So yesterday was the final working day, where I was most fortunate to visit the new centre, and observe the new gadgets in operation. At the same time, goodbyes are never easy... =(
The final day: my original plan was to muck around from morning to 1pm, then head back to our apartment, do one final pack of my luggage, then catch the MRT all the way to Changi Airport. Common wisdom suggests that an early check-in may make the staff a bit more generous...
But like the best of plans, things NEVER go to plan.
Point the first: Mornings.
So whilst I had wonderful company for a wonderful dinner last night, the other two went clubbing, as it turns out. For more details, I suggest you bug them. Long story short: they had a fair time, albeit getting back at 1.30 in the morning.
Needless to say, I had a pair of sleepyheads on my hands this morning. So I showered, mucked around on my iPad, snoozed and dozed off in boredom... twas almost 11am by the time everyone ready to head out.
Unfortunately, 11am is also the end of breakfast time and breakfast specials, as we found out the hard way. The two lessons I learnt from breakfast today: Number One is the 11am thing. Number Two is to read your food blogs and apps properly. We had walked past Killiney Kopitiam at Lucky Plaza many times, and I had noticed it on the "ieat hawker" app from one of the best Singaporean food bloggers. BUT I DIDN'T focus on the details: the speciality is the coffee, not the food. Also, it refers to the master franchise along Killiney Road, Somerset... not some of the other franchises.
The final day: my original plan was to muck around from morning to 1pm, then head back to our apartment, do one final pack of my luggage, then catch the MRT all the way to Changi Airport. Common wisdom suggests that an early check-in may make the staff a bit more generous...
But like the best of plans, things NEVER go to plan.
Point the first: Mornings.
So whilst I had wonderful company for a wonderful dinner last night, the other two went clubbing, as it turns out. For more details, I suggest you bug them. Long story short: they had a fair time, albeit getting back at 1.30 in the morning.
Needless to say, I had a pair of sleepyheads on my hands this morning. So I showered, mucked around on my iPad, snoozed and dozed off in boredom... twas almost 11am by the time everyone ready to head out.
Unfortunately, 11am is also the end of breakfast time and breakfast specials, as we found out the hard way. The two lessons I learnt from breakfast today: Number One is the 11am thing. Number Two is to read your food blogs and apps properly. We had walked past Killiney Kopitiam at Lucky Plaza many times, and I had noticed it on the "ieat hawker" app from one of the best Singaporean food bloggers. BUT I DIDN'T focus on the details: the speciality is the coffee, not the food. Also, it refers to the master franchise along Killiney Road, Somerset... not some of the other franchises.
Breakfast was a bit of a disappointment: we were late for the breakfast discount, but Michelle and Andy still ordered the breakfast set - Kaya toast with eggs and Kopi or Teh (coffee or tea). I just ordered the toast and kopi-C (the thick coffee laced with condensed milk, Asian style), no eggs - not worth the extra 90c. Good thing I didn't: the eggs were overdone and hardboiled (which I like, but it's not the norm compared to the other toast places). What else: the coffee was a bit too Asian-y sweet which I appreciated, having grown up with similar in Hong Kong (a sentiment not shared), and the Kaya toast wasn't up to standard either: minimal kaya with extra butter - which was squished out immediately by the others.
What else to do? It was 11.30 by the time we finished our disasterous breakfast, and Michelle was dying for a decent coffee: ION Orchard's Starbucks was the next stop, with a detour into Lucky Plaza along the way, so Andy and Michelle could recharge their wallets.
(Free plug: having wandered various sectors of Singapore and the Exchanges, Lucky Plaza does give you the best overall deal: make sure you walk to one of the inside exchanges to get the best rate, rather than those at the entrances).
Come 12 o'clock, and it's time to say goodbye to Michelle and Andy - sitting down at Starbucks gave us all time to plan the rest of our day: they decided to do the Hop-On/Hop-Off bus tour and explore the rest of central Singapore, whilst I was intrigued about this new thingy... so I popped on over to Marina Bay for one last huzzah.
We bid farewell outside the MRT, then off onto our separate ways... never to see them until back in Sydney.
Remember how I said that I wanted to be home by 1pm? Fat chance! =)
Yesterday (29th June 2012) was the official launch of the Gardens by the Bay project, a giant sector devoted as a mix of Botanical Gardens and education centre. Since I had time on my hands... and I wasn't going to be back in Singapore for a while... why not make use of it?! Besides, plans are there to be changed.
