Spectacularly bad day

I wasn't going to write this one, but not much else has happened since, well quite a lot has and I am sure I will get sidetracked and write it all anyway. This could be a mammoth read, time waster.

I love Friday's. It's the day of the week that always makes me feel positive and brings promise. It's the day that I think is good for pancakes for breakfast or bacon and eggs. I am not saying that I make this all that often on a Friday but sometimes I am inspired to do so. It's a good day for a treat. It's the end of the working week.

Last Friday was like all the others. Actually not really, and thank goodness for that.

I take my son to an ANZA playgroup on a Friday morning. They hold it at an indoor gym and it is a great place for the kids to run, climb and be active. It really is a bit hot for that outside here.


Couldn't find any pictures of Go Go Bambini, so I found you a map of it's location.


I enjoyed the playgroup initially and joined ANZA to meet other expats living here in Singapore. I hoped that it might help ease my transition. However I have found it sadly lacking........you know what? That's another blog all on it's own.


Playgroup was rather uneventful this week and I cam home felling rather disheartened. But that's ok as I had plans for the afternoon.


I have booked our first beach holiday since arriving here. Actually I think it may be our first beach holiday in about 3 years, and had to make the payments that afternoon. 


Being still new in Singapore, I still have to plan out my adventures so that I know where I am going and how to get there, especially with my son. If by myself I am much more likely to just rush out and take it as it comes, with the knowledge that if I get lost then I can catch a cab etc. But I have the leeway to muck around a bit. With my son, he has a limited tolernace for the buggy and if I let him walk then I have to leave about 3 hours before I have to be somewhere.


The other issue that we have to sort out is banking. Hubby joined us up with ANZ here as it was easy for us to get an account. What we didn't know is that it is classed as an overseas bank and they don't have NET's cards which work on the local network. NET's cards are like eftpos cards in NZ and Australia. So most things we do we pay for in cash. The other thing about ANZ is that they have a tie in with the other overseas banks but not with the local banks, which means there are limited ATM machines you can use.


Taking all of that into account I headed to Raffles Place, where I know there is an ANZ branch and then a short walk to Robinson Road to pay for the holiday. Mission accomplished.


I alight at Raffles Place and head to the ANZ. First obstacle was that they were under renovations. That's ok though as they have put an ATM machine just across the square. I find this machine. All going well. Only to find that the machine had temporarily run out of $50 notes (they don't have 20's here) and was only issuing $10 notes. How annoying since I want to withdraw $2000.00, but if that's the way it has to be so be it. Other wise I am going to have to get on the MRT and go to another station (where I know there is another machine), get the cash and then come back again and head to Robinson Road. I start with drawing. Only to be told that the maximum limit at this machine is $400 at this time. I KNOW that you can with draw up to $3000.00 per day here. I try to make multiple with drawals, but you know, these machines are hard to trick. Son starts screaming at this point as he wants out to run around and it is nearing 5 pm. I have to make payment by 5.30. 


There are a lot of banks around this area, but unless you know where they are it can be difficult to find them. Especially as I needed a specific type of bank.


Eventually I found a Maybank which I know takes my card. Cool. It is on Robinson Road, even better. To get to it, not so cool. There were roadworks on every corner and I had to use the MRT under pass. Which mean steps with a buggy. 


Off I trot. Get the money and then off to make payment and I still have about 20 mins. All good. Get to the travel agent. They are on the 8th floor and to get to the lift there is a flight of stairs. I mean 20 or so. With a buggy. I had no choice but to leave the buggy outside, unlocked, while we went to make the payment. My son used the climb to exercise his vocal chords. It was a bit like yelling in a public toilet.


Payment made. The lovely travel agent informed me that we could have got the same deal a bit cheaper had I gone to the Golden Mile (which is the place where all the buses sell their tickets from), I actually knew this but just wanted an easy, organised trip this time. Trying to get the confidence up about travelling with a toddler.


Got the tickets and got out. Buggy was still there. Crime rate is low here. I am not saying there isn't any, but on the whole it's a pretty trusting place.


Getting back to the MRT was where it all fell apart for me. I hoped that there was another entrance I could use to get underground and to the MRT because on the way over all the steps had been downwards, which meant going back was all upwards. I go to the entrance I had come out of and there was no way I could cross the roads. There were workers directing people underground and all the crossing where blocked off. Helpfully, there was a sign at the entrance to the MRT letting me know that this was not an entrance for people in a wheel chair of with wheels and that for this service you had to cross the road and use the lifts over there. 


