugis, part of Suntec (This  place is huge), Great World City, Junxion8, Funan Digital Mall and a special mention, the magnificent Marina Bay Sands. The Marina Bay shopping complex is just so outrages and very up there with the best in the world. You need serious money to shop there. We must still visit the world famous Orchard Road.

From a Foodie perspective I am seriously looking forward to the adventure. There are food halls that make your head spin with the choices, every possible cultural dining experience you can think of and the available product range is unreal. I have seen stuff here that I have never seen before and look forward to cooking up a storm and expanding my culinary skills. There are also amazing restaurant areas on the river like Clarke and Robertson Quay which comes alive at night

When it comes to entertainment, Singapore has some of the best there is to offer. We have done the Singapore Flyer, Singapore Zoo (More like a mini Game Farm), Jewel Cable Car Ride, some of Sentosa Island and China Town. Sentosa Island is like a world on its own and we will have to do more visits to explore and enjoy the whole place especially Universal Studios. I also did the Sands Sky Park stretching longer than the Eiffel tower laid down or as big as 4 and a half A380 Jumbo Jets, 80 Stories up. The pool defies gravity. It must take some "you know what" to take a swim up there with water running over the edge. I also walked the Singapore F1 circuit and will save up for next years race. The to do list is just too long for mention but I will report as we explore the island.

Something I must still get used to is the fact that the shopping centers only really open after 11h00. They do stay open very late and some even 24 hours like the 6th floor Funan Digital Mall. One of my big concerns was the loss of my DSTV. I can say without a doubt that Starhub has not disappointed and I do not even have the full program selection yet.

If you are planning a visit here you will need a least 10 days or more and a budget of $100 or more per day to really enjoy everything. Obviously that excludes accommodation, so best you crash with a friend to allow for more spending money. Pick the right time of the year to avoid the rainy season. The Annual Singapore Sale period would be a good time but you will share it with thousands of other tourists.

Singapore is also very "centrally" situated and you can easily reach places like Thailand, Malaysia, Australia, Japan and many other which allow you to do a stopover and get more value for your holiday money.

I am looking forward to the weekend and wish you all a super one.

In conclusion I have to include a video of my new favourite show. Enjoy.

Living in Limbo

Any person who has undertaken an international transfer will know this is very complex and challenging. The biggest issue is getting all the logistics coordinated but no matter how you try you are bound to find serious unplanned issues. Got a "bad news" email from Elliott this morning that our shipment was delayed due to adverse weather conditions in Durban and would only leave today. Damm. I really thought my two weeks of hell living in an empty house back home was the end, but here we go again.

Estimated shipment arrival is 4th September and then still customs clearance. Move to the new house is 31 August 2011. Buy another new bed, towels and some limited kitchen utensils and live in an empty house again for who knows how long. Not looking forward to that one.

I guess the most difficult part about living in limbo is not having a kitchen to cook in. I really miss cooking proper food as those of you who know me, it's probably my biggest passion. The satisfaction of preparing and nice meal and see how much the people enjoy eating it is so gratifying. I know there are many food blogs and websites, but how about I feature some of my cooking on the Blog. Some real Eviltwin favourite recipes and secrets. Please let me have your comments to decide if i should include it.

On a positive note, we went and picked new curtains yesterday so the rental home is coming along very well.

Read in the paper about the annual Singapore Sale so start saving people if you want to catch that one next year.

Here is the link. http://www.greatsingaporesale.com.sg/2011m/english-html/intro.html

I keep forgetting to mention a very nice family movie we watched on the weekend, especially for dogs lovers. The 2009 movie, called Hachi - A Dog's Tale is unknown to me, starring Richard Gere and Joan Allen.  Based on a true story. Get the box of tissues boys and girls. Well worth a watch.

Oh, Jen the estate agent told us yesterday there is another Singapore public holiday on the 30th of August. It is Hari Raya Puasa or Eid as we know it back home. Here is the link if you want to broaden your knowledge.