A short change of trains at NS27-CE2 Marina Bay Interchange, and I had arrived at CE1 Bayfront Station, home to Marina Bay Sands, Skypark... and now, the Gardens!
Here, I'm happy to jibber in: I did my good deed of the day =)
A retired English couple was sitting on the train on the Circle Line when I boarded at CE2 Marina Bay, looking worriedly at a pocket MRT map. The train left, then slowed as it arrived at CE1 Bayfront... and then I overheard them trying to decide whether they had arrived at Marina Bay station.
Long story short: I asked them if I could help, asking where they wanted to go - to Chinatown, as it turned out. So I helped them off with me at CE1 Bayfront, and suggested the fastest way to get there would be in a cab. The old gent waved his (tourist?) MRT card around and politely insisted that they wanted to use the MRT... but there's no direct way from where we where. So I took them up to the correct platform for the train that will take them back to Marina Bay, and told them to switch to the red North-South Line, count three stops (to Dhoby Ghaut Interchange), and get the purple Line. I also suggested that they might want to get off at NS25 City Hall or NS26 Raffles Place stations and walk about a kilometer or so, but it was their choice.
I think it might have been faster to get off at NS26 Raffles Place and walk on the surface, rather than having to bounce two stations to Dhoby Ghaut, a long walk to the North-East line platform, then another two station to Chinatown. But hey - they have all the time in the world... so they can enjoy it!
(Free plug: having wandered various sectors of Singapore and the Exchanges, Lucky Plaza does give you the best overall deal: make sure you walk to one of the inside exchanges to get the best rate, rather than those at the entrances).
Come 12 o'clock, and it's time to say goodbye to Michelle and Andy - sitting down at Starbucks gave us all time to plan the rest of our day: they decided to do the Hop-On/Hop-Off bus tour and explore the rest of central Singapore, whilst I was intrigued about this new thingy... so I popped on over to Marina Bay for one last huzzah.
We bid farewell outside the MRT, then off onto our separate ways... never to see them until back in Sydney.
Remember how I said that I wanted to be home by 1pm? Fat chance! =)
Yesterday (29th June 2012) was the official launch of the Gardens by the Bay project, a giant sector devoted as a mix of Botanical Gardens and education centre. Since I had time on my hands... and I wasn't going to be back in Singapore for a while... why not make use of it?! Besides, plans are there to be changed.
A short change of trains at NS27-CE2 Marina Bay Interchange, and I had arrived at CE1 Bayfront Station, home to Marina Bay Sands, Skypark... and now, the Gardens!
Here, I'm happy to jibber in: I did my good deed of the day =)
A retired English couple was sitting on the train on the Circle Line when I boarded at CE2 Marina Bay, looking worriedly at a pocket MRT map. The train left, then slowed as it arrived at CE1 Bayfront... and then I overheard them trying to decide whether they had arrived at Marina Bay station.
Long story short: I asked them if I could help, asking where they wanted to go - to Chinatown, as it turned out. So I helped them off with me at CE1 Bayfront, and suggested the fastest way to get there would be in a cab. The old gent waved his (tourist?) MRT card around and politely insisted that they wanted to use the MRT... but there's no direct way from where we where. So I took them up to the correct platform for the train that will take them back to Marina Bay, and told them to switch to the red North-South Line, count three stops (to Dhoby Ghaut Interchange), and get the purple Line. I also suggested that they might want to get off at NS25 City Hall or NS26 Raffles Place stations and walk about a kilometer or so, but it was their choice.
I think it might have been faster to get off at NS26 Raffles Place and walk on the surface, rather than having to bounce two stations to Dhoby Ghaut, a long walk to the North-East line platform, then another two station to Chinatown. But hey - they have all the time in the world... so they can enjoy it!
The Gardens... oh WOW! I'm not going to say too much here: parts of it are breathtaking, and other parts are dusty. I'm seriously: it's only the second day it's been open to the public, and there's still a lot of work going on. The key aspects: there are two glassed enclosures, and also a Superstructure canopy walk that requires paid entry - unfortunately, knowing that I would probably rush things, I chose not to pay and enter these. I still managed to spend almost 2 hours at the Gardens walking around the general areas, snapping away, and also in the gift shop for 'nice' souvenirs for my parents.
