In anticipation of my "Day in the Fast Lane" it is imperative that I get myself prepared to ensure maximum enjoyment and value for money. I am confident that I have the Drive part covered with lots of experience and the Dive part I can not prepare for but I need to jack up my flying skills for the Fly part. I have always loved planes and flying so I got myself a fancy joystick (Logitech Attack 3) and the latest Microsoft Flight Simulator X software a few days ago and Bob is your Uncle.
I have owned some home Flight Simulators before and spend 2 years in the Air Force back in the day but need to get my flying skills as good as I can. Spend about 5 hours so far with the Flight Simulator to get my Private Pilots License and will spend enough time in the single engine Cessna Training Plane before converting to the Boeing 737-800. Its obviously not the same as the real flight simulator but any experience is better than none. It's not as easy as it sounds, believe me.
Here is the link and you can download a demo to try it out. If this is your cup of tea it is truly awesome software. I even took a flight from the Brakpan Airport to the Sun City Airport. How cool is that. You can fly to any airport you fancy.
http://www.microsoft.com/games/flightsimulatorx/
Here's a thought. Why not try out one of the Worlds Top Ten most Dangerous Airports for landing in the flight simulator. If you are going to fly in the next few weeks I strongly recommend you do not watch the video.
Learnt some new words over the past two weeks from the local media.
Staycasion - a holiday taken on your own or with your family at home doing local sight seeing trips. Basically a holiday not going away. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staycation
Netizen - A combination of the English words Internet and Citizen. A person actively involved in on line communities and taking part in the Internet. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netizen
Live and learn. Remember my motto. If you do not learn something new everyday the day is wasted. So in two weeks time when our friends arrive we are taking a staycasion and they are taking a vacation. I am definitely a Netizen as per the definition.
According to the overall Blog reader statistics there are more Singapore readers than South African so I feel it is only fair to include some postings on my experiences back home to make it more interesting for all. Will start this week with the first one, called the "Eviltwin & The Harley Davidson", so look out for it.
Cheers
Bottle Tree & Cybershot
We took a drive to the Bottle Tree near Yishun for lunch on Saturday. It's a 7ha park with sports, recreational activities, conference facilities and restaurants. A massive rain storm ensued but that did not dampen our spirit and we had a scrumptious lunch at the Seafood Restaurant on the covered deck. We did the mix and share thing and got the Crab Fried Rice for two, Fried Prawn and Egg and Deep Fried Pork Trotter.
The servings are very generous and we could have easily had two guests with the food we ordered. First ever and best ever Pork Trotter. Crispy and Yummy. The menu does contain some strange sounding stuff, like Sotong which we wanted to order but the waitress could not explain it so we didn't. Sotong in English is Squid or Cuttlefish (Those nice "Fishies that can make all the colours") which is something I definitely want to try. Next time.
So, for any Expats or potential visitors to Singapore I include the link to the Dictionary Of Singlish - Singapore English to help with some of the weird names.
http://www.singlishdictionary.com/
The Bottle Tree is a really fun place with loads of things to do and see, including fishing and a favourite gathering place for friend and families. The main reason I went there was to see one of the rare Australian Trees that the owners imported and looks like a Coke Bottle. Lots of other beautiful plants and trees and plenty photo opportunities.
http://www.bottletree.com.sg/
If you are heading out to the Expo, do allow some extra time and visit the new Changi City Point shopping centre across from the MRT Station. It only recently opened and more shops to follow. Spunky and modern with a very nice food court. First time I see it in Singapore with the complex having Factory Outlets for Nike, Adidas, Puma and a few other brands. Very Nice.
http://www.fraserscentrepointmalls.com/malls/ccp/index.asp
Have a great week
The servings are very generous and we could have easily had two guests with the food we ordered. First ever and best ever Pork Trotter. Crispy and Yummy. The menu does contain some strange sounding stuff, like Sotong which we wanted to order but the waitress could not explain it so we didn't. Sotong in English is Squid or Cuttlefish (Those nice "Fishies that can make all the colours") which is something I definitely want to try. Next time.
So, for any Expats or potential visitors to Singapore I include the link to the Dictionary Of Singlish - Singapore English to help with some of the weird names.
http://www.singlishdictionary.com/
The Bottle Tree is a really fun place with loads of things to do and see, including fishing and a favourite gathering place for friend and families. The main reason I went there was to see one of the rare Australian Trees that the owners imported and looks like a Coke Bottle. Lots of other beautiful plants and trees and plenty photo opportunities.
http://www.bottletree.com.sg/
After 12 years of excellent service the time arrived to replace my trustworthy Sony Cybershot. It still takes top quality pictures but after I dropped it a few years ago on holiday in Paris you can no longer preview pics and it is not compatible with Windows 7. Took the MRT to the Singapore Expo for the annual SITEX Gadget Expo. 25000sq feet of geek paradise with several hundred brands and I was not disappointed. Any gadget you can dream of was on display and I found the latest Sony Cybershot H-70 for an absolute steal with stacks of freebies thrown into the deal.
Yesterday was the last day with plenty of bargains as most of the exhibitors trying to make the last few deals, willing to give further discounts and add extra stuff to sweeten the deal. Notices like "Everything must go, make me an Offer " and "All sold out, pre order only" all over the place. Highly recommended for next year. http://vr-zone.com/sitex
If you are heading out to the Expo, do allow some extra time and visit the new Changi City Point shopping centre across from the MRT Station. It only recently opened and more shops to follow. Spunky and modern with a very nice food court. First time I see it in Singapore with the complex having Factory Outlets for Nike, Adidas, Puma and a few other brands. Very Nice.
http://www.fraserscentrepointmalls.com/malls/ccp/index.asp
Have a great week
A Day in the Fast Lane (Drive, Dive & Fly)
This will most definitely be a day to remember and scratch some of the items of my Bucket List. Believe me, I have been planning this for some time and the day that I have saved enough money is getting very close. You only live once so better make the best of it while you can. The budget is $1200 (weekday to get better rates). I know it's a lot, but wait till you see what you get for the loot. I am willing to skip a few birthday presents in the process and it will be an absolute blast. The more people I can convince the more discounts will apply and you could do it for less if you cut some of the trip durations. If you are going to do it do it properly to get maximum value for money.
The day starts with a plain but my favourite breakfast (Egg Club Sandwich & Coffee) at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf http://www.coffeebean.com.sg/coffeebean/($8.90). Trip via the MRT ($4 return) to the promenade and a short walk to the Singapore Flyer. Let the adrenaline rush start with a 30 minute "Street to Freeway Tour" at http://www.ultimatedrive.com/ in (My Choice), a Ferrari F430 F1 Spyder including the drive on the F1 circuit ($388). Short walk to the http://www.flightexperience.com.sg/ for a 90 minute Ultimate Flying Experience in a Boeing 737-800 Flight Simulator ($394)
Enough adrenaline for now, so a tranquil 30 minute Singapore Sling Flight on the Flyer sipping on the famous Sling Cocktail and ready for a relaxing lunch.($62). A must have Chili Crab lunch at http://www.paradisegroup.com.sg/seafood/ in the complex ($50).