Link:  http://sgholiday.com/calendar/hari-raya-2011/

Planning a trip to the East Coast this weekend to go and taste the world famous Singapore Chilly Crab. According to people in the know that is the place to enjoy the best chilly crab. Looking forward to that and will report back.

Do something outrages and above all have fun.

Eviltwin's Day Off

I know what you are thinking. He does not have a job so how can he "Take the Day Off'. The lazy bastert. Let me explain.

The last 4 weeks has been very challenging and emotional with the packing of the house back home, living in an empty house for two weeks (more on this later), shipping our doggies, the actual getting here, moving into the temporary apartment, getting the work pass, visiting endless shopping centers, getting a proper laptop for comms, finding the house here, getting a new phone, starting my Blog, starting the process of looking for work etc. etc. Makes me tired just typing the whole lot.

The biggest adjustment has been the adjustment to my hopefully temporary "Lifestyle". Not working and no interaction with people on a daily basis. This really is a killer and by no means am I even close to acceptance or any level of comfort. Took inspiration from Hugh Grants movie "About a Boy" Good fun movie if you have not seen it. Any case. The art in getting thru the day on your own is to divide it into 30 minutes slots and then allocate activities accordingly for example: Get up and breakfast (2 slots), Update Blog (2 slots), Read paper (One slot at a stretch), Lunch (2 slots), Look for work (4 slots), Watch a movie (4 slots), Hopefully Skype with another living human and so on.

You get the idea. It takes planning people and you must change the daily slot activities to keep from getting so bored you want to go shopping again. You must incorporate new activities. To date I have only met one other person with whom I had a actual discussion, Hank or Hendrik the American. Sadly he was only here for two weeks and must have gone back. So, all alone again for now.

Back to the day off. So yesterday I took time off from all this planning and focus. Went downstairs and visited the complex pool area on the six floor. There you can have a steam bath, sauna, Jacuzzi, swim, sit in a massage chair in the "Executive Lounge" and just laze around. Sat in the jacuzzi till my skin was all wriggled up and just relaxed for the day. Funny, the jacuzzi has a 30 minute timer. How is that for coincidence. Part of my new slot activities. Sadly did not meet any humans I could actually chat too. Just cleaners and a few moms and their children. Will try this again maybe in the afternoon to increase my chances of success. You need a puppy or a borrowed child to enter the Moms circle as Anton, my friend will tell you.

Highlight of the day was the invitation I found under the door when back in the apartment. Wait for it.

Here it is: August Residents Night cordially invites you to

International Summer Festival
Friday, 19 August. 07h00pm - 09h00pm, Lower Deck

Nothing beats a good ol' BBQ spit roast Lamb and a refreshing Sangria.

Now we are talking and considering I have not had braai or BBQ meat for some time, nothing will stop me from being there. Hope the lamb is from Australia cos I have not seen any live animals here so far. Full report back and photos to follow on Monday.

A special thanks to all our friends, family and people who have Skyped us, sent emails, keep reading my Blog and even accidently phoned me. I really miss you all and your support is appreciated during this time of adjustment. And Hank off course wherever you are now. Also managed to hook up with a bunch of old lost friends all over the world during the whole process which is very nice.

Back to "Work" today. Wish you all a stunning day.

Link to "About a Boy" movie trailer. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ie5m7NuWgXM

Funny for the day if you did not see it on my Facebook.

Go to Googlemaps.com. Click on directions. Type from China to Taiwan, click on get directions and read Instruction 48 on the left of the screen.

Recruitment and the Job Hunt

What i am about to say is not new to anybody who has worked for me or with me. Some of you have been in this situation before. So Listen up. When you are in the recruitment industry you better take it serious and have passion. You are dealing with people's lives and they depend on you to help them find that job.

I have been fortunate to have been on the employed side all of my career, but now I find myself in that sea of people looking for work. People are not just looking for work. They are looking for a future. I have always taught my colleagues and employees to treat people with respect and dignity. Make sure you select your candidates based on  possibility and probability to ensure you have the best possible chance of success, both for you and the candidate. There is no such thing as a ten minute interview. That is a slap in the face.