Yep. That did me. I love irony, but not at my expense, well just not all the time at my expense. So, while I was struggling up the stairs, with peak hour workers heading home, I lost my footing and found myself sitting on the ground. My son was fine in the buggy, but I was done. You know, just over it all. I had gone out to do a simple task and it wasn't meant to be.


It's moments like that, that remind you you are still new in a huge city and it really does take a while to figure out how it works and how easy it was in your previous city because you knew it.


Now, I am totally ready for the holiday. 

It's time to travel

One of the bonuses of coming to live in Singapore is the access to south east Asia. We have been here 6 months, geesh time flies, and haven't dared leave the island. Well, hubby has been to Malaysia for bike rides, but that's not fun. Ok, not my type of fun.

When I was 9 years old I visited Singapore and Malaysia with my Mum and some of her friends. One of the places I remember visiting the most was Tioman Island. I think this was partly because I had to keep a daily journal and on Tioman I wrote a story about the Pumpkin eaters. What the? I know.

They were tiny jellyfish that had a dark spot in the middle. A bit like a seed. Yep, I still have no idea why they were called Pumpkin eaters or why this particular story stuck in my mind. But it has and it did.

As an aside, the person who corrected my journal daily (the point of the exercise was to keep my spelling and grammar up as we were travelling for an extensive period of time), was American. This has confused me no end as most of my schooling was conducted in Australia or New Zealand where they follow the Queen's own. I was always getting bad results from spelling tests and it wasn't until I was much older that I realised there was a difference, that it started to make sense for me.

So where was I?

Huh, that's right. It's time to go a hunting. Pumpkin eaters here I come. I have talked hubby and my son, the latter has very little choice, into going up to Tioman for the weekend. Ok, so I don't have anything booked and will be getting onto that after I have finished gossing to you, but I am excited. I love a good weekend away. And to the beach, lovely.

I wonder if the monkey is still there that bit me (true story) about 25 years ago? I'm sure I don't really need to re-visit that adventure.

Now, just to make sure you are feeling me, I have 'borrowed' a couple of photo's off the net. Well, I don't have my own as we haven't been yet!

Be brave

Yesterday, when I was at the supermarket buying yet another 6 pack of green tea and beer, I met a lovely lady who had just arrived in Singapore. She has just been here a month and has a daughter younger than my son.

Anyway as women do, we got nattering. I think when you are in a new place you tend to forget some of you inhibitions and respond more favourably to new people. So chitter chatter we did outside the local mall. My son and her daughter were causing mischief, chasing a ball all over the place. I find people's reactions to Max being boisterous very interesting. I think that us westerners are a bit more chilled and do encourage our children to be kids, compared to the local community.

Am I getting side tracked again, at least it's not by food.............. Nearly lunchtime, what shall I have?

I actually had a point to today's blog, but it has totally escaped from my mind. No great feat.

Uh ha. We were talking about play groups and the need to socialise our children. She (for the want of a better label and no offense intended), said that she had put her daughter into one of the costly centers in the mall. She said that she found it a bit restrictive as she had to be with her daughter and also the way that it was run was very education focused. Flash cards etc for 18 month olds. Her daughter gets bored and gets up to explore after about 2 mins and the teachers are most distressed by this.

I talked about my son going to a local play group in an HDB near where we live. It really is the polar opposite of what she has for her daughter. It is loud and the kids are kids. You drop them off for two hours. Yes, they do do painting and my son is certainly learning his ABC's along with Mandarin, but it's not so strict. Also the children are a great mix of cultures and I like this. She was interested and I will be introducing her to the school.

The interesting thing is, that it depends who you meet in the first few weeks of being in Singapore that influences how you live here. I was fortunate enough to meet a wide cross section. Some people wouldn't consider putting their children in the local system and others do. But I had access to a lot of information that other people haven't bee introduced to. Like the HDB schools and the local health insurance.

So, if you are interested in finding out about local schools, head down to the closest HDB and wander around. You will find the schools or look for the associates office.

Check out this website for health insurance, local health insurance. I was completely daunted by the website, so I just phoned the number and someone came to visit me and talked me through it. It was easy.

Another place that I have found useful information is the community centers. Have a look at their website and trawl around to find the closest one to you and see what they have to offer. They have classes in yoga, line dancing etc. Here is their link Community Centres.

So, be brave and jump in boots and all. Go exploring and have fun.

Oh jeeze and a tour

Well, since I last blogged it's been hell on a biscuit here.