Of to the Jewel Box http://www.mountfaber.com.sg/ via taxi ($15) for a scenic ride in the cable car down to Sentosa Resorts World ($39 for the Sentosa Discovery Tour which includes lots of stuff to do if there is any spare time in the afternoon). Quick walk to the iFly Centre for the Adventure (4 Skydive Experience ($145) http://www.iflysingapore.com/main.html. Now for some more thrills, a Ride in the Tiger Sky Tower and then a visit to the cine blast and a 4D Movie included in my package I bought earlier.
There, that should do it nicely for a day of super thrills and adventure. Lots of photo opportunities to capture the memories forever. But wait, no day can be done without a lazy evening supper on the beach at the Azzura Beach Club http://www.azzura.sg/ and some much needed drinks to calm the nerves after so much fun and excitement. ($100 I allowed for this one).
Now, all I need is some friends to join me to make this even a more spectacular day. Have to work on that one for now and better do it quickly. I can not wait and obviously will do a awesome post on the Blog when this has happened. And no, its not a dream, I am going to do it folks if it is the last thing I do. Will convince the wife to do this one with me.
Deliberately did not include the Harley Davidson experience. We have done that one back in South Africa for 10 years. Will do a posting on that but here is the link if you need more info on renting a Harley to cruise the Island. http://www.harleysingapore.com/
Have a nice weekend.
The day starts with a plain but my favourite breakfast (Egg Club Sandwich & Coffee) at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf http://www.coffeebean.com.sg/coffeebean/($8.90). Trip via the MRT ($4 return) to the promenade and a short walk to the Singapore Flyer. Let the adrenaline rush start with a 30 minute "Street to Freeway Tour" at http://www.ultimatedrive.com/ in (My Choice), a Ferrari F430 F1 Spyder including the drive on the F1 circuit ($388). Short walk to the http://www.flightexperience.com.sg/ for a 90 minute Ultimate Flying Experience in a Boeing 737-800 Flight Simulator ($394)
Enough adrenaline for now, so a tranquil 30 minute Singapore Sling Flight on the Flyer sipping on the famous Sling Cocktail and ready for a relaxing lunch.($62). A must have Chili Crab lunch at http://www.paradisegroup.com.sg/seafood/ in the complex ($50).
Of to the Jewel Box http://www.mountfaber.com.sg/ via taxi ($15) for a scenic ride in the cable car down to Sentosa Resorts World ($39 for the Sentosa Discovery Tour which includes lots of stuff to do if there is any spare time in the afternoon). Quick walk to the iFly Centre for the Adventure (4 Skydive Experience ($145) http://www.iflysingapore.com/main.html. Now for some more thrills, a Ride in the Tiger Sky Tower and then a visit to the cine blast and a 4D Movie included in my package I bought earlier.
There, that should do it nicely for a day of super thrills and adventure. Lots of photo opportunities to capture the memories forever. But wait, no day can be done without a lazy evening supper on the beach at the Azzura Beach Club http://www.azzura.sg/ and some much needed drinks to calm the nerves after so much fun and excitement. ($100 I allowed for this one).
Now, all I need is some friends to join me to make this even a more spectacular day. Have to work on that one for now and better do it quickly. I can not wait and obviously will do a awesome post on the Blog when this has happened. And no, its not a dream, I am going to do it folks if it is the last thing I do. Will convince the wife to do this one with me.
Deliberately did not include the Harley Davidson experience. We have done that one back in South Africa for 10 years. Will do a posting on that but here is the link if you need more info on renting a Harley to cruise the Island. http://www.harleysingapore.com/
Have a nice weekend.
The Boss & The Three Letters
A few days ago on the AMlive TV show the topic of discussion was, How do you feel about your Boss? Now that is the kind of topic that really gets me fired up. I have been fortunate to have been in Management or "The Boss" as it is sometimes called for many years and have learned from the best as well as the not so good. I believe without any doubt that you learn What to Do from the good boss and What not to Do from the Bad and Ugly Bosses thru the years and so you eventually create your own management style that should be the best from all worlds.
The Bottom Line Is, it's not easy and can be unrewarding but it's always been my passion no matter what the challenges. When I resigned and handed over the reigns to my Second in Command after four years of mentoring and sharing my experience, I left him with the following document called "The Bottom Line". It's by no means the Alpha and Omega of Management but it is what I practise and believe in with all my heart.
So here goes and any comments welcome even if negative. Whether you are the Boss or one day will be the Boss this is it in a nutshell.
The moral of the story is "Don't blame your problems on something or someone else" Solve them yourself else you will not last long.
The Bottom Line Is, it's not easy and can be unrewarding but it's always been my passion no matter what the challenges. When I resigned and handed over the reigns to my Second in Command after four years of mentoring and sharing my experience, I left him with the following document called "The Bottom Line". It's by no means the Alpha and Omega of Management but it is what I practise and believe in with all my heart.
So here goes and any comments welcome even if negative. Whether you are the Boss or one day will be the Boss this is it in a nutshell.
The Bottom Line
- Create a culture and atmosphere within the organisation condusive to people feeling acknowledged, developed with opprtunities for growth
· You are the Captain and the bug stops with you. The life and well being of the crew depends solely on you. You must fight for them to ensure you get them their just reward.
· You must have a strong vice captain to help you carry the load. You will have your days of doubt when he must assist you thru troubled waters.
· You are responsible for the people who work for you and have to act accordingly
· You can not be your predecessor. You have to define your own style of management
· You will be challenged, tested and have to stand fast.
· You have to lead by example in order to be respected by your team and your piers
· Look after the performers and get rid of the non performers. Surround yourself with the best if you want to be successful
· You have to constantly adapt your management style to suite the situation
· Conflict management is part of your everyday job so you better be good at it
· Know when to fight and when to stand down. You can loose a battle but win the war.
· You will constantly be judged by your superiors, piers and staff
· You are nobody’s friend. Know where the line is between personal and work
· Your success depends on the team so look after them when they perform and guide them when they do not.
· Balance between work hard and play hard
· Make a mistake once and learn from it. Never twice
· Learn how to and how not to from other Managers and Senior Managers to build your own management style.
· Nothing will ever just be smooth and easy. To overcome the challenges is part of the reward and fun.
· The reward for hard work is more work. Not just for you but also the team. The stars get given more responsibility because we trust them.
· You are human and will make mistakes
The story of the 3 letters.
When a new manager took over from his predecessor he asked what he should do when the Sh.. t hits the fan. The outgoing manager gave him three letters and said he should open number 1 then 2 and 3 every time he faces serious issues. Sure as hell not a month after the old manager left a serious situation transpired so the new manager opened letter one. It Stated “Blame the system” which he did and got away with the problem. Some months later another problem and letter 2 opened. It Stated “Blame your predecessor” which he did and all was well.
When he faced another serious issue some months later he finally opened letter 3
It stated “ Write 3 letters and hand to your successor.”The moral of the story is "Don't blame your problems on something or someone else" Solve them yourself else you will not last long.