Know and understand the Client and their culture to ensure your candidate matches are spot on. Embrace technology and always look for smarter ways to do your job to give you the edge. Remember the 48 Hour rule. You have to respond quickly and professionally to increase your success ratio. People want to deal with people. They do not care about what company you actually work for. It's about how you deliver service and that is true for any industry.

So, as I swim this sea for the first time in 30 years I also learn and hope to share my findings with you. The whole process is difficult and you have to dig deep to stay focused.

Have a stunning day

Breakfast Surprise

So here things are rather lonely at this stage. Spend the whole of yesterday job hunting and trying to get my Linkedin profile 100%. Get yours done people as you will need this tool if you intend getting future jobs. Very big in Singapore and even Australia. The more info you get the better your chances will be. And very important is to get recommendations from current and past work places. I am going to write a separate article on recruitment today.

So, back to breakfast. Normal stuff, toast, fruits scramble egg and Beef Ham (Don,t ask and do not  eat Beef Ham). Yuk. And then, where that "lovely" morning soup bowl normally stand. What have we here this morning. Japanese Curry. Open lid and the smell is good. Scoop some on my spare slice of toast and oh my. Yummy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am talking thick yellow curry with chunks of chicken, tender potato and carrot pieces and the taste. It would make "Curry Muffin" drool. So I left the egg and got me a second larger helping on top of a thick slice of white bread. Heaven !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not sure why they call it Japanese Curry. This is proper Durban curry my brew with that bit of burn on the lips.  Irresistible. Considered "stealing" some for lunch but not sure how many lashes if caught.

PS. Hope they have it again tomorrow.

Some Time Later (After The Fire Alarm)

Found lots of people in the hallway but no real direction. Lets all go to the fire escapes. Its not like I am on the second floor. Ninth floor to high to have any chance of escape. Cleaners reassured us it is not a fire drill but probably because of the thunder. Still, not going to take a chance, take the lift and go downstairs. It is a false alarm. Not very calming. When is it real then. No Matter, I will respond diligently to any fire alarm while I am here.

Okay, so where was I. Oh, the Art Festival. The Terracotta Warriors is taller than I thought and lots of other interesting displays. Got into "trouble" for using a flash to take photos but here are the ones I did manage to take. How are you suppose to take photos indoors without a flash I ask?

My friend Gatoe is a Camera freak taking pictures of everything and one thing is for sure. He would have been thrown out there yesterday.

Second Weekend

Not very exciting. We are still in "limbo" mode and luckily two weeks left before we move and hopefully settle down.

Picked Zelma up from Changi Internationl Airport saturday morning at 07h00. Very early based on our new daily schedule. Here is some interesting things about Changi. It has 3 very large terminals, the worlds tallest indoor slide (12 meters), rooftop swimming pool and jacuzzi, butterfly garden, 2 movie theaters Spa etc, all to entertain in transit passengers. Oh, and lots shopping and eating places.

Visited Tiger and Diesel (The Doggies) in the afternoon. They seem to be doing quite well but we do miss having them with us very much. Three weeks to go.

Investigated the ticket prices for the upcoming Singapore Grand Prix in September and sadly I will not be able to afford it this year. Cheapest seating tickets are $298 per person with the best tickets going for a "steal" at $1298 per ticket. It is a 3 day festival with 300 entertainers, 103 performances and 10 hours of racing, but still. A little bit rich for us right now. Definitely next year.

PS. Performers include Shakira, Linkin Park, Boy George, Rick Ashley and Shaggy to name but a few.

Did the "Arty" thing on Sunday at went to the Terracotta Warriors Festival at the Asia Art Museum. Very interesting. Shit !!!!!!!!!!!! there goes the fire alarm. See you later people.

Fact File continued (3)

Here are some more interesting and weird facts:

There is a Singapore in South Africa. Go to googlemaps.com and type singapore south africa and search. It is in Limpopo. Never knew that.

Robots always work.

There are no car guards, no street vendors at robots and no beggars. Against the  law. What a pity? Really miss them.