My son has been sick and very miserable with it. Flu, I think. Basically it didn't matter what we did, he wasn't happy or comfortable. It makes for a long hard week. Thank fully he sleeps through the night, but oh god, the days are heel. We have been living on a diet of......well pizza and other healthy choices.

Hush! I know pizza isn't healthy or a food group in it's own right.

I have been so shattered that instead of sitting down to write, I have been doing the thousand yard stare. Seems to be my natural look these days.

Instead of date night this week, we headed to the pool for pizza and red wine. It was the best evening. Armed with the laptop, the iphone (hubby's), the boring phone (mine), two buckets for the wine (just really large glasses) and pizza (I wonder how many time I can write that in my blog?), we made our way to the pool. It was empty and peaceful, just what we needed. No hustle and certainly no bustle. It were bliss.

Saturday dawned bright and full of promise. Every morning is like that. Off to the markets. I am loving the markets. Good chicken, good veges and nice flowers. I always feel so domestic after filling up the fridge with yummy fresh food and flowers on the table make it complete or something like that. And I got a photo, not a great one, but one nonetheless.

See, there it is.  I am standing by the fish section and looking back to the fresh chickens.

Hmm, I might have to have a chat with Hubby and see if he can give me some of the footage he has shot on his wanderings. Later.

Today was epic. We had a visitor who had spent years here, but hadn't been back for about 20 years. Honest to go this place is totally un-recognisable compared to then. It was the compulsory walk down the river to the new Marina Sands. It is rather impressive. See, I stole a photos off the net for you and also one of the performing arts centre, otherwise known as the Durian (you will see why).

The Durian

Marina Bay Sands.

That was more than enough for the day, but nope, wasn't quite done yet.

It was a wonder down Little India. Little India, is usually packed on a Sunday afternoon. There is a real vibrancy and liveliness. It's great. Trawling through the shops and discovering all the little goodies that are on offer. And the food, yep back to that again. I had an exquisite palak paneer (home made cottage cheese in a spinach sauce). Yum. And the bit that made it taste better was using ones hands. Soooo good.

I have a couple of photo's which I took. See, I am trying to get the hang of this visual aid.

Colourful buildings in Little India (actually the place we had lunch)

Now I am done. Well almost. Hubby has just dashed off to the local food court to get some soup dumplings. Oh goodie.

Son had one final meltdown to finish off the weekend, but that was solved by early to bed. Hubby went for two bike rides (YES, two) this weekend and it only rained on one of them. That's some kind of progress.

Right, that's me over and out.

Rugby World Cup

This had to come up didn't it? I mean, really. As a Kiwi not living in NZ right now, any conversation automatically turns to rugby. And today is the opening and I guess the first game is being played. I was only alerted to the fact that something was up when a friend made a facebook comment referring to rugby.

You see, I use the term guess as I really don't have a clue. I don't even know who is playing the first game. I know, many would call me a traitor to my kiwi'ness, but it's just never been something I have had an interest in.

It is very easy to get caught up in the hype, and New Zealand could really do with a good party right now. It's been a rough year or two there and most people need to be able to escape from their realities for a little while. A good rugby season will help with that

The real issue I have with rugby and my birth countries obsession with it, is that it is too closely tied into the total psyche of the nation. For the next 8 weeks (is that how long the rugby world cup lasts?), the entire country's mood will depend on how well the All Blacks are performing. There will be a lightness, brightness and a positivity if things go well for the All Blacks. A feeling that all is right with the world and that all those nasties of the past few years are behind us and we can move forward as a nation. Heaven forbid things go wrong then it will the polar opposite.

The country will become apathetic and unable to function properly. There will be a gloom hanging over the entire country. There will be little point in conducting business as everyone will feel victimised and severely let down, by our rugby gods. Who is in the team this year?

The fact that the games are still being played and the tournament is still in action won't be of any consolation. The ringing of cash registers will be of some help to the doom and gloom, but at the individual grass roots level, not so much.

For New Zealand's sake I hope that the All Blacks are not true to form and don't peak too early. I hope the party is great for one and all. Mostly I hope that no matter what happens people remember that it is just a game. It's not a matter of National security or life and death.

Right, I am off to get my t-shirt printed with 'Rugby sucks' written on it. Not original, not clever but to the point.

The next step

Now that I have conquered food shopping, actually I have probably just begun, but I have it under control for now.  Of course with food shopping comes eating.

To be honest all we have done since we arrived here is eat. There is so much variety here when it comes to food, and many different places to get it. There are hawker centers, restaurants, kopitiams (foodcourts) in malls, fast food chains. I am pretty sure that on nearly every corner there is some form of eating establishment.