Carnivore's & Achmed the Dead Terrorist (Jingle Boms)
It was with great delight that I found out from Zelma, via one of her colleagues that there is a Carnivore's in Singapore. For those who are not familiar with this kind of restaurant, Carnivore's is a Brazilian Churrascaria (Portuguese for BBQ Restaurant). It is very common in Brazil and during our honeymoon in Rio De Janeiro we visited these establishments as much as we could.
The concept is simple. A fixed price, eat as much as you like meat buffet, fit for a King. A meat lovers heaven on earth and off course loads of salads and other side dishes that will even keep a vegetarian happy. Back in South Africa there are two that I know of, the original Carnivore's in Mulders Drift and my personal favourite, Rodizio's in the Leaping Frog Centre in Fourways. Many a feast was held there and two Team Year End lunches leading late into the night. You get a red and green Flag or Stick and as long as the green is displayed, the knife wielding (Meat Waiters) will continue to bring fresh BBQ meat on a skewer and carve it right there in your plate.
We took some overseas German visitors (from Zelma's company), Leo and Christina there for supper and I took it upon myself to introduce them to all the local shooters as well. Dancing and drinking till late. Christina still to this day talk about the experience and off course the headache she had the next day. Hit a pothole with me new car on the way home and cost me two new rims and tyres. I definitely do not miss potholes. Still a very memorable evening.
http://www.rodizio.co.za/
I am actually drooling writing this post and can not wait to visit one of the three local restaurants. Lunch between $31 - $34 and supper $45 - $47 for adults and great value considering what you actually get for your money.
Check it out here. http://www.carnivore.com.sg/default.asp
A full and detailed report back will be supplied on my visit as soon as possible. Really looking forward to that one.
Christmas is round the corner so I think it is appropriate to share the Dead Terrorist Christmas addition with you all. Enjoy and does contain some adult stuff so sensitive viewers do not open.
The concept is simple. A fixed price, eat as much as you like meat buffet, fit for a King. A meat lovers heaven on earth and off course loads of salads and other side dishes that will even keep a vegetarian happy. Back in South Africa there are two that I know of, the original Carnivore's in Mulders Drift and my personal favourite, Rodizio's in the Leaping Frog Centre in Fourways. Many a feast was held there and two Team Year End lunches leading late into the night. You get a red and green Flag or Stick and as long as the green is displayed, the knife wielding (Meat Waiters) will continue to bring fresh BBQ meat on a skewer and carve it right there in your plate.
We took some overseas German visitors (from Zelma's company), Leo and Christina there for supper and I took it upon myself to introduce them to all the local shooters as well. Dancing and drinking till late. Christina still to this day talk about the experience and off course the headache she had the next day. Hit a pothole with me new car on the way home and cost me two new rims and tyres. I definitely do not miss potholes. Still a very memorable evening.
http://www.rodizio.co.za/
I am actually drooling writing this post and can not wait to visit one of the three local restaurants. Lunch between $31 - $34 and supper $45 - $47 for adults and great value considering what you actually get for your money.
Check it out here. http://www.carnivore.com.sg/default.asp
A full and detailed report back will be supplied on my visit as soon as possible. Really looking forward to that one.
Christmas is round the corner so I think it is appropriate to share the Dead Terrorist Christmas addition with you all. Enjoy and does contain some adult stuff so sensitive viewers do not open.
The Age of Stupid & Naughty Singapore
After all the excitement Saturday evening and a big meal I found myself first not being able to sleep and then lay awake for most of the night. I ended up watching some stuff I recorded over the past few weeks. One of the 'Movies" I watched called The Age of Stupid, a 2009 British Drama/Documentary starring the late Pete Postletwaite (favourite actor of mine) asking the question "Why didn't we stop Climate Change when we had the chance?"
A man living in a devastated 2055 looking at archive footage from the mid 2000's. It's a provocative view of what the world is not doing although all the signs are there and yes, my pet subject. It features real footage and scenarios. The movie broke a Guinness World Record for the largest film premiere ever based on number of screens. The makers of the movie was the first to use the "Crowd Funding Model" and pioneered the "Indie Screening" distribution system which allows anyone, anywhere to hold a screening and keep the profits for themselves. How that for ground breaking.
If you have not seen the movie it is a must view. The full version is on YouTube and you can download it without fear of prosecution. Have a movie evening at your school, church or any other venue and raise some funds with the entrance fees with some much needed awareness.
For more reading visit http://www.notstupid.org/
If you want to see some other movies Pete Postletwaite star in, I high recommend The Town, The Usual Suspects and In The Name of The Father. He also starred in Inception. Great intense actor mostly playing the "Bad Guy".
I bet you could not wait to get to this part of the post and even skipped the first part and Yes, Singapore might have all the rules and fines but still have a "Dark" naughty side as well. Saturday night strolling down Orchard Road, below the Lucky Plaza we came across the Naughty Adult Shop and this is not the first time. Quite amazing that this is allowed but we also took a stroll in a similar shop just outside China Town just for interest sake off course.
Curiosity killed the Cat, so we had to take a look and apart from the obvious adult movies not for sale certainly the rest of the range does not disappoint. If "Toys and Fantasy" is your cup of tea do pay a visit. The street is busy and at night it is easy to visit in "cloak and dagger style" and what's the chances of anybody you know spotting you here. Get Real.
Read on a fellow Blogger post there is also a "Red Light" district which as a serious Blogger I will have to visit in person to fulfill my readers expectations. Don't worry, I will take the wife along as my assistant just to be safe.
A man living in a devastated 2055 looking at archive footage from the mid 2000's. It's a provocative view of what the world is not doing although all the signs are there and yes, my pet subject. It features real footage and scenarios. The movie broke a Guinness World Record for the largest film premiere ever based on number of screens. The makers of the movie was the first to use the "Crowd Funding Model" and pioneered the "Indie Screening" distribution system which allows anyone, anywhere to hold a screening and keep the profits for themselves. How that for ground breaking.
If you have not seen the movie it is a must view. The full version is on YouTube and you can download it without fear of prosecution. Have a movie evening at your school, church or any other venue and raise some funds with the entrance fees with some much needed awareness.
For more reading visit http://www.notstupid.org/
If you want to see some other movies Pete Postletwaite star in, I high recommend The Town, The Usual Suspects and In The Name of The Father. He also starred in Inception. Great intense actor mostly playing the "Bad Guy".
I bet you could not wait to get to this part of the post and even skipped the first part and Yes, Singapore might have all the rules and fines but still have a "Dark" naughty side as well. Saturday night strolling down Orchard Road, below the Lucky Plaza we came across the Naughty Adult Shop and this is not the first time. Quite amazing that this is allowed but we also took a stroll in a similar shop just outside China Town just for interest sake off course.
Curiosity killed the Cat, so we had to take a look and apart from the obvious adult movies not for sale certainly the rest of the range does not disappoint. If "Toys and Fantasy" is your cup of tea do pay a visit. The street is busy and at night it is easy to visit in "cloak and dagger style" and what's the chances of anybody you know spotting you here. Get Real.
Read on a fellow Blogger post there is also a "Red Light" district which as a serious Blogger I will have to visit in person to fulfill my readers expectations. Don't worry, I will take the wife along as my assistant just to be safe.