All cars have "Card Readers" installed. Tollgates and parking charges automatically are deducted on the fly. You can top up at 7 Elevens, online and a host of other places. Fine if your card is empty.

Men do 2 years National Defense Service. You must be at least 16 years 6 months old thou.

U-turns are legal and sign posted. Special little in between lanes for U-Turns. Only at posted robots and lanes thou.

Cigarettes cost the same per packet for single or cartons. No Discount if you buy bulk. Very Limited brands.

Tollgates only operate between certain times. Lights will be on with the relevant charge displayed when operational.

There are "funny" 45 degree flat escalators. Slow you down compared to normal ones but nice for trolleys. They go in slow motion mode when not used to save energy.

Different Singapore Houses (Photos)

Gatoe, my friend from back home asked me to post photos of the types of houses in Singapore. I am sure it can also help other people coming to Singapore  to get a better idea. Here are some notes from my rental house searching:

• Houses do not have garages
• Most houses do not have conventional ovens. Negotiate
• All stoves are gas
• All houses are multi storey except Bungalows. Bungalows can also have more than one level.
• All houses have airconditioning, but not all thru the whole house. Check
• Partially furnished includes aircons, curtains, washer, dryer and some TV,s Check
• Shower and bath configurations vary and must be checked
• Most houses do not have gardens or very small
• Most houses can only fit one car. People park in the street
• Forget about a swimming pool unless you have stacks of money
• Housing is "cheaper" outside the city
• Terrace houses have windows in the front and back. Not on the sides because of the walls.
• Bishan and Serangoon is nice areas to look for housing. 11 kilometers outside the city.
• If you have pets like I do your choices will be limited.

Here is the Expat Blog link for more information

http://www.expat-blog.com/en/guide/asia/singapore/1038-accommodation-in-singapore.html


Condos and Apartments

Terrace House (All share side walls)

The Corner Terrace House (One wall shared with another House)

Cluster House (Similar to Townhouse) but in a complex with shared pools, gym etc.

Bangalow

Little spot of Heaven

"Very Busy" day yesterday so I got the address of The Springbok Bazaar and took a drive out there to check it out. As the name says, it is all things a "Springbok" supporter loves and need in a foreign country. Smallish shop but packed with gems. Biltong, Mr Balls Chutney, Ina Paarmens spices and herbs, Willards chips, loads of SA wines including Box Wine and too many other things too mention.

This will be one of my favourite spots in Singapore. They deliver as well and will get you anything you request within reason. So, with my mouth drooling I made my choice. Braaipap (2.5 Kg), All Gold Tomato sauce, Robertsons Steak & Chops spice and 1 Kg of Homestyle SA Boerewors. JA!!!!!!!!!!!!

Drove back with my treasure, spent the afternoon getting registered on Linkedin based on the advise from my friends husband to increase my chances in my job hunting prospects. Proceeded to start the feast and guess what. I forgot the wine in my euphoria. Not to worry, i had some Tiger beer which is actually very nice (Sort of like Black Label back home), so I guess in the end the meal was real Boerestyle. Pap, Wors and a good few beers.

Heaven on earth is all I can say.

Here is the link for interested parties.

http://www.africasiatrading.com/Scripts/default.asp

Breakfast for One - The Challenge

I have traveled a lot in my lifetime but it has been a while since I have done the one man thing. See, Zelma is mos in China and therefore I have been doing breakfast alone downstairs with mixed results. I have forgotten the rules so I feel compelled to share it with you. The restaurant is small and buffet style (Help yourself which I hate). What is the point of eating out if you have to serve yourself, but that is my view. The first thing is to get your timing right. Miss the office workers and then the families with children. Ideally, you want to be there with the "Lonely Hearts Club". I failed badly the last 3 days.

This morning I decided 08h30 would be safer option. O my lord. Packed and looks like a family congregation. Have guts and press on, so I get coffee and wait for a table to open. Put coffee down and go get some toast and butter. Walk back, coffee gone and table now occupied by a "lovely" family of four. To early for battle so go wait for another table. Put toast and empty cup down and "run" to get eggs and some form of meat. Return quickly  finding table cleared with now another "lovely family" occupying "My" table. Broken the golden rule of breakfast alone. Do not leave the table under any circumstances. You have no one to protect your precious seat.