*Aside: I hope they're not reading this blog - shopping for my parents is one of the hardest things I ever have to do... I just don't know WHAT to get them*
Back on track: if you go to Singapore, MAKE SURE you add this on your list of things to do. Perhaps in this order (all in the same day): Gardens during the morning, then shop and eat at Marina Bay Sands Shoppes for lunch/tea, over to Singapore Flyer during twilight, then finish up with a nighttime tour of the Hotel Skypark and Infinity Pool (make sure you pre-book, perhaps around lunchtime as you cross over to the Shoppes after you finish the Gardens).
Better yet: save up and splurge and stay at Marina Bay Sands for a night ;)... and luxuriate in the pool for one blissful evening... *sighhhh*
*Aside: I hope they're not reading this blog - shopping for my parents is one of the hardest things I ever have to do... I just don't know WHAT to get them*
Back on track: if you go to Singapore, MAKE SURE you add this on your list of things to do. Perhaps in this order (all in the same day): Gardens during the morning, then shop and eat at Marina Bay Sands Shoppes for lunch/tea, over to Singapore Flyer during twilight, then finish up with a nighttime tour of the Hotel Skypark and Infinity Pool (make sure you pre-book, perhaps around lunchtime as you cross over to the Shoppes after you finish the Gardens).
Better yet: save up and splurge and stay at Marina Bay Sands for a night ;)... and luxuriate in the pool for one blissful evening... *sighhhh*
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| iPhone-reflect-ography =) |
**Hums: *Now it's time to go/Curtain's finally closing - Rihanna's 'Take a Bow'* **
It's finally time to go. Goodbye Singapore =(
I head back to Orchard MRT for one final time, entering the apartment one last time. Taking off my shoes, for the last time.
I pull everything out from the wardrobe, in the piles I placed them last night: the GST-claimable items and my laptop and iPad into my backpack, and squishing everything else into my luggage. One photo of the now-empty wardrobe, and that was it. This place I had called home for the past month... is home no longer.
It's finally time to go. Goodbye Singapore =(
I head back to Orchard MRT for one final time, entering the apartment one last time. Taking off my shoes, for the last time.
I pull everything out from the wardrobe, in the piles I placed them last night: the GST-claimable items and my laptop and iPad into my backpack, and squishing everything else into my luggage. One photo of the now-empty wardrobe, and that was it. This place I had called home for the past month... is home no longer.
Head on downstairs, thank the staff at Fraser Residence Orchard for all they've done over the last month, and then start walking to the MRT stop. Now I have my plan, and my pride: dragging a 23kg suitcase (or so I thought) to the MRT stop, then taking the train to Changi Airport via City Hall Interchange.
Practicality and Reality joined forces to bite me in the ass - and I had to change my plans: it started raining. There is NO way (in h***) I'm going to struggle with a heavy suitcase in wet weather... so I flagged down a taxi. S$17 and 20 minutes later, I arrived nice and dry, and relaxed, at Changi Terminal 3 in air-conditioned comfort, instead of a S$3, 50 minute with-2-changes MRT trip.
First things first: go to the eTRS counter, have them sight my items and have my GST claim approved. Next on the list was to find a spot to repack all my luggage (those GST-claimable things which I don't plan to hand-carry) and checked in my items - at 3pm for an 8pm flight. Why so early???
If you scroll up, you may note that I said "23kg suitcase (or so I thought)" - it was just over 23kg according to Michelle's scales. At the check in desk: "25.6 KG".
CRAP! (I only have a 20kg allowance in Econ class for Singapore Airlines)
=O
Lucky for me, the fellow at the desk said nothing about it and checked it straight in, after putting a "WARNING, HEAVY (25) KG" tag on it. I have heard that the excess baggage charge is in the order of US$ 25/kg... not SGD, USD!! ARGH!... not this time, at least =)
Practicality and Reality joined forces to bite me in the ass - and I had to change my plans: it started raining. There is NO way (in h***) I'm going to struggle with a heavy suitcase in wet weather... so I flagged down a taxi. S$17 and 20 minutes later, I arrived nice and dry, and relaxed, at Changi Terminal 3 in air-conditioned comfort, instead of a S$3, 50 minute with-2-changes MRT trip.
First things first: go to the eTRS counter, have them sight my items and have my GST claim approved. Next on the list was to find a spot to repack all my luggage (those GST-claimable things which I don't plan to hand-carry) and checked in my items - at 3pm for an 8pm flight. Why so early???
If you scroll up, you may note that I said "23kg suitcase (or so I thought)" - it was just over 23kg according to Michelle's scales. At the check in desk: "25.6 KG".