Christmas Light-Up & Cyber-Baiting
Did some much needed shopping Saturday morning in preparation of our friend's visit in 3 weeks time and then headed down to Orchard Road for the annual Christmas Light-up. We arrived there round 18h00 with the streets filled with loads of people, kids and dogs and a festive vibe of note. A very large Marque tent was erected in front of Ngee Ann City for the official dignitaries and speech by the President, Toni Tan Keng Yam.
We walked the streets, ended up having a few beers and then got in line for the mass candle lighting. Free battery operated candles were handed out and we were informed that when the President throw the "light switch" at 19h30, candles should be lit from the tent down the row in Mexican Wave style. Kids ignored it off course and ran around with lit candles long before that. I have not been so excited about Christmas for many years and we both felt like children.
Then, the magic moment, when all off a sudden there was a huge cheer and right before our eyes the whole Orchard Road turned into a magical Christmas Wonderland. A certain bucket list moment. The whole street lit up in beautiful blue overhead street lights and all kinds of Christmas Light displays all down the road in front of each and every shopping complex. We walked down the road and admired it all and ended up at TGI Fridays for some "fall of the bone" Jack Daniels Ribs and a nice bottle of wine. Official reports say there were 5000 people but I think there was a lot more. It certainly revived the Christmas spirit for me and Zelma and a very memorable evening.
http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_736010.html
There has been a lot of news coverage about Cyber Bullying over the past few weeks which I find both disturbing and somewhat funny. How can you actually bully someone using social media, but it is real and does happen. And then on Friday a new one, Cyber-Baiting. Taunt, capture and post.
According to statistics, it is happening to 3 out of 10 teachers in Singapore. It's a world wide phenomenon happening in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. Personally I find it pretty sick and a waste of precious resources. The problem is how to get rid of the problem? A student will irritate a teacher until they loose their temper, then film the incident on his mobile phone and post it on the Internet with the aim of embarrassing the teacher. Ban mobile phones in schools I say, but probably not that simple. Surely the youth should focus on their education and future rather than this kind of crap. Teachers even reported Cyber-Stalking by students, checking on their private lives.
Have a great week.
We walked the streets, ended up having a few beers and then got in line for the mass candle lighting. Free battery operated candles were handed out and we were informed that when the President throw the "light switch" at 19h30, candles should be lit from the tent down the row in Mexican Wave style. Kids ignored it off course and ran around with lit candles long before that. I have not been so excited about Christmas for many years and we both felt like children.
Then, the magic moment, when all off a sudden there was a huge cheer and right before our eyes the whole Orchard Road turned into a magical Christmas Wonderland. A certain bucket list moment. The whole street lit up in beautiful blue overhead street lights and all kinds of Christmas Light displays all down the road in front of each and every shopping complex. We walked down the road and admired it all and ended up at TGI Fridays for some "fall of the bone" Jack Daniels Ribs and a nice bottle of wine. Official reports say there were 5000 people but I think there was a lot more. It certainly revived the Christmas spirit for me and Zelma and a very memorable evening.
http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_736010.html
There has been a lot of news coverage about Cyber Bullying over the past few weeks which I find both disturbing and somewhat funny. How can you actually bully someone using social media, but it is real and does happen. And then on Friday a new one, Cyber-Baiting. Taunt, capture and post.
According to statistics, it is happening to 3 out of 10 teachers in Singapore. It's a world wide phenomenon happening in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. Personally I find it pretty sick and a waste of precious resources. The problem is how to get rid of the problem? A student will irritate a teacher until they loose their temper, then film the incident on his mobile phone and post it on the Internet with the aim of embarrassing the teacher. Ban mobile phones in schools I say, but probably not that simple. Surely the youth should focus on their education and future rather than this kind of crap. Teachers even reported Cyber-Stalking by students, checking on their private lives.
Have a great week.
World Toilet Day, Bookfest & Christmas Lights
It's the 10th World Toilet Day tomorrow, 19 November to raise awareness that 40% or 2.6 Billion people in the world does not have adequate, safe and private sanitation. I certainly was not aware of how bad and sad the situation is and take the privilege for granted. Makes you think.
According to WaterAid, Diarrhoea still kills a child every 20 seconds. In fact, diarrhoea kills more children every year than AIDS, malaria and measles combined. It's a disgrace that this completely preventable crisis continues to blight the lives of billions worldwide. That's why, to mark World Toilet Day 2011, we will be launching our new global campaign, Water Works, on Friday 18 Nov.
Here is the link to see how you can do your bit and some fun ways to take part.
http://www.worldtoilet.org/WTD/toolkit_15.html
The 6th annual Bookfest kicks of today and will run at the Suntec Convention Centre until 27 November 2011. The theme this year is "One Book, One World" to broaden learning horizons and stay connected with today's audience. So all you book fans get down there and enjoy.
http://www.bookfestsingapore.com/
It's 38 days to Christmas and yesterday I heard the first Christmas music played at Juncion 8. The annual Christmas Light-Up kicks off at 19h30 outside Ngee Ann City in Orchard Road. Back in the day this was something that also happened in Johannesburg but sadly no more. I remember driving with my parents to go and see the street light decorations. This sounds like it will be spectacular and not to be missed. Check out the photos and the video.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1166045/1/.html
Some very nice stuff to do this weekend and have a great one.
PS. Yesterday was a milestone for me when the Blog reached the 2000 "reads" mark. Thanks to all my loyal followers and readers.
According to WaterAid, Diarrhoea still kills a child every 20 seconds. In fact, diarrhoea kills more children every year than AIDS, malaria and measles combined. It's a disgrace that this completely preventable crisis continues to blight the lives of billions worldwide. That's why, to mark World Toilet Day 2011, we will be launching our new global campaign, Water Works, on Friday 18 Nov.
Here is the link to see how you can do your bit and some fun ways to take part.
http://www.worldtoilet.org/WTD/toolkit_15.html
The 6th annual Bookfest kicks of today and will run at the Suntec Convention Centre until 27 November 2011. The theme this year is "One Book, One World" to broaden learning horizons and stay connected with today's audience. So all you book fans get down there and enjoy.
http://www.bookfestsingapore.com/
It's 38 days to Christmas and yesterday I heard the first Christmas music played at Juncion 8. The annual Christmas Light-Up kicks off at 19h30 outside Ngee Ann City in Orchard Road. Back in the day this was something that also happened in Johannesburg but sadly no more. I remember driving with my parents to go and see the street light decorations. This sounds like it will be spectacular and not to be missed. Check out the photos and the video.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1166045/1/.html
Some very nice stuff to do this weekend and have a great one.
PS. Yesterday was a milestone for me when the Blog reached the 2000 "reads" mark. Thanks to all my loyal followers and readers.
Fly Me to the Moon & Dogs are Special
A local Singapore business chartered the first ever private space flight for him and his family yesterday. The price, a mere $1.3 million to book the whole flight for his family and apparently he did not yet inform his wife of the trip and prefers to remain anonymous. It must be nice to have that kind of money and add that one to your bucket list.