Now ready for battle. Get new toast and everything else I am going to need. Find  a new table and sit. Call waiter and give her a piece of my mind in a toned down voice. She offers to get me coffee and I gladly accept. Not losing my table and food again. Shit, I forgot the Walnut muffin that looked so good. Get up walk quickly and return with now a "lovely" couple sitting at my table. Are they blind dammit.

Sit down with them and eat my brekkie, and leave. Never leave the table fool. Get a waiter, child, hell anybody to fetch anything you need, but do not get up until you are finished and go at 07h00 when everyone else is sleeping.

One more thing. It is nice to get breakfast every morning, but what is with soup for breakfast. Chicken soup, Miso soup and then this morning mash and gravy. Really???? No meat dishes either, well not what I call meat. Chicken bacon (you know my view on this), chicken sausage, chicken ham and yesterday Corned "beef" that looked and tasted like canned dog food.  Where is the pork bangers, boerewors, beef sausage and heaven forbid minute steak or something.

There, I had my bitch session so have a nice day.

Mundane Wednesday

Came back from the airport after getting hopelessly lost using the GPS. I have had GPS before but apart from a "Nice Toy" never really got it. Now I do. In a strange country with street names from a different planet you must have a GPS. They repeat the same name with only the last bit changed. Very confusing and easy to get it wrong.

 One other very important fact. Make sure you type the correct destination in else you will end up in strange places. Example: Changi = Headquarters and NOT the airport. In my defense, I did not type in the destination and fortunately we had time to rectify the problem and get to the airport on time. Got to see most of the eastern island in the process.

Went to fetch my Work Pass and now can legally look for work. Started registering on some company website for consideration and will see how it goes. Hold thumbs for me people. Feedback on the Expat Blog not positive but what the hell. Will give it my best shot.

Spent the afternoon watching FOX Crime channel until I felt I know every criminal plot. Manage to find a very old friend of mine (Robin Chan) on Facebook and had a short chat and update with him. Time flies and he now has a 17 old daughter. Wow. Back in the day when we worked together our nickname was "The Commonwealth". Me (The Dutchman), Robin Chan (The Chinaman), Fanny Hlongwane (The Black Dude) and Eduardo Afonso (The Porra). Go Figure.

Also had a online chat with another old friend, Karen, who now lives in Australia with two grown up kids. As you all know, I only started using social media about 8 weeks ago and honestly I find it so valuable in my current situation.

The Blog now has a total of 8 followers but comments and feedback is much needed.

Newsflash: There is an outbreak of Dengue fever in the north Woodlands area so I am staying in the City for now.

Enjoy the day

Singapore Independence Day

Yesterday was Independence Day and a public holiday. Singapore celebrated 46 Years of Independence with the annual National Day Parade. Could not get any tickets to go and watch the live parade but heard all the fireworks from our apartment. Apparently, tickets are like "Hens Teeth" but will make an effort to try and see it live next year. Had a lazy day, drove to Junction8 shopping mall near our new home and checked out the roads and area. Looks good.

Watched the premier of a new local show, Million Dollar Drop and really enjoyed it. Zelma got ready for the trip to China and I dropped her off this morning at 07h00 at Changi International Airport.

Check out the National Day Parade Link.

http://www.ndp.org.sg/#/landing

First Weekend in Singapore

No time for doing any of the exciting stuff but did finalise the most important issue on Saturday. The house. After all my searching last week I took Zelma (wife) on Saturday to look at my final choice. Luckily she was very happy and so that one is now put to bed. One "Bungalow", one story House with nice garden for us and the dogs.

Landlord accepted our offer and we will officially move in on 01 September 2011. Really looking forward to have our "own" place again where we can settle down and return to a normal life.

