TIPS

Oh,.....day off. Oh glorious, treasured day off....how I love thee. A little time lying by the pool, reading, chatting and swimming. A nap and a bit of a wander through the consumerist mecca that is Orchard Road. It's almost time for bed and I'm feeling as though I might actually be able to face the coming week. Yesterday, if you'd asked me how I felt about facing opening night, I might have curled up into a ball in the bathtub, quivering and sucking my thumb.

For those of you that are planning a visit to Singapore, I thought it might be helpful to give you a 'view from the inside'. Some small things that your guide books may or may not mention.

THE TRUTH ABOUT CHEWING GUM
Officially, it is considered contraband. You may see people chewing, but gum is not widely available, which makes mints and candies wildly popular. Also, because gum is fairly rare here, some Singaporeans might actually consider the act of gum-chewing rude. If you bring it in your luggage, keep the quantities very low. If it looks as though you have enough to re-sell, it will definitely be confiscated. No police officer is going to grab the back of your neck, teacher-style, and force you to spit it out if you are chewing on the street, and it's not as offensive as, say, peeing in a public fountain. Still, if you chew, use discretion.

THE TRUTH ABOUT JAY-WALKING
It's true that it is illegal, (I know people that have been stopped) and for good reason. The major avenues in Singapore are wide and very busy. Often, the busiest streets are lined with barricades which would make jay-walking impossible anyway so you're better off using the cross-walk. On the smaller streets, take your cues from the Singaporeans. If there are no crossings in sight, or if they look too far away to bother with, you're probably safe to make the dash. And remember, they drive on the other side of the road here. When crossing the street, look first in the OPPOSITE direction that you normally would!

POLICE/SECURITY
This is a security-conscious nation and CCTV cameras are everywhere. Even when you might think you're not being watched, you are. The great bonus to this is the fact that the crime rate is extremely low here and you should never worry about walking the streets late at night.

GETTING AROUND
The MRT system is fast, clean, efficient and very easy to use. The attendants at the subway stations are very helpful and will happily guide you through using the pass-card entry/exit system.

Taxis are also a very efficient way to get around if you'd rather stay above ground. They are plentiful and quite inexpensive, but bear a few things in mind...
-There are taxi stands everywhere. Use them. They are usually well marked and often have railed lanes for queuing (they're big on queuing here). And don't jump the que. If you do, the driver may ask you to get out of the taxi and take your place in line. It is possible to hail a taxi on smaller side streets, but it is illegal for drivers to stop on busier streets to pick you up.
-Don't try to figure out all of the various additional charges like 'peak time of day' or 'extra baggage'. You may suddenly find yourself paying double the fare for the same trip you took yesterday, but at a different time of day. Just pay it. The fare will still be quite reasonable and taxis are heavily regulated making the chances of you getting ripped off pretty much non-existent.
-If you are going somewhere other than a major tourist destination or landmark, have some directions or a printed map handy. Singapore is large and complex and the same street can change it's name five times over a short distance. Not all drivers know all corners of the city. If a driver accepts you as a fare and then ends up driving around to find your final destination, they are obligated to turn off the meter or discount your fare.

EATING
You can find virtually any type of cuisine here, but don't expect it to be 'just like home' or "..just like that penne we had in Italy..". It won't be. I'm not saying that it will be bad, it just might be different from what you're expecting.

Be brave enough to try the food stalls and hawker centers. They offer a mind-boggling array of food options that are very cheap and usually of very good quality. Always, ALWAYS carry a package of tissues with you though. Paper serviettes, especially at food centers, are the exception here, not the rule. And if you come across a table at a food centre that has a tissue on it, it isn't someones used snot-rag. It means that someone has claimed the table and gone off to choose their food.

Restaurant service is not what you will be used to from home. Your food will not arrive at the the table all at the same time. Sometimes, all your courses may arrive in very quick succession. Get used to it. Also, I would advise ordering from the menu exactly as it is written. My experience has been that most places do not have systems or policies in place to cope with personalized alterations and everything will end up getting complicated. (I asked for a side of sauerkraut once and got an entire dinner plate piled high with it!)