They will be the first family from Asia to become astronauts together. According to the tourism company, Virgin Galactic, 9 out of the nearly 500 tickets already sold were bought by Singapore customers. Bookings have been sold since 2005 for US$200,000 per ticket and currently 46 countries are represented with many of the customers being the first that will go into space for their countries. The company hopes to start making flights in 2013 so hurry up people and make those bookings.
Here is the link for more details
http://www.virgingalactic.com/
My favourite shopping center is nex in Serangoon. Its not as busy as some of the others in my area and only two MRT stops to get there which is convenient. It has very nice retail and lifestyle shops, restaurants and the fact that my special burger joint, Carl's Jnr is also there must have something to do with why I like it so much.. Continued my local food journey yesterday and had the Fried Oyster Omelet at the Food Republic. Sat down and started eating with my Chopsticks which I still battle with seriously. Two lovely old Chinese ladies came and sat opposite me and after about 5 minutes one of them got up and promptly returned with a fork in hand and kindly gave it to me. They obviously must have noticed how much I was struggling. Finished the meal with the fork and will practice at home for now.
If you have not tried a Carl's burger yet I highly recommend it. http://carlsjr.com.sg/live/index.php
The other interesting and nice thing about nex, is the Sky Park which I only found yesterday. Its a rooftop garden with a Kidzplay, both wet and dry interactive play equipment for kids and get this, a K9 Park. The first ever dog park to be integrated into a shopping mall. There are separate areas for large and small dogs and even designated lifts and escalators to get your pet there. Really nice place to take your kids and dogs if you need a break that is somewhat different. For the night owls nex also boast an Extended Hour Zone where you can shop 24 hours a day.
http://www.nex.com.sg/index.php?section=home#
Weekend is nearly here.
They will be the first family from Asia to become astronauts together. According to the tourism company, Virgin Galactic, 9 out of the nearly 500 tickets already sold were bought by Singapore customers. Bookings have been sold since 2005 for US$200,000 per ticket and currently 46 countries are represented with many of the customers being the first that will go into space for their countries. The company hopes to start making flights in 2013 so hurry up people and make those bookings.
Here is the link for more details
http://www.virgingalactic.com/
My favourite shopping center is nex in Serangoon. Its not as busy as some of the others in my area and only two MRT stops to get there which is convenient. It has very nice retail and lifestyle shops, restaurants and the fact that my special burger joint, Carl's Jnr is also there must have something to do with why I like it so much.. Continued my local food journey yesterday and had the Fried Oyster Omelet at the Food Republic. Sat down and started eating with my Chopsticks which I still battle with seriously. Two lovely old Chinese ladies came and sat opposite me and after about 5 minutes one of them got up and promptly returned with a fork in hand and kindly gave it to me. They obviously must have noticed how much I was struggling. Finished the meal with the fork and will practice at home for now.
If you have not tried a Carl's burger yet I highly recommend it. http://carlsjr.com.sg/live/index.php
The other interesting and nice thing about nex, is the Sky Park which I only found yesterday. Its a rooftop garden with a Kidzplay, both wet and dry interactive play equipment for kids and get this, a K9 Park. The first ever dog park to be integrated into a shopping mall. There are separate areas for large and small dogs and even designated lifts and escalators to get your pet there. Really nice place to take your kids and dogs if you need a break that is somewhat different. For the night owls nex also boast an Extended Hour Zone where you can shop 24 hours a day.
http://www.nex.com.sg/index.php?section=home#
Weekend is nearly here.
Bombay Curry & Saving Private Ryan
So, the wife is on a management course for 3 days including supper which leaves me free to prepare my favourite food. Hot and spicy curry which I can not normally do as Zelma can not eat any spicy food. Found an old favourite recipe "Bombay Curry" dashed to the shops to get all the ingredients including some wine for my Movie Night. I added potato chunks and some frozen peas for good measure and served with rice. Absolute bloody awesome if I say so myself.
One very important thing about any curry is that is best made two days before you are actually going to serve it to allow for all those wonderful flavours to mingle. Keep in the fridge and warm up when ready to serve. Any left overs if you are lucky can be used the next few days in creative ways which also make it healthy fast food and very cost effective. Today will be Bunny Chow (Curry stuffed in half loaf white bread), A South African street food favourite and tomorrow Curry Jaffle (toasted sandwich) and so on. A few days of spicy heaven. Yum.
If you have not had a Bunny Chow you simply have not lived.
PS. Use fresh ginger and green chillies else it will not be the same.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bunny_chow
http://www.food.com/recipe/beef-bombay-curry-88540
Then the movie choice. Saving Private Ryan, the best war movie and one of my top ten. I have seen it many times before but still enjoy watching it and seeing stuff I did not see in previous viewings. This was also the first time I watched it in HD, brilliant. A Stellar cast, great movie shots (some a bit bloody) and a great story line.
I can not believe anybody has not seen it but if so, do yourself a favour and watch it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68t6PhbYiSo
One very important thing about any curry is that is best made two days before you are actually going to serve it to allow for all those wonderful flavours to mingle. Keep in the fridge and warm up when ready to serve. Any left overs if you are lucky can be used the next few days in creative ways which also make it healthy fast food and very cost effective. Today will be Bunny Chow (Curry stuffed in half loaf white bread), A South African street food favourite and tomorrow Curry Jaffle (toasted sandwich) and so on. A few days of spicy heaven. Yum.
If you have not had a Bunny Chow you simply have not lived.
PS. Use fresh ginger and green chillies else it will not be the same.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bunny_chow
http://www.food.com/recipe/beef-bombay-curry-88540
Then the movie choice. Saving Private Ryan, the best war movie and one of my top ten. I have seen it many times before but still enjoy watching it and seeing stuff I did not see in previous viewings. This was also the first time I watched it in HD, brilliant. A Stellar cast, great movie shots (some a bit bloody) and a great story line.
I can not believe anybody has not seen it but if so, do yourself a favour and watch it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68t6PhbYiSo
The Visitor and Dempsey Hill
We had our first visitor on Saturday. Jen, my ex Estate agent and now my friend came over for a visit and to meet the dogs that I spoke of so much. I prepared a special treat for her in the morning and made some Jan Ellis pudding to give her a chance to taste some South African food. Jen arrived with some local curry puffs, fresh and hot in hand and we had a nice mix tradition meal for lunch. Loads of coffee and chatting and eventually she had to leave in the afternoon to go and do some work. She has been to Johannesburg on a short visit before and we agreed to have a BBQ together in the next few weeks with a twist. I will do a SA version and Jen will bring along some stuff from her culture and mix and enjoy. Really looking forward to that one.
Took a drive to Dempsey Hill yesterday with the main attraction the Huber Butchery. Very nice village style environment with restaurants, art shops, food shops and the butchery with its own bistro. Seems like a get together for people who own vintage cars as I spotted quite a few in the parking bays. O, and the parking if free and that is a first for me in Singapore. Some observations. It seems to be the hang out for Expats or Expat husbands with local wife's and definitely aimed at the upmarket sector. The shops, art and food are expensive compared to other places I have been to before.