CRAP! (I only have a 20kg allowance in Econ class for Singapore Airlines)
=O
Lucky for me, the fellow at the desk said nothing about it and checked it straight in, after putting a "WARNING, HEAVY (25) KG" tag on it. I have heard that the excess baggage charge is in the order of US$ 25/kg... not SGD, USD!! ARGH!... not this time, at least =)
The next four hours you can only experience for yourself. Changi Airport has heaps to do and see - you can easily spend four hours wandering around. My selection: up to Level 4 for a late lunch - and to try a taste of home: a Hong Kong-style cafe.
Edibility: acceptable. Not one to recommend, unless you have a strong hankering for Hong Kong styled food - eg the "Western" meals of fried chicken chop, veggies and a borscht soup. But hey, I'm not complaining: I desperately needed something Hong-Kongy (if that's even a phrase) to remind me of home.
Edibility: acceptable. Not one to recommend, unless you have a strong hankering for Hong Kong styled food - eg the "Western" meals of fried chicken chop, veggies and a borscht soup. But hey, I'm not complaining: I desperately needed something Hong-Kongy (if that's even a phrase) to remind me of home.
The rest of the time: divided between the huge underground mall in B2 level of Changi Terminal 3, and Airside Level 2 just after the Immigration checkpoint on the Departures terminal.
Highlights:
There's this giant Slide in B2 which I wanted to go on... but I didn't. Why? All the other riders lining up were all under 12. That's... like half my age! Haha/ouch... someday I'll take my kids there, and I'll live the slide-ride through them. =)
This cute M&M store statues: Durian-style!
(I looked around inside, though: no durian-flavoured M&Ms)
Highlights:
There's this giant Slide in B2 which I wanted to go on... but I didn't. Why? All the other riders lining up were all under 12. That's... like half my age! Haha/ouch... someday I'll take my kids there, and I'll live the slide-ride through them. =)
This cute M&M store statues: Durian-style!
(I looked around inside, though: no durian-flavoured M&Ms)
Then it was time to go: the Security checkpoint for Gate B2 became active... and that's it for this Singapore trip. A flurry of goodbye messages was fired off from my mobile, then I boarded my flight home.
Nice thing about this set of Singapore Airlines flights to and from Sydney: we fly the A380 superjumbo. From my friends advice, I picked an Upper Deck economy seat this time.
Differences? None - still the same Economy class seating, same level of service. I didn't get a window seat, but I suspect the only difference would be that you have a slightly higher perspective of the world outside. Worth the effort? Nahhhh... just be happy with whatever seat your in. Unless you're flying in Business/First class: wwwwwwiiiiidddeeeee benches. For EACH person!
PS - Cathay's now come out with a Premium Economy class... I hear it's worth the extra cost for the comfort ;)
Nice thing about this set of Singapore Airlines flights to and from Sydney: we fly the A380 superjumbo. From my friends advice, I picked an Upper Deck economy seat this time.
Differences? None - still the same Economy class seating, same level of service. I didn't get a window seat, but I suspect the only difference would be that you have a slightly higher perspective of the world outside. Worth the effort? Nahhhh... just be happy with whatever seat your in. Unless you're flying in Business/First class: wwwwwwiiiiidddeeeee benches. For EACH person!
PS - Cathay's now come out with a Premium Economy class... I hear it's worth the extra cost for the comfort ;)
Nothing much left to say, now:
The usual misery onboard - grumbling passengers (redneck/bogans) who refuse to co-operate, and drink enough wine to get themselves miserably drunk. Babies who scream for 10 minute periods on and off throughout the flight (and annoying the aforementioned redneck).
Food - not too bad, not too bad at all :)
The usual misery onboard - grumbling passengers (redneck/bogans) who refuse to co-operate, and drink enough wine to get themselves miserably drunk. Babies who scream for 10 minute periods on and off throughout the flight (and annoying the aforementioned redneck).
Food - not too bad, not too bad at all :)
Well... that's it =(
Hope you've enjoyed this blog series of my placement in Singapore - food, sights and otherwise.
I'm off for a Europe trip at the end of this year - so feel free to subscribe/follow me (whatever it is that you do on Blogger) to receive the update when it's time for me to fly off!!
--annoyanc3
=)
Hope you've enjoyed this blog series of my placement in Singapore - food, sights and otherwise.
I'm off for a Europe trip at the end of this year - so feel free to subscribe/follow me (whatever it is that you do on Blogger) to receive the update when it's time for me to fly off!!
--annoyanc3
=)
