Five Little Things I Learned in Singapore Part 3

Oh, hello again, Changi!

1.  I was so busy holding off sarcasm and incredulity I totally missed the fact I may have been subjected to discrimination. But I'm giving the immigration officer the benefit of the doubt. He's just doing his job, after all.

Immigration officer: Is this house? (pointing at the address on my immigration card)
Me: Yes.
IO: In a building?
Me: What do you mean?
IO: Is this apartment?
Me: No.
IO: Condo?
Me: No.
IO: A real house?
Me: Yes.
IO: On a land?
Me: Uh, a house built on a land, yeah.
IO: Stand alone house?
Me: Yes.
IO: Not building?
Me: A house. A real house. Built on a land with neighbors next door, yeah. Near the American School?
IO: Ah. Okay. Here you go. (finally hands my passport back)

 2.  13th floor exists in Singapore! Ha! I didn't know that from previous visits.

3.  Me and Orchard Road? We click. My cousin and I would leave the house together and then split once we arrive in Orchard. She would go about her business and I was left to my own devices to explore. And explore I did.

4.  Traffic. There's traffic now in this city-state, even along the expressway. What's happening? I asked the taxi driver on my way to the airport.

Me: Is there traffic?
Taxi driver: Here and there, ye.
Me: I noticed that. What's with all the road construction everywhere?
TD: Ha! They keep digging and digging.
Me: Why?
TD: We don't know! The electric company is digging and then when they finish, the telephone company will dig again! And water also. They dig and dig on the same spot. Never-ending!
Me: That's sad.
TD: I know! That's why there's traffic. We don't have them before.

5.  I saved the best for last. Let me just take a moment to fully appreciate and celebrate this. My phone is working! I mean, I had a working phone. In Singapore! The first time I was in the country I didn't have roaming service and that's when cellphones don't have Wi-Fi connectivity yet. Then I lost my phone the same hour I arrived on my second visit. This time was a success.

Singtel was having problems the whole week so the internet at the house comes and goes. Sounds familiar, eh? Props to Takashimaya, Paragon, and Ion for their very good internet access. The other malls have to keep up. I can get network reception at Causeway Point better than the other malls in Orchard. We had breakfast every day at Starbucks but their Wi-Fi access is asking for a Facebook password. Not happening. We didn't feel comfortable with that. 

Overall, I had an exceptional time. I didn't get to sight-see but that wasn't the purpose of the trip. I learned a lot about myself that I didn't know before. It was raining also so any spur of the moment plans I may have had were immediately canceled. The wet season in Singapore is not until September so it was a bit unusual. The taxi driver told me climate change did that. He was very chatty, that one.

Did I mention it was my birthday week? By far my most memorable one.

Five Little Things I Learned in Singapore Part 2

1. Me, my cellphone and Singapore? We're not meant to be. On my first visit, my international roaming was just an idea. It didn't work. It was something I counted on the moment the plane landed but left me so out of reach for the whole trip I didn't know what to do with myself . I felt like a drug addict undergoing withdrawal. Every single day I would check my phone in the morning hoping to see something on the signal indicator. Nada. One week I was depressed because I can't use my phone except to take pictures. It felt ridiculous charging it twice because it didn't serve its main purpose. Five years later, I finally have that "Welcome to Singapore" message on my mobile the second I turned it on. But then in two hours, whether I have roaming or not didn't matter. I have no mobile device to speak of. Welcome to Singapore indeed! 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. New shoes, new sandals, never a good idea. On the fourth day, my niece, the curious child that she is, asked why I have bandages (yes, plural) all over my feet. 
3. Short pants equals mosquitoes. I was so traumatized by my last vacation I promised myself to never go anywhere wintry again. Or at least the next time I go out of the country. And I was happy, deliriously so, to be able to go out and about not wearing jeans or any warm clothes. Not a fan of layering, me no deny it. Funny how you don't factor the little things when you think you had your way. I got home from a day of fun with mosquito bites all over my legs. Off! lotion failed to do what it's supposed to do. 
   
4. City tour, never again. You wait and wait, and wait, and wait. Precious time wasted. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
5. This one's so unusual it took me a while to get over it. Dog poop in the sidewalk. Like seriously. The Singapore we all know is changing and I should have realized it after my mind reconciled with the fact I actually lost my phone in this city-state.

Five Little Things I Learned in Singapore

1. Changi Airport is one lonely airport. Impressive, yes, but the absence of too much human traffic somehow takes the awe factor away.
2. You have to remember to keep glued to your left all the time. I understand about right-hand drives alright but I didn't know it works for building entrances and exits also. And yeah, hallways and pathways included.
3. Iced tea is well, just iced tea. As in tea with ice. Best not to forget to ask your server for sweetener always.
4. Thank God for third world countries like here. My less than 300Php book costs less than 500 there converted. My 67Php Mcdo fries and iced tea are double the price plus more.
5. And my most stupid act ever? I asked for gums at the airport before going home. I forgot about the ban, honest. I will never forget the incredulous look the girl at the store gave me. It was like if I dared ask why she said 'There's no gum in Singapore.' she's gonna call the police and have me arrested.