Huber's butchery is very big (the biggest in Singapore) and they stock a wide variety of fresh meat, even some South African style boerewors. Also have some other western food, vegetables and bakery items. We ended up having lunch at the Bistro and their prices were not that bad and the food very good. Had some German draught beer (missed my friend Anton who loves German beer) with lunch. Definitely worth a visit especially if you are into art as there a lot of shops and for the occasional breakfast or lunch. I love the butchery.
If you want good German Beer and the Best Ever Eisbein I have ever had, visit the Schwabinger Stuben restaurant in Ferndale, South Africa. I used to go there frequently with my work colleagues and the place in just awesome. Great vibe, service and food to die for. The kind of place you go to for lunch and end up leaving at night and yes we did have one of those. Aah, the memories!!!!
Here is the link http://www.schwabinger.co.za/
Had a nice online chat with Trevor from South Africa last night. He is coming to Singapore with his family in February and we have been emailing each other for a while now. Looking forward to having some more South African connections here.
Have a great week
Took a drive to Dempsey Hill yesterday with the main attraction the Huber Butchery. Very nice village style environment with restaurants, art shops, food shops and the butchery with its own bistro. Seems like a get together for people who own vintage cars as I spotted quite a few in the parking bays. O, and the parking if free and that is a first for me in Singapore. Some observations. It seems to be the hang out for Expats or Expat husbands with local wife's and definitely aimed at the upmarket sector. The shops, art and food are expensive compared to other places I have been to before.
Huber's butchery is very big (the biggest in Singapore) and they stock a wide variety of fresh meat, even some South African style boerewors. Also have some other western food, vegetables and bakery items. We ended up having lunch at the Bistro and their prices were not that bad and the food very good. Had some German draught beer (missed my friend Anton who loves German beer) with lunch. Definitely worth a visit especially if you are into art as there a lot of shops and for the occasional breakfast or lunch. I love the butchery.
If you want good German Beer and the Best Ever Eisbein I have ever had, visit the Schwabinger Stuben restaurant in Ferndale, South Africa. I used to go there frequently with my work colleagues and the place in just awesome. Great vibe, service and food to die for. The kind of place you go to for lunch and end up leaving at night and yes we did have one of those. Aah, the memories!!!!
Here is the link http://www.schwabinger.co.za/
Had a nice online chat with Trevor from South Africa last night. He is coming to Singapore with his family in February and we have been emailing each other for a while now. Looking forward to having some more South African connections here.
Have a great week
Models & Holland Village
Took a trip to the Macpherson MRT station and a brisk 6 minutes walk to Ubi Ave 3 to visit the Tamiya Showroom. For those of you who do not know the name, they are the world premier suppliers of model building kits. Aircraft, motorcycles, cars, radio control kits, aircraft carriers etc. I have bought and built some of their models back home and this is for the serious model builder. The motorcycles I built took approximately 60 hours to finish. It is a very rewarding and relaxing experience to complete one of these models.
The showroom is big with a upstairs promotion room and loads of display cabinets with fully built models. I did not ask if they were for sale as the amount of time that goes into finishing a model should make it very expensive. Not mass manufactured but hand built. You can buy models that are "Factory" built but it is not the same and lacks detail. Definitely worth a visit if you are at all interested in model building or even just to go and see the displays. There are some extraordinary displays and some expensive kit. The model 18 wheeler truck I really fancied is a mere $1850. Wow!
Its also a unique experience as Singapore was chosen as the perfect location for the first ever overseas showroom for Tamiya. Here is the link.
http://www.tamiya.com/english/info/040824.htm
Also visited the much spoken about Holland Village. There is a small shopping centre but this is essentially a foodie destination and later in the day would be better with my guess the evening the best. Lots of side streets with restaurants flanking the roads. There is also a Food Court sort of in the middle of the Village. I was there around 11h00 and very quite and most shops and restaurants still closed. Will visit this one again in the evening to get the full experience.
Hope you all have a great weekend.
The showroom is big with a upstairs promotion room and loads of display cabinets with fully built models. I did not ask if they were for sale as the amount of time that goes into finishing a model should make it very expensive. Not mass manufactured but hand built. You can buy models that are "Factory" built but it is not the same and lacks detail. Definitely worth a visit if you are at all interested in model building or even just to go and see the displays. There are some extraordinary displays and some expensive kit. The model 18 wheeler truck I really fancied is a mere $1850. Wow!
Its also a unique experience as Singapore was chosen as the perfect location for the first ever overseas showroom for Tamiya. Here is the link.
http://www.tamiya.com/english/info/040824.htm
Also visited the much spoken about Holland Village. There is a small shopping centre but this is essentially a foodie destination and later in the day would be better with my guess the evening the best. Lots of side streets with restaurants flanking the roads. There is also a Food Court sort of in the middle of the Village. I was there around 11h00 and very quite and most shops and restaurants still closed. Will visit this one again in the evening to get the full experience.
Hope you all have a great weekend.
Jaffles, Bali Thai & Does Size Matter
No, not the definition as per the Urban Dictionary, A Threesome. Sex between three people - two of which is female. I am talking food people or as the Australians call it Jaffles or toasted sandwiches made in a Sandwich Toaster. This is known in South Africa as Jaffels, traditional boerekos and sadly this tradition died out and has been replaced by the Snackwich.
This was always available at church bazaars and school functions but honestly, I have not seen it in many years. And no, they definitely do not taste the same as a toasted sandwich or snackwich. The pan is made from metal (no Teflon covering), round, twice as thick and you make one at a time typically over hot coals or gas stove if you are in a hurry.
The past weekend we unpacked our last remaining box and my Jaffel pan was one of the items uncovered. The kind of thing you will maybe find in Grandma's kitchen but I do own one. Zelma gave me six months to use it or loose it so without delay I made some jaffles last night with left over Shepherds Pie, Zelma made Monday night. Added my own touch with some grated Monterrey Jack cheese and Oh my Goodness. Outrageously good and brought back very fond memories. Standard Jaffels were always made with a savoury mince filling with finely chopped carrots and peas or curry mince. You can however go wild and fill them with whatever you fancy. Any leftover curry. meat or even bacon and eggs for the special breakfast treat will work.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandwich_toaster or Jaffle maker as it is sometimes called.
Took a trip yesterday to the city to have lunch with Zelma at Suntec City. She has been to the Bali Thai restaurant on two work occasions and wanted to share the food experience with me. Very nice place and a good menu if you like spicy food. I had the Thai Green Chicken Curry and Zelma had Chicken Olive Rice with stir fried vegetables. Food and service was excellent but a bit on the expensive side for a casual lunch. Very nice menu to select a variety of dishes and share with some friends which the table next to us did.
Bet you could not wait to read this segment. Ah, those dirty little minds. It is official. Singaporean woman definitely agree. A local dating agency did a survey and only 14 percent of the woman will date a man who is shorter. On the other hand, 42% of Singapore men will date woman that are taller than them.
"Woman seem hard-wired to prefer taller, well-built men since they traditionally made better hunters and providers" said Ms Violet Lim, CEO and co-founder of Lunch Actually, at a media conference yesterday.
At 6 ft 1, I would have styled this one but alas, I am happily married girls. My advise to the men is simple. Start eating pap en vleis (Mielie meal and meat) and no more fish and rice with loads of beer. Steroids won't work, we all know what other "little" side effect that has.
