Enough with this out-of-body experience, as a public service, here are three essential items if you ever decide to travel in S'pore - you need to carry a packet of tissues or paper napkins (no, you don't need a towel like "Hitchhiker's Guide to Galaxy" suggests). You need them mainly for two reasons. First, in outdoor food stands, you need them for wiping before and after the meal. Second, it's so humid and hot here that you need them to wipe your sweat off if you stay out for long. I assume the deodorant makers are doing quite well here 8-)
The second necessity is an umbrella. It's a known fact that it's always hot and humid in S'pore. It's also true that you never know when it's going to rain. Unlike NY where you can get a fairly accurate forecast a few days in advance, the weather report here doesn't give you much information. Maybe it's the instability of the tropical weather pattern, or maybe it's the lack of those goofy meteorologists in the States 8-) It's quite difficult to find out if you are going to get wet.
The third is the TransitLink card. Of course, if you are staying for a short duration, taxi is cheap and convenient. Just make sure you have the cash, they don't take American Express 8-) But if you are staying for a longer period, like me, and want to save a few dollars, then a TransitLink card is indispensable. It allows cashless transaction of traveling on the local mass transportation. Of course, if you are staying for a longer term, a phone card and a local ATM cards are also quite helpful. In S'pore, cashless transaction has become quite common. I haven't found a need to use my credit card yet. So far, I didn't have to worry about running out of cash. But if I do, the ATM machines are easily accessible. And you don't have to worry about people robbing you at gun point 8-)
Since I am on the subject of traveling in S'pore, it is a shopper's paradise if you know what you are doing. Shopping in S'pore is a lot like shopping in Canal Street in NY. If you know how to haggle and know the product well, you can get a very good deal. Otherwise, you stand a very good chance of getting ripped off. In most stores here, fixed price is exception rather than the norm. Take stereo for example. I wanted to get a Philip FW-41 mini hi-fi set before the GST. I saw it advertised in the local paper for S$569. With some haggling, I was able to get a price of S$540 in a store in Chinatown, but they didn't have it in stock 8-( When I went to a store in Sim Lim square, they first offer me S$590. I was able to bargain down to S$550. I wish there is something like the Consumer Report so I can just look up the price and go shop. Ignorant is bliss, if you know the way the stores operate here, shopping can be quite stressful.
One last thing I had to mention, I had my first encounter in S'pore with the dreaded mosquitos, or better known as the state bird of New Jersey 8-) I managed to clobber a few of them in the bathroom where I am staying. I haven't seen much of these pesky little critters in S'pore. One of the reasons is that there aren't much opportunities for them to breed. I am sure most of you know, S'pore is a fairly clean place. I read in the local paper that construction companies are being fined for creating breeding ground for mosquitos. If you are ever looking for a flat in S'pore, make sure to stay higher up so to give the little critters a tougher time in getting to their meals 8-)