Here is the link if you want to check it out. 2 Jalan Berjaya

The dogs arrived on Friday and we were able to visit them Saturday afternoon at the Quarantine Centre in the north, some 22 kilometers from the city center. Nice facility and they were very happy to see us and vice versa. Another 4 weeks for them in quarantine before they can rejoin us. They have a nice shared kennel, air conditioned and get walkies twice a day.

Also did my first real driving in Singapore and no problem. Official speed limit on the "highway" is 80 Kph. Most people drive faster than the limit as you do get warned where there are speed traps. Nice one. I know what you are saying. Only 80Kph, but that is fats enough else you would drive off the island. Just kidding.

Sunday was reserved for catching up with the washing, watch some movies and just chill. Zelma off to China this Wednesday for 4 days so we spent some time together. Watched "The Life of David Gale" again and still counts as one of my top ten movies. If you have not seen it yet, watch it!!!!!. Off course my opinion might be skewed as I love Kevin Spacey and Kate Winslet is my number one female actress.

Have a great week people and do something interesting.

Fact File continued

This weeks fact file with some weird and funny stuff.

Do ants use elevators? YES. I had them in my sugar bowl the other morning on the 9th floor.

Can ants swim? NO. Put the sugar bowl in a dish with water and the problem is solved.

How many types and flavours of peanut butter. Two (Smooth & Crunchy) WRONG.

Here are the types and flavours I have found in Singapore so far. Smooth, Crunchy, Grape Flavour, Strawberry Flavour, With Chocolate Crunch, With Grape Jelly Stripes, With Strawberry Jelly Stripes, and with Chocolate Stripes.

Chicken Bacon. Huh and Yuk!!!!!. Do not bother. Rather eat old shoe soles.

Hot dog Vienna's is more expensive than prawns. Yes sirrie. In Singapore you better eat prawns.

Extra leave day when a public holiday falls on a Saturday. Yes man. You get a extra days leave if this happens. Wow.

No monthly salary tax deduction. No, this can not be true. Yes. In Singapore you only pay yearly tax.

Houses do not have garages and you can park your car in the street and it will be there tomorrow morning. Strange but true.

No electric fences around properties and houses. Yep it is true.

Electronic boards that tell you where and how many parking bays are available. Yes - Check the photo

Oops !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I meant this one

Robots that beep and tell you how many seconds before going red - Check Photo

Eviltwin Skype Home

I have been gone from my old job and team since 28 July 2011, so it was very nice to skype them today and chat to them. Things just carry on, no matter who leaves. Petty they were not all there but with the 6 hour difference  and work responsibilities not possible to have them all together.

Still, I miss them all and hope we can continue to have contact in the future.

I feel it is appropriate to add them to my Blog to ensure the memories will linger.

Thanks boys and girls for the past 4 years. It was memorable and special.

Their names: The Big one, The Small one, The one who thinks he is Handsome, The Skinny one, The one that Eats a Lot, The Early one, The Sniper one, The Handsome one, The one with the Other Name, The Black one, The Confused one, The Drunk one and The one with the Evil Brother

"Back on my Feet"

Let's see. I started driving when I was 13 years old (got my first speeding fine the same year) and bought my first car 4 months after I left school which means that for 31 years I have never been without my own wheels. Broke my heart when I had to get rid of my car back home 5 weeks ago, and the mere thought that I would be without my own transport scared the living daylights out of me.

The fact that my wife would fortunately have a company car sort of soothed my nerves, but still. I have been here one week now without my own transport as the company car was used by the wife to work and back. I had lots of things to sort out which required getting around and truthfully, I have not had one incident where I was stranded. To date I have not used the MRT Rail system as all my dealings were in the "City Centre".

Between the taxi's, apartment bus and free shuttle busses between all shopping malls I did not miss my car once so far. Off course, I also ended up walking a lot, by choice rather than having no other options. It is really easy to get around and with the normal Bus service hop on hop off service there just is no need to have your own car. Typical taxi fair around the city comes to between $5 - $7 but can be more expensive when you travel in peak hours.