This was always available at church bazaars and school functions but honestly, I have not seen it in many years. And no, they definitely do not taste the same as a toasted sandwich or snackwich. The pan is made from metal (no Teflon covering), round, twice as thick and you make one at a time typically over hot coals or gas stove if you are in a hurry.
The past weekend we unpacked our last remaining box and my Jaffel pan was one of the items uncovered. The kind of thing you will maybe find in Grandma's kitchen but I do own one. Zelma gave me six months to use it or loose it so without delay I made some jaffles last night with left over Shepherds Pie, Zelma made Monday night. Added my own touch with some grated Monterrey Jack cheese and Oh my Goodness. Outrageously good and brought back very fond memories. Standard Jaffels were always made with a savoury mince filling with finely chopped carrots and peas or curry mince. You can however go wild and fill them with whatever you fancy. Any leftover curry. meat or even bacon and eggs for the special breakfast treat will work.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandwich_toaster or Jaffle maker as it is sometimes called.
Took a trip yesterday to the city to have lunch with Zelma at Suntec City. She has been to the Bali Thai restaurant on two work occasions and wanted to share the food experience with me. Very nice place and a good menu if you like spicy food. I had the Thai Green Chicken Curry and Zelma had Chicken Olive Rice with stir fried vegetables. Food and service was excellent but a bit on the expensive side for a casual lunch. Very nice menu to select a variety of dishes and share with some friends which the table next to us did.
Bet you could not wait to read this segment. Ah, those dirty little minds. It is official. Singaporean woman definitely agree. A local dating agency did a survey and only 14 percent of the woman will date a man who is shorter. On the other hand, 42% of Singapore men will date woman that are taller than them.
"Woman seem hard-wired to prefer taller, well-built men since they traditionally made better hunters and providers" said Ms Violet Lim, CEO and co-founder of Lunch Actually, at a media conference yesterday.
At 6 ft 1, I would have styled this one but alas, I am happily married girls. My advise to the men is simple. Start eating pap en vleis (Mielie meal and meat) and no more fish and rice with loads of beer. Steroids won't work, we all know what other "little" side effect that has.
Drive & The Long Weekend
The long weekend has come and gone. We decided to have a relaxed weekend with not much exploration. Monthly shopping Saturday and Sunday took another trip to Orchard Road. You need several visits to explore that one properly. I spent quite a bit of time the last few days putting together a itinerary for our friends visit in a few weeks time and once again realised how much amazing stuff there is to see and do in Singapore. Uncovered a whole list of new places in the process. We will also not do any new explore trips until our friends arrive so we can do some of the new stuff with them.
Watched the new Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan movie, "Drive" this weekend. I am a huge fan of both actors and my expectations were high but sadly I must say very disappointing. Ryan just does not cut it in the movie as a "Bad Ass" and the prolonged moments of silence make you want to reach for a fast forward button. The onscreen chemistry between them also does not work. Hopefully Ryan's next movie with George Clooney (The Ides of March) will erase my memories of this one. Carey is a great actress but her talents are wasted in this movie. Rather watch her in "An Education" and "Never Let Me Go", both excellent movies. I guess all movie stars must have a few flops?
Here is the Ides of March Preview.
Have a great week.
Watched the new Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan movie, "Drive" this weekend. I am a huge fan of both actors and my expectations were high but sadly I must say very disappointing. Ryan just does not cut it in the movie as a "Bad Ass" and the prolonged moments of silence make you want to reach for a fast forward button. The onscreen chemistry between them also does not work. Hopefully Ryan's next movie with George Clooney (The Ides of March) will erase my memories of this one. Carey is a great actress but her talents are wasted in this movie. Rather watch her in "An Education" and "Never Let Me Go", both excellent movies. I guess all movie stars must have a few flops?
Here is the Ides of March Preview.
Have a great week.
Bugis Street & Sim Lim
I have been to the Bugis Junction, basically a upmarket shopping mall a few times before but only recently discovered that there is a whole lot more if you venture outside of the mall to Bugis Street. I took the MRT there yesterday and what a pleasant surprise.
The entrance sign reads "The biggest street shopping location in Singapore" and I can vouch for that. The place is huge, covered and has shops that sell anything you may dream of. Its the hottest and trendiest place to do your shopping with bargains galore. Also include some very unique eating and drinks stalls as you move down the alleys. Grab a Chinese Burger, Ice Cold Lime & Barley drink or one of the best Pepper Hot Dogs in town. My mid morning snack.
Its a multi storey venue with the "Little Red Dot" on level 2 which is a platform for budding entrepreneurs and local designers showcasing and selling their own designs. Take a stroll to Level 3 which extend your shopping experience too some real classy and sophisticated shops. You will get some real good bang for your buck here. When you reach the end walk across the road down some beautiful open streets with even more shops. You can also find a magnificent Chinese market in the open shopping area with two majestic Temples.
Carry on straight down the road , about two blocks and you will reach Sim Lim Sqaure or as it is know locally, the Biggest Electronics Mall in Singapore. If you are looking for any electronic gadget under the sun and a good price then this is your heaven. Sale people are a tad irritating trying to lure you into their shops, but hey we are all trying to make a living. On the way back from Sim Lim to Bugis Street you will find the Albert Food Centre on your right. Big food court and wet market with a great food selection. I had the Ayam Panggang (Chicken Leg with rice topped with Curry Sauce and served with Chips) at the Indonesian BBQ stall. Very nice.
Have a great weekend
The entrance sign reads "The biggest street shopping location in Singapore" and I can vouch for that. The place is huge, covered and has shops that sell anything you may dream of. Its the hottest and trendiest place to do your shopping with bargains galore. Also include some very unique eating and drinks stalls as you move down the alleys. Grab a Chinese Burger, Ice Cold Lime & Barley drink or one of the best Pepper Hot Dogs in town. My mid morning snack.
Its a multi storey venue with the "Little Red Dot" on level 2 which is a platform for budding entrepreneurs and local designers showcasing and selling their own designs. Take a stroll to Level 3 which extend your shopping experience too some real classy and sophisticated shops. You will get some real good bang for your buck here. When you reach the end walk across the road down some beautiful open streets with even more shops. You can also find a magnificent Chinese market in the open shopping area with two majestic Temples.
Carry on straight down the road , about two blocks and you will reach Sim Lim Sqaure or as it is know locally, the Biggest Electronics Mall in Singapore. If you are looking for any electronic gadget under the sun and a good price then this is your heaven. Sale people are a tad irritating trying to lure you into their shops, but hey we are all trying to make a living. On the way back from Sim Lim to Bugis Street you will find the Albert Food Centre on your right. Big food court and wet market with a great food selection. I had the Ayam Panggang (Chicken Leg with rice topped with Curry Sauce and served with Chips) at the Indonesian BBQ stall. Very nice.
Have a great weekend
3 Months & 7B
So here we are. Today is 3 months to the day that we packed up everything in South Africa and arrived in Singapore. The year has been an emotional coaster ride with many ups and downs, doubts and a lot of insecurity. It's not an easy thing to move to a new country and the learning curve has been a steep one and no doubt will continue for a while. There has been lots of nice and new stuff as part of the journey so far. The house sale back in South Africa was also finalised last week and now this is our home, or at least for the next 3 years. So let me reflect on some of the lessons and experiences.