We loved eating out for the first month. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. Mainly because we enjoyed discovering our new environment, and also because we didn't have any cooking utensils in the kitchen. As much as we enjoyed it, I started craving salads and things cooked the way that I like them.

Hold on, how did I get sidetracked talking about food. One track mind.

What I was getting to in this blog was my need for exercise. Hubby has been very conscientious and has been making sure that he gets out every week for at least 1 bike ride, which in this heat is super nuts.

Today while my son was at play group I forced myself to go for a swim. It was so good.

See, no excuse.

The pool is literally on my front door step and I go swimming lots with my son, but I manage to ignore it for myself. Today that is changing. I threw myself in and made myself swim laps. Ok, they were widths, not lengths, but still that's a good start.

Tomorrow I will attempt to do it again, then the next day and the next. Until it becomes habitual. Well that's the plan, but I am sure I can be side tracked by something.

Bagels, bagels where for art thou?

As many of my friends know I have been obsessing over bagels. I am not sure why, probably PMT and all I want to do is eat carbs and chocolate. But looking for a decent bagel here is like looking for a big white man whale. So I have decided that it is best if I do it myself. 


Bagels are one of those things that I have always thought are best bought from the people who know how to make them. I mean you have to make the dough, boil and then bake it. What a load of fuss, even if they are good. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

My son is so over my bagel need and has removed him from the lounge where I am typing this and closed himself in his room. YES, he can get out on his own.

Today was one of those really, really wet days and I figured it was the perfect day to give baking a go. The temp is below 30 for once. But it was a mission.

We have been debating the need to have 2 umbrella's in the household, but to this day it has only been a debate. As is right and fitting hubby had first dibs on the umbrella. Only fair since he has to go to work. Someone has to pay for my new obsession and believe me it's going to get expensive. Hubby ran off to work in the middle of a torrential downpour. I had a shower and hoped that the rain would stop belting down. But this is the tropics.



Off to school for my son. This required me to get totally and utterly soaked to the bone, which isn't really all that traumatic since it is hot, but my shoes were so wet that I was aqua planing on the inside of the shoe, which was then aqua planing against the pavement. Fun.

Gee, why am I giving you so much detail!

You see, the thing about baking is that I have to buy a mixing bowl, a mixing spoon, measuring cups/jug. And then of course I need the ingrediants.

I took myself to Mustafa's which gives me the heebie jeebies, but has everything. If you can find it.

Success, I found all that I needed.
And after much fun. I realised that I actually like baking bread. See proof.

I will taste test on Hubby this evening, if he is still alive tomorrow then all good.

Maybe blueberrie ones next? Cinnamon and raison? Oooh, chocolate.

Damn, I am going to have to hurry out and make some friends or else Hubby and I will end up HUGE.

Ok, enough rambling.

Meat and more meat

I was a wake bright and early this morning, with excitement tingling through my toes. Could have been pins and needles.

Anyway, I met a lady at the egg stall at the market the other week and she informed me of the best place to get meat in Singapore. Everyone has an opinion on this subject. Even the chicken man at the market can tell you where to get the best angus beef in town. "Go to Novena Square. Look for the building behind it and go up to the 4th floor and look for MMM butcher. He best for Angus beef in town." See, I was paying attention! No, I haven't tried it yet.

Food is integral to life in Singapore.

So the Egg lady, as she will forever be known, texted and set up a date for this morning to go and find her hidden gem. There is nothing like an adventure. Armed with my camera, the one on my phone, I stood and waited for my ride. I got a call 5 mins before I was to be picked up, asking what my address was, as Egg lady had deleted the vital piece of information. With my vast knowledge of Singapore, I proceeded to giver her directions. "You know that shophouse that you looked at and decided not to rent? Well, I live right opposite that." Clear and concise. Funnily enough she found me.

We drove for about 20 mins. I am not sure where, we were to busy meeting each other. We had chatted briefly and swapped numbers over eggs, but beyond that we knew nothing of each other. So we were having the obligatory girlie meet. "What are you doing here? How long do you think you'll stay? Are you enjoying it? What have you found hard about being here? Wow, it's cool to be driving in a car. You get to see different parts of Singapore." That inane chatter. It was fun! I felt like I had been let out for good behaviour.