I got caught in a rainstorm yesterday (Without an umbrella), not clever while walking back from the Ministry of Labour and once again, no problem. Waved a taxi down and bob is your uncle.

There are taxi's all over the place and you never have to look for one. While drining with Jen (The Estate agent) outside the city there is the same bus/taxi/train infrastucture and hopefully once we move I will have the same experience. I will report back once I have tried the transport in those areas.

Minimum chrage for a taxi is $3 with a 2$ surcharge during peak hours. Bus transport is a lot cheaper.

Back home I never walked anywhere because of safety concerns, but here it is safe and rather fun getting around walking, even at night.

PS. Do not leave without an umbrella in hand - Big mistake

"Rear Window"

Since moving into our 9th Floor temporary apartment, I have experienced a side of life that is quite new and strange. Living in my "Fortress" house back home, I would only come in contact with other humans once I left home on my way to work. Living in a apartment surrounded by other blocks of apartments is quite different.  For the past few mornings while having a cigarette on my balcony, I have been watching how the lights come on, people having breakfast, the old lady doing her Yoga to name but a few.

Not that I am a pervert, but where else must you look. This reminds me so much of the Alfred Hitchcock movie, Rear Window with James Stewart and Grace Kelly. You sort of get to know the people, give them silly names and wonder what will happen tomorrow. Quite interesting and some how borderline perverse. And then it dawned on me this morning. If I can see them, they can see me, so best I start wearing proper clothing while having my morning cigarette and be aware of what you do on your own balcony.

PS. Very glad my binoculars is packed in the shipping container else who knows what would have happened.

You can watch the video clip or check out the movie at www.imdb.com

Light at the end of the Tunnel

Continued the house hunt yesterday with Jen and looked at another 8 properties. 16 in total over two days and started to loose hope. The biggest problem is the terminology diffirences. Cluster here = Townhouse back home. Terrace house = A narrow multi story house between two other. Corner Terrace = House with only one wall shared with another. And then finally yesterday afternoon, Eureka, "Bungalow" = House back home. No Shared walls with a garden.

Submitted a Letter of Intent today so lets hold thumbs.

Dashed of to the Ministry of Labour this morning with an appointment at 08h15. Imagine that here in Singapore where most businesses start between 11h00 - 12h00. Very easy and pleasant experience. Arrive and scan document, sit for a few minutes until your name pops up on a big TV and proceed to the consultant. Present letter, passport and photo and get electronic fingerprints taken. Check that your data is correct, get letter stamped and within 10 minutes, job done.

Work Permit will be ready for collection in 5 days. Amazing.

Rugby Fans Saved

Just when I tought that I would be seriously disadvantaged living in Singapore and heaven forbit start watching some ridiculous sport like soccer or badminton I am saved. Not Just saved, but the kind of saved that any wife would dread. Yes boys, Starhub in Singapore has a dedicated channel for rugby fans and even cover the Currie Cup.

That is like finding out you were not stranded alone on an island, but Anna Kournikova is also on the island. Maybe not that good but one hell of a improvement. Avid rugby fans can look forward to 34 hours of live rugby matches weekly including Six Nations, Tri Nations, Currie Cup, World Cup, Super Rugby, ITM Cup etc. etc.

Heaven, what more can I say.

Check out the link boys

http://www.starhub.com/entertainment/channel/setantasports.html

Techie Heaven

Went to the Funan Digital Mall this morning to find me a new laptop. Six floors of heaven for Nerds and techie freaks alike including me. So many stores, one does not know where to start or finish. Barganing allowed and competition fierce between stores as they basically all sell the same thing.

Brand name shops also plenty. I have never seen so many laptops, cameras, big screens and whatever else your digital heart may desire in one place. My friend Gatoe would spend days in this place and they have lots of food shops to ensure you do not starve during your digital pilgrimage.

Got my new laptop and at the risk of bragging here goes - One time HP New Generation I7 Dual Core Intel 2.0 Ghz processor, 8 GB memory, 1 GB Video card, 750 HDD, Full HD 15.6 " Diagonal Screen, Blue Ray Optical Drive and built in HD Webcam and Wireless loaded with Windows 7 Premium.