The first one is the total feeling of being lost and actually getting continually lost while trying to learn the new roads, shops and general direction. This is thankfully not the case anymore and driving around has become a pleasure, even something I look forward too.
Second, there is the diversity and range of available products. This is actually very nice but first you have to work your way thru all the choices and establish a framework on what products you actually like and then remember the next time you buy something. I still battle to remember exactly which bread to buy as there is just so many choices and not all to my liking. P.S. I hate milk bread.
Then there is the "exploring" part and trying to find out where you can actually get you hands on some stuff. This is mostly the case with "Western" products like Spray & Cook and Oven Cleaner as examples. Where to get a plumber, garden stuff, flowers, the favourite stuff you like to eat etc.
Fourth is the language issue with the "Labour" force. Singaporeans do not fill these jobs and you are bound to deal with a Chinese, Phillipino or Malaysian person who barely speak English. A good example is the process of getting a housemaid. Most people here have full time live inn maids, so for us to get a part time maid was a real challenge. Took the safe route and dealt with a Employment Agency and still it has taken more than a month. The first lady was Chinese, hardly understood any English and on top of it could not do ironing. Thankfully she has now been replaced by two lovely girls, Lyn and Joanna, from the Philippines. Both speak proper English and they come together on a Monday for 4 hours with Lyn doing the ironing and Joanna cleaning the house. No more ironing for Zelma which did make her very happy.
My research for the two articles I did for Expat Arrivals forced me to do a lot of travelling around and I can say that I no longer feel intimidated to go to food centers or mingling with the locals. I am even on first name terms with the butcher and he does special stuff for me like spice the meat or cutting fresh meat instead of giving me the display items. I still get stared at and the fact that I am quite tall also does make me stand out amongst the short shits here, but it no longer bothers me to be the minority whitey. I just stare back which I think it must feel a bit intimidating.
The biggest adjustment has been changing my attitude regarding "Not Feeling Safe". Living in a house with no alarm, 10 foot walls and massive electric fences was a mindset change. I do not wake up for every little sound at night anymore. Also walking around being jumpy and deep down dreading getting mugged or something does take some doing. I no longer look around when I hear someone walking up behind me. I don't stand with my back to the wall in the train and to be honest this is a very good feeling that I have not had the pleasure of in my life in South Africa. I like it allot and it is nice to be able to go around wherever you like feeling safe.
This is my home now and overall it has been a very good change. Even my health has improved and I am now 9 kilos less than 4 months ago. The only negative is the fact that finding a job does not look very promising and the whole "Trailing Spouse" stigma does effect me. I have decided to broaden my scope and starting today I am going to take a out of the box approach and who knows.
Lastly there is the weather adjustment and days like the past Sunday when it was exceptionally hot still gets me a bit, but overall we have "Acclimatised" and find the weather very nice. And do not let anybody tell you there are no Thunderstorms in Singapore. They are huge with loads of rain and lightning.
I have been to hell and back and finally the house, dogs and life in general feels normal again and I look forward to the rest of the year. The year has gone like a blink of the eye and Christmas is only 7 weeks away. Lots of exciting stuff to look forward too.
The 7B is for the welcoming of the 7 Billionth baby at midnight yesterday. A baby girl born in Manila, becoming a symbol for the worlds population reaching 7 billion. There were 382,000 babies born yesterday and the UN estimate that the world population will reach eight billion by 2025. That is a scary thought and the world food supply is already under strain and other questions like clean water, shelter, education and a decent life for every child should get some serious consideration.
The first one is the total feeling of being lost and actually getting continually lost while trying to learn the new roads, shops and general direction. This is thankfully not the case anymore and driving around has become a pleasure, even something I look forward too.
Second, there is the diversity and range of available products. This is actually very nice but first you have to work your way thru all the choices and establish a framework on what products you actually like and then remember the next time you buy something. I still battle to remember exactly which bread to buy as there is just so many choices and not all to my liking. P.S. I hate milk bread.
Then there is the "exploring" part and trying to find out where you can actually get you hands on some stuff. This is mostly the case with "Western" products like Spray & Cook and Oven Cleaner as examples. Where to get a plumber, garden stuff, flowers, the favourite stuff you like to eat etc.
Fourth is the language issue with the "Labour" force. Singaporeans do not fill these jobs and you are bound to deal with a Chinese, Phillipino or Malaysian person who barely speak English. A good example is the process of getting a housemaid. Most people here have full time live inn maids, so for us to get a part time maid was a real challenge. Took the safe route and dealt with a Employment Agency and still it has taken more than a month. The first lady was Chinese, hardly understood any English and on top of it could not do ironing. Thankfully she has now been replaced by two lovely girls, Lyn and Joanna, from the Philippines. Both speak proper English and they come together on a Monday for 4 hours with Lyn doing the ironing and Joanna cleaning the house. No more ironing for Zelma which did make her very happy.
My research for the two articles I did for Expat Arrivals forced me to do a lot of travelling around and I can say that I no longer feel intimidated to go to food centers or mingling with the locals. I am even on first name terms with the butcher and he does special stuff for me like spice the meat or cutting fresh meat instead of giving me the display items. I still get stared at and the fact that I am quite tall also does make me stand out amongst the short shits here, but it no longer bothers me to be the minority whitey. I just stare back which I think it must feel a bit intimidating.
The biggest adjustment has been changing my attitude regarding "Not Feeling Safe". Living in a house with no alarm, 10 foot walls and massive electric fences was a mindset change. I do not wake up for every little sound at night anymore. Also walking around being jumpy and deep down dreading getting mugged or something does take some doing. I no longer look around when I hear someone walking up behind me. I don't stand with my back to the wall in the train and to be honest this is a very good feeling that I have not had the pleasure of in my life in South Africa. I like it allot and it is nice to be able to go around wherever you like feeling safe.
This is my home now and overall it has been a very good change. Even my health has improved and I am now 9 kilos less than 4 months ago. The only negative is the fact that finding a job does not look very promising and the whole "Trailing Spouse" stigma does effect me. I have decided to broaden my scope and starting today I am going to take a out of the box approach and who knows.
Lastly there is the weather adjustment and days like the past Sunday when it was exceptionally hot still gets me a bit, but overall we have "Acclimatised" and find the weather very nice. And do not let anybody tell you there are no Thunderstorms in Singapore. They are huge with loads of rain and lightning.
I have been to hell and back and finally the house, dogs and life in general feels normal again and I look forward to the rest of the year. The year has gone like a blink of the eye and Christmas is only 7 weeks away. Lots of exciting stuff to look forward too.
The 7B is for the welcoming of the 7 Billionth baby at midnight yesterday. A baby girl born in Manila, becoming a symbol for the worlds population reaching 7 billion. There were 382,000 babies born yesterday and the UN estimate that the world population will reach eight billion by 2025. That is a scary thought and the world food supply is already under strain and other questions like clean water, shelter, education and a decent life for every child should get some serious consideration.
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