As for tipping, generally the rule is "don't". Ninety-nine percent of restaurants will add a 10% svc chg to the bill, though there are some European-style eateries that do not do this. Check your bill. If the svc chg is there, it will be clearly marked, usually just below the 7% GST.
(You may tip taxi drivers at your discretion, though generally most people don't. If you do tip them, they are usually quite appreciative.)

MONEY
Banks and ATM's are plentiful, making it easy to draw local currency from your home account. If you're cashing travellers cheques, have your passport with with you for I.D. In fact, you may be asked for your passport frequently. I have been asked for my passport at the branch where I have an account!

SHOPPING
Shopping, shopping, shopping, shopping, shopping!!! You can't walk 10 meters in Singapore without running into some kind of retail outlet, so be prepared to have retail accidents.

If you are shopping at street stalls, you will, of course, automatically inspect your merchandise thoroughly before finalizing the purchase. I would advise the same, however, even in major departments stores. I had an issue with a computer bag that took three days to resolve.

When in street markets in Chinatown, Little India or The Arab Quarter, feel free to bargain. You will get a better prices.

And, put away any altruistic ideas you may bring with you about energy conservation or greening the planet. Even shops that keep their entire front wall wide open to the elements will have their air conditioning blowing full blast. And everything, EVERYTHING will get put into a plastic shopping bag unless you are carrying a re-usable with you.

CLIMATE
It is hot here. And humid. And because we are virtually on the equator, the sun's rays come straight down! If you burn easily, or it you're still carrying your winter-white skin, put sunscreen on, even just to walk around. If it rains, it usually won't last long. Stop and have a coffee or a cocktail and wait it out.

Most hotels will provide you with bottled water. Take it with you when you leave the room and drink through the day. Even though you may think the humidity is keeping you moist, you are actually dehydrating.

On the flip-side, Singaporeans loooooove air conditioning, and there's usually only one setting, FULL BLAST. I've seen a book called "The Air Conditioned Nation", and that is an apt description. I've gotten into taxis that were so cold I began to hibernate. Sometimes, the difference between inside and outside temperature is enough to make my glasses fog over when I exit a building. Pack a wrap or a long-sleeved shirt for going out to dinner or a show.

Because of the climate, casual or smart-casual dress is acceptable most everywhere. Men may want to were long pants at some of the more up-scale restaurants but it is extremely rare that they would request a jacket or tie.

SINGLISH
It's true that the various cultures here communicate in English, but don't expect to hear the same words you hear at home. You must be ready for a wide variety of accents and varying levels of proficiency. Also, be prepared for Singlish, the unique slang words that are specifically Singaporean.

Most used is the "La". This is an added syllable, probably from the ethnic Chinese who like adding a sound or syllable for punctuation. It is very common to hear: "Thank you-la", "Ok-la", "You have to pay the tax-la".

Also common is the double-positive "can can". If you see an empty seat in a food court and you ask someone if you may sit, they might respond with a vigorous, "Can can". It can be used in many situations but essentially it means that, not only is the situation acceptable, but it is SO acceptable that it needs a double yes.

CROWD CONTROL
This is a big city with A LOT of people in it. Depending on the time of day, the streets and shops range from fairly busy to Oh-my-god-I-just-need-to-get-the-hell-out-of-here busy. The territorial imperative is smaller here than it is in North America so be prepared for people to stand closer to you in line. Also, when walking the streets, it may look as though people are going to walk right into you but, in fact, they are going to make a tiny adjustment at the last second, squeezing past with mere millimeters to spare. (Feel free, however, to body slam anyone who is walking while texting. The way I see it, if your face is in your phone, you're fair game!)

In theory, you should stand to the left of an escalator, leaving the right side as an express lane.(Remember, ex-British colony. Right-hand drive.) In practice, this rarely happens. In Singapore, as in many other places in the world, escalators seem to posses the power to mysteriously steal people's will to self-ambulate. Also, you must be prepared for people to reach the top of the escalator and decide that it's a good place to have a discussion about which direction to go, heedless of the fact that there are 50 people behind them that have no way of stopping. People will, in fact, stop dead just about anywhere for no discernible reason.

I'm sure that the longer I live here, the more insights I'll be able to share, but for now, I think it's time for one more day-off-glass-of-wine. Or perhaps not. Well,.....hmmm.....oh what the hell...