PS. For the princely sum of R 7499 at the current exchange rate. Not bad I say.

Did a quick Skype test with my brother who is in hospital and has nothing else to do and all works like a charm.

Fact File

I wll share new facts on living here under the Fact File posting. The first big adjustment is the typical workday, very diffirent from back home. Corporate world start work at 09h00 until 18h00. This is quite a change as we now only get up at 07h00, breakfast at 08h00 and the Zelma off to work at 08h30. All of a sudden lots of spare time in the morning from the original get up at 05h00.

Shopping Centres do not open before 10h00 - 11h00. No more early Saturday excursions. Takes some adjusting but actually very nice. Obviously this reduces traffic drastically as the load is spread over time. Quite Clever.

Hungry Ghost Festival.

During the last 2 days I have noticed people doing "funny" stuff all over the place with little worship sites, so I asked Jen what this is all about. The short version. Ghosts and spirits come out from the lower realms and people pay worship in the form of Insense, gifts, burning candles etc. Accoring to Jen swimming during the month is taboo as you will drown and get taken by the ghosts.

No more swimming for me for the month. Just Kidding. Sure they can not reach the pool on the 6 floor at our apartment complex.

Check out the full story at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_Festival

The Big House Hunt

Got picked up at 10h30 yesterday by Jen (The Estate Agent) and started the hunt. Headed north outside the city (11 kilometers) to be exact and started the viewing schedule. One thing that is for sure is this is going to be a challenge. You have two choices. Live in the city in condo's or outside the city in "landed" houses.

Let my quickly define "landed" house. Not anything like back home. Singapore does not have big land available, so houses are on small plots and typically three stories high. Not that the houses are small, infact, I saw some yesterday were 4 - 6 bedrooms. The trip was interesting and informative with two houses on the shortlist. All houses are connected to either one other house or squashed between two others. Majority properties come standard with washing machine, dryer, microwave, curtains, full airconditioning and some with TV's in every room. Wow. What will I do with the stuff we shipped????

We will continue the hunt on Wednesday and look at some "Cluster" properties. Jen was very concerned that we want to live so "far" from the city and after some explanation regarding JHB and its traffic problems she got the message. 11 Kilometers and 10-15 mintues travel will be a breez for any South African.

Photos on final selection to follow soon.

PS. Broadband network infrastructure standard in all houses. Yippie!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The "Eviltwin" has landed

I arrived in Singapore at 05h00, 31 July 2011 with my wife.  Exiting the Changi Airport turned out to be hot as hell considering we left Johannesburg some 11 hours earlier in freezing conditions. Trying to take a photo of our arrival was tricky as the camera lens kept on misting up from the humidity. Funny.

For the first time in 28 years I find myself in a strange country with the description of my situation sounding like a "beggars" board at a South African robot;

No Job, No Car; No house, Please help. That is really funny and very scary. But lets rather look to the future as this was a decision by choice.

This week is reserved for finding a Rental House for us to live in for at least the next 3 years and to replace my arcade, ancient laptop, obviously to help with my new Facebook and Blog.

Arriving at our temporary accommodation, I did what any good traveller would do. Scout the place properly to see if it has all the required things needed for a good living.

First lesson in country language difference. I switched off the little switch with the red light that said "Heater" on it next to the light switch. Big Mistake!!!! Heater in Singapore is actually "Geaser" in our South African language. Obviously a very cold shower Sunday evening and accompanied embarrassment when complaining to reception.

Had a very juicy burger from a local Burger joint. Can not remember the name but will update all when I get the name. Off to the local Cold Storage Supermarket to get essentials like sugar, milk, butter and a bottle of wine (New Zealand - Monkey Bay Sauvignon Blanc) to celebrate the "arrival". Yes, that is a real wine and it was cheap and very very nice.

Off to bed at 20h30 to catch up on some much needed sleep. Haven't slept for 2 days as I can not for the love of me sleep on a Plane.

Big house hunting day tomorrow with Jen, the estate agent.