Singapore truly is Asia-lite for expats. So much so that unlike Shanghai, or Manilla for instance, the expat gettos aren't nearly as noticeable, nor do they need to play the role of a foreigner's oasis in the middle of a very shockingly-different local culture.
My Singapore adventure is now just over two months old. I have no regrets in taking a chance on a new job, in a new sector, in a new continent. I have learnt so much already, and there is so much more to explore.
Before I came out here, I bought a couple of books, and read a plethora of online blogs and forum posts about moving out to Asia in general, and Singapore specifically. Most of them seemed to be written by the slightly-more bored half of an expat couple, or a backpacking traveller aiming to use up every last second of web-time in some random internet cafe.
Nothing quite hit the spot for someone in my situation - I'm in my mid-thirties - that's no great differentiator, but I'm neither part of an relocating couple or family, not am I passing through Singapore on the way to somewhere else.
I'm here with a permanent job, which doesn't mean I'll stay here forever, but it also means I'm quite unusual in that I'm not counting down on a 6,12, or 24 month work contract. That changes the mindset somewhat - I'm able to take my time as I get to know the place, and revisit what type of spice I'm looking to sprinkle into my life.
So, if I could send a message back to myself 3 months ago, and give myself a top five list of bits of advice for coming out here, what would it be?
1. Do come out a week or two before the new job starts.
I came out just under a week before the new job started. In hindsight two would have better. Setting up bank accounts, and getting all the government paperwork is very efficient here, so all good, but getting a sense of the place, the districts, and working out where you might want to live does take a while.
Once a full-time job started, I found it virtually impossible to keep on 'neighbourhood' screening. I was lucky in that I did manage to narrow down the areas I wanted to be in, so then it was just about finding the right apartment within that target zone.
2. Be ready to buy lots of cheap umbrellas,
I'm still not rain-savvy over here. One moment it's ridiculously hot and sunny, then next minute a torrential downpour. Once I even found that it was raining on one side of the street, but bone dry on the other. The rain can be incredibly localised.
If you don't want to get wet, think about an umbrella, or else leave some cupboard space spare at home to stack up all the 5 dollar brollies you'll end up with in your collection.
3. Taxi savviness, and walking speeds.
There are loads of taxis in Singapore. But getting one at a peak time calls for some kind of special voodoo, or alternatively a rather handy Iphone app that will automatically call a cab to your location (for a small booking fee).
The Singaporians in my office find it amazing that I prefer to walk as much as I do (I walk the nine minutes from home the office every day). What I find amazing is just how slowly most people walk on the pavements. It really is about half London speeds. I like to call it 'Asia-speed'. However, the locals have it just about right - the crazy Europeans walk fast, and then complain about being too hot and sweaty on arrival - D'oh!
4. Favourite places \ areas
I chose to live in Chinatown, quite near Club Street. I was won over by the proximity to work, the restaurants and bars on club street itself, but also because I found a recently converted traditional shop-house apartment nearby. It to me was a very appealing blend of modern convenience (it was converted in about 2004), but with the traditional old-Singapore ambience.
Shopping - Orchard Road is probably best for the bigger department store type shopping, the M&S there is pretty handy given I know how their sizes work. For the basics of life, I prefer Carrefour (there's one two stops away from me on the MRT metro at Dhobby Gaut) - a good range, not too pricy even for things like nice bread and cheese, also great for basic items like vacuum cleaners, and kettles. Cold Storage is also Ok for groceries, but quite pricey, and it's odd to see Waitrose essentials sold as a premium brand.
Food and drink. This is more difficult, as I've yet to find many places that I think are outstandingly good. There's a lot of focus on brand and glitz, when a lot of what is actually served seems quite ordinary to me.
A mate at work and his wife owns a bar called Speakeasy (on Blair Road). I probably would never have found it had he not told me about it. It's modelled on a prohibition-era bar, the reason it works is the way it has been delicately done, and really works. The staff are very good - friendly, attentive. The food and drink also extremely pleasant - If I crave a decent glass of wine, that's where I'll go.
I work in Raffles Quay, and my favourite option for a grab-and-go lunch is the Chicken sandwich from 'Al Marche' on the Marina Bay Link. From the outside, the shop looks like it's opened without bothering to contract any shop fitters (concrete floors, and just stuff on free-standing shelves). But it's quick, tasty, and very reasonably priced.
I'm still looking for an 'evening local', and a favourite weekend perch. The evening local probably is going to have to be on Club Street, which is on my way back from the office. The weekend perch may well turn out to be 'Shots' also on Club Street' (which is what I discovered today) but I still want somewhere where I can come on a Saturday or Sunday morning, sit and watch the world go by, and have a light coffee or breakfast. There's loads of places that do a massive brunch menu - but I'm not looking for an excuse to loose the whole day. I just want somewhere to gradually wake myself up, and plan the rest of my weekend.
5. Little things that make life go smoother.
An iphone (or a decent smart-phone) with a local sim-card that can do data.
I stopped carrying my rough guide or any sort of map, once I had my old unused iphone unlocked (by one of the many tiny phone stalls in chinatown), and I'd bought a pre-paid Singtel Sim card. For 7 dollar's I can get a week's worth of data access, and that's more than enough for some google searches, and use of the map (and also the taxi order-app which I already mentioned). There's a bunch of useful apps (including a free bus planner) I can also tether it to my laptop or my ipad, which means I'm always connected. Without doubt the most useful tool to get to know a new city.
An ez-link card for the MRT metro and buses. Easily bought at the larger stations. Just like a London oyster card, plus can also be used in some convenience stores for small purchases.
A subscription to a UK VPN service. I've got one that costs 5 GBP per month, and it let me watch the BBC iplayer and 4OD programmes as if I were still at home. I've left the Uk with most-of a year's paid up tv license still to go, so I'm not doing anything wrong here. That along with an FM radio tuned to the World Service which keeps me connected with global and local events.
The last one is actually a work in progress: A folding electric bicycle. I bought it yesterday (have been looking around for a few weeks). Owning a car in Singapore is very expensive, and not generally recommended unless you have a particular need, car fetish, or a young family. However, whilst taxis are cheap, and the public transport is super-efficient, I really missed independent transport. Sometimes I want to get out and about, but without any particular destination in mind. My cunning plan is that a folding bike will be easy to keep in the apartment (it will fit in the cupboard), plus also it can be taken in the boot of taxis, on busses, and on the MRT metro out of peak hours (so it's fine to take during the entire weakened). I'll be able to go to a certain area (like out to the East Coast path), and then potter from there.
The electric bit is exciting for two reasons. Firstly, I love anything that's a gadget, but more seriously I can confirm after a test ride yesterday that this thing can zip along at around 20 kmh without me having to break a sweat. It'll have a range of about 30km on a charge. There are lots of people with folding bikes here, and lots of electric bikes (many of them not approved by the Singapore transport authority), but my new bike (from Chong Chung bicycles) will be one of the rare examples of an approved, electric folding bike!
Not sure how often I'm going to post here. But I'm just writing it for my own pleasure - so I'll just see how it goes.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Upper Cross St,,Singapore
It is great to hear that you are settling in well Phil, and that you seem to have it all happening over there. I will follow this blog with interest. You write very well indeed, it is quite engaging stuff!
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