Back to the tale. Basically we headed to the ports and in a huge industrial warehouse we found Ben Foods, http://www.benfoods.com. They have a selection of goodies on offer. There were your pasta's and  tinned goodies. Olive oil, canned tomatoes, frozen bacon (I am assured it is the best brand you can get in Singapore and at a hugely reduced rate compared to the supermarkets), butter, cheeses, wines.

The next section is your meat. There is pure Angus beef, vacuum packed fresh from NZ. There are frozen lamb chops, marinated ribs and all sorts of other goodies at reasonable prices. The catch is that it is all prepackaged and you have to take it how it is. For a small family like mine that is a bit daunting, but then, I have a freezer and will just have to re package into small portions.

Now, I have just been off on a quick tangent. In all my excitement I forgot to take photo's while out shopping, so, I have just taken photo's of the goods I bought. I will put them on the bottom and also for the hell of it I am going to compare the prices that I paid at Ben Foods with the ones at Cold Storage.

Actually I am going to get on with that right now.

Purely for baking and my son. Not for me. I paid S$2.60 for 250g. At Cold Storage butter ranges from S$3 to S$6 for 250g. 

I am not going to comment about this buy. I paid S$2.50 for this. At Cold Storage it is S$3.45.

Hubby and I LOVE good ribs. They better be good. US Marinated back ribs. I paid S$14.80 per kg. At Cold Storage Ribs are S$30.50 per kg. Cold Storage ones are Australian and not marinated. 

Meat, glorious meat. NZ Pure Angus Beef. I paid S$26 per kg. Cold Storage is about S$59.90 per kg.

Bacon. Oh, how I have missed you. I paid around S$10.00 per kg. In Cold Storage bacon is between S$20 and S$30 per kg. 

Thought I'd try this for lunch. I paid S$4.60 and at Cold Storage it is S$7.50.

Gotta have ya lamb chops. I paid S$15 per kg. The only lamb on the Cold Storage website I could find to compare it to was lamb french rack at S$69.90 per kg. I did see these at Ben Foods and I think they were around S$25 a kg, but were frozen.

It looks remarkably cheaper. But I haven't tried any of it yet. Although Egg lady swears by the meat. The only other downer about this is that you really have to have a car.

Anyway, we now have enough meat to feed an army. I think we'll have ribs tonight, followed by bacon for breakfast tomorrow and then maybe a lamb chop for lunch followed by a steak for dinner.

Happy eating.

Walk this way

One of the identifying factors of being in Asia for me is the directionless meandering which seems to be done at a snails pace and drives me to distraction. I am sure I have ranted about this previously and probably will again, but bare with me.

I am not sure about people's walking habits and I never really analysed mine until I realised that I would come home from a trip to the shops, cursing and fuming about the way people walk here.

Please, I am not having a go at anyone in particular, except those of you who walk real slow and seem to be drawn to any other moving force on the same footpath as you. And there it is, that's my frustration right there.

I am used to walking with direction and a pointedness. Purpose. I know where I want to go and stride away. I own the footpath. And this works in most western countries where the rule of the foot path is basically the same as the rule of the road. As I don't drive this can be rather confusing sometimes.

When in a new country, I often find myself happily exploring. Wandering in a thoughtless manner as I stare up at the buildings around me or stop in the middle of a crowd, because something bright and shiny caught my eye. Yes, I am a hypocrite. But at least I know it.

For the first few months of being in Singapore I found myself muttering under my breath, "Walk! One foot in front of the other". And things like "pick a lane, any lane." "Can we speed it up just a notch? I am going to lose my balance walking this slowly." I do hope it was under my breath. Hubby says that I can mutter rather loudly at times.

As time has gone on I am beginning to have a vague understanding of why people walk this way. It is HOT. Too hot to be walking at the brusque trot that I was used to in my former homeland. Also everyone here is also looking for shelter. Whether it be from the sun or the rain.

I am happier to walk out in the rain then then sun. At least getting wet cools me for a second before my clothes turn into a sauna. You can almost see the steam rolling off them.

Many of the old shop houses have a '5 foot way', which was introduced in the town plan of 1822. This was designed so that in the front of traditional shop houses there was a footpath which was 5 feet wide and was laid so that the over hang of the building covered the walk way providing shelter from sun or rain. Now days these are often built like covered corridors/walkways. Here is a link for more information if you feel the need to go all historical on us, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_foot_way.

I am beginning to see the sense in walking at a slower pace in the tropics. Less sweating, actually not really, but a lot less frustration at fellow footpath inhabitants. And really what is the rush?!

 A heritage shophouse in Singapore.

Looking front on to the shophouse

 Decorative tiles on shophouse

 Newer 5 foot walk