Singapore, Singapore + Add a trip

All over! Any outdoor group of stands with tables and chairs.

First: claim a seat!
- put down something worthless, such as the ever popular packet of tissues (aka portable toilet paper) on a table that does not currently have people, other tissues, or menus
- politely ignore anyone who directs you to a table - they probably want you to only order from them
Second: check the selection!
- flip through the menus at the various booths
- veggetarian? there's probably a veggie-only booth or two - ask!
Third: buy yer food!
- if it says 'self service': that means pay, receive food, and walk it to your table
- otherwise, pay and tell them where you're sitting
Fourth: beer?
- oh yes, they sell the Tiger - usually one booth will carry it, they'll sometimes let you carry a tab
Fifth: CASH ONLY!
Sixth: I finished eating, now what?
- don't sweat it, someone will clean your table - one of the 'aunties' or 'uncles' roaming around with a bucket will take it all away.

Hope this helps!

Orchard Road

UPDATE: I have left Singapore. I am now in Dublin, Ireland :-)

Hi - I'm over from the London web scene working in Singapore until July 08. If you're passing through or live here, drop me a message robin at bytesurgery dot com. I would love to meet up.

Chiangi Airport

I had the unfortunate experience of bringing a carton of cigarettes into Singapore after purchasing them Duty Free at the airport in Ho Chi Minh City. Singapore does not allow the personal import of cigarettes. Period. Even duty free purchased just hours before at another airport. If you have an opened pack in your pocket, it's probably not a problem, but don't mention it.

If you have a carton somewhere, probably best not to mention that either. But if you're caught, you have to go to taxes to pay for them. My experience was that I could either pay for the cigarettes at around 7 Singapore dollars a pack (70 dollars a carton) as a fine and take the carton with me (which they claim would still be cheaper than buying them anywhere in Singapore at around 12 dollars/pack), or simply let them confiscate them. I chose the latter and watched them open the carton and with scissors and a large plastic barrel, proceed to cut each pack in half. No fine, no cigarettes.

I know my lesson now. Which is..quit smoking! Anyhow, I've heard that if you're Singaporean and you get caught trying to bring in cigarettes (a law which you should know already), the repercussions are much more severe than the average tourist not aware of this strange law that sets Singapore apart from any other airport in the region.

Caveat Emptor. Let the buyer beware.

All over!

Any travel guide will list these, but really, you gotta go here:

5. Jurong Bird Park
- if only b/c you have to go to Boon Lay MRT station (end of the green line) - it's like Chinatown with the craziness
- beware the Lorrikeets!

4. National Orchid Garden
- seriously! the botanical garden is more like a park, but the orchid garden is gorgeous! a great place for picture taking.

3. The Quays
- take the river boat cruise, it's a good river-side view of Singapore
- Boat Quay - beware the touts, they want your money, true they'll give you amazing food, but my S$140 bill included S$0.60 for the warm towels, and S$1 for the peanuts!
- Clarke Quay is almost as touristy - take a pic of the Hooters and run (unless you dig dancing to techno fueled only on alcohol)
- Robertson Quay has an amazing Japanese restaurant, Sugisama - yummy Bento boxes and the locals all keep bottles of Sake here, if you know Japanese, make some friends!

2. Singapore Zoo & Night Safari
- the locals talk up the night safari as if it's wild and crazy, but the zoo is just as good.
- definitely check the 'Colourful World of Monkeys' - three or four islands filled with tons of different monkeys!
- either way, night or day, you can get really close to a lot of animals in something close to their natural habitats

1. The New Asia Bar and Equinox @ the Suisshotel, 70th floor
- affordable drinks and an amazing view, for only $15 (includes one drink) - go at dusk, watch the sun set (non water side), and the lights go on

Other things, not in the list:
* Sentosa Island - take the cable car up, gawk at the huge tacky Merlion, and take the monorail back to Vivocity.
* Parkview Hotel, aka 'Batman Towers' - if you can stomach the cost, blow the S$80 on a bottle of wine, just to see the 'Wine Angel' soar 40 feet high and retrieve your bottle from a huge tower of wine behind the bar. Otherwise, the service is kinda cute, but incredibly ditzy. Drink your bottle and run!

North

Just north of Singapore Island is Pulau Ubin - a smaller island which is still relatively undevelopped.

There are a number of bike shops there where you can rent a bike for the day and cycle around the dirt tracks. And when you are tired, end the trip with a meal at one of the seafood restaurants (good & cheap).

To get to ubin, you need to take a bum boat from the Changi Jetty (http://tinyurl.com/689jp3). You can get to the jetty by bus (hard) or by cab (easy). It's just a few bucks to go across. Just follow the crowds.

Get a map of Ubin from the bike shop. Bring mosquito repellant just in case (usually not a problem except in some of the denser forest). Bring your bathing suit as well if you want to visit the beach (but water quality is sometimes iffy) or better yet, swim in one of the disused quarries (which loads of people do despite the warning signs). Of course carry plenty of water.

There is some nice single track riding and you can still get a feel for kampong life in places. Careful not to run over a tortoise.

Excellent write-up linked below.

The event's on on June 26.

Am speaking there - on behalf of my firm, www.pinstorm.com

If you're in the online media business, come over and let's meet up.

everywhere

there are some really nice drives around the country. if you don't have a car get a taxi to drive you around.
1. mount pleasant- it's not really a mount at all, but a winding road with hidden black and white houses in the forest.

2. ecp, from east to west- you get to see the city in one fell swoop. it feels like taking a panorama shot of the city.

3. mandai road- this is a classic singapore road really old trees lining the roads, practically engulfing it, creating a shady drive.

bear in mind that singapore is actually a really small country, so dont expect the drives to be really long affairs.

geylang

geylang is the meeting place for all sorts of vices in singapore. prostitutes, outdoor dice gambling games, illegal (duty unpaid, and therefore cheaper) cigarettes, fake dvds, porn, and probably drugs(although you'd be insane to dabble in that shit here) all congregate to form this rather strange neighbourhood. police are always around, but more in a peace keeping kinda way, it seems. the result is a real mix of immigrants, down and outers, and singaporeans looking for good food. try walking off the main road and into the lorongs (smaller lanes).

ang mo kio

everybody in singapore has their own opinion as to where to go for crab. mine's at this place called melban seafood. it's in ang mo kio, north-ish of the island. it's been open for at least 3 years already and there are still queues every night. i live next to it.
pepper crab is good. butter crabs even better. and those buns to scoop the sauces are good.

Article from The Sunday Times, November 23, 2008