You Know You’re In Singapore When

Here’s a post highlighting the experiences I’ve enjoyed in Singapura, I hope that we can adopt these in our hometown and beloved country someday, though we’re off to a good start with Cebu Mactan’s T2. Read on to find out what it is I love about Singapore. 

Imagine that you've fallen asleep and found yourself in the middle of a city. How would you know where you are? To answer that question, you know you're in Singapore when... 

It's easy to take the public bus and train in SG

Public transportation is on time, clean and very efficient

Buses are always on time, every corner is spotless and all you need is an EZ link card to get around. It’s one way of ensuring that the best way to get from Point A to B is to tap on the card reader and you’re good to go. Each ride is as low as SG $.60.

  

Satay stalls by the Bay

Hawker food stalls are as sanitary as food court malls and restaurants

Here, street food stalls are more of a definition episode of “I Dare You” but in Singapore, even street-side hawker food stalls are a mainstay because of affordability, sanitation and definitely taste. Food is taken seriously in the city-state, all the more if it has a reputation to uphold. Some of the best -tasting food that locals bring us to are right by the street, if not those that are family-run for generations. 

Mommy claiming her tax return in Changi Airport

 You receive a tourist tax return when you spend a minimum of $100 on goods

In order to win back tourists after having spent a good amount shopping in SG, those who have spent over $100 on goods can actually enjoy a little tax return at the airport. To add to this bonus, it’s easy to have one’s passport scanned at the kiosk, then line up after the immigration check in the tax returns counter. You will be then asked if you’d want it in cash or cheque. Tadah, there’s a good sum to enjoy a quick snack in the lounge before boarding. Sweet, huh? 

You can leave your stuff at a corner table and come back to them later, no more worrying about thieves

It’s only in SG that we felt confident leaving our stuff behind in search of food, without having to worry about strangers picking them up. Theft is a very serious crime that’s punishable and qualified for investigation. The locals know this by heart and here is an example of leaving our belongings in a public area while we buy what we wanted for lunch, only to come back to a table that’s not just cleaned after but still with our belongings safe and sound. Oh how I long for this day to be a reality in Mi Ciudad. 

Photo taken from Straits Times Singapore

Your exit (checkout) at immigration is automated

Talk about hassle-free immigration, the management keeps electronic records and allows all registered travelers automated exit. One simply has to go through passport scanning, facial and fingerprint capture and you’re good to go. It didn’t get to me as I was looking forward to an exit stamp on my passport, but I already have an arrival stamp upon entering, so that’s that. Stress-free boarding, that’s Changi Airport for you. 

My father enjoying his giant meat bun

Food servings are bigger than your face

No more words needed, that’s my father delighted with his giant meat bun from Vivo City, devoured in Sentosa Island, that’s as big as his face. So imagine how I had to split up the other meat bun into quarters. The same goes for the rest of the food that we bought all over the city, affordable, huge, delish… 

All over Changi Airport (Why do I keep taking photos of these three's backs?)

Not only is the airport fully carpeted, even the toilets are comparable to hotels

The arrival lounge and immigration look like a hotel lobby, plus the conveyor belt section for luggage pickup is like a garden. Facilities are modern and complete, I don’t mind staying here for a delayed flight because Changi can just do no wrong. No wonder it’s one of the Asian airports that continue to astound travelers globally. 

I long for the day when these can happen in the Philippines. For a start, Cebu’s Mactan T2 (Terminal 2) airport is comparable to world-class airports, so at least that’s something to be proud of.

What are your experiences in Singapore? If you're planning to visit Singapore, you might want to check out My Quick Guide to Singapore and for added tips here's a list of Things To Do in Destinaation Diary: Singapore

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Destination Diary: China and What You Will Need

Summer of this year, I went to China for 14 days to attend a short course with a delegation and it was one of the best experiences I’ve had, meeting new people and making new friends coupled with the chance to visit historical sites. We were invited by China’s Ministry of Commerce, so I went as a government employee as a member of a delegation representing the Philippines.

Of course, my excitement got a hold of me days before I was to leave. These are some things to remember when preparing for a visit to China:

Visa

Securing a Chinese Visa is one of the strictest, as it is particular with medical requirements such as ECG and X-Ray. The form alone is very comprehensive, so I spent a whole day completing all the requirements for the medical attachments for the visa alone.

Normally personal appearance is required in the Chinese Embassy but for our trip shouldered by the Ministry of Commerce, all we had to do was pick up our passports with visas from our contact and facilitator.

There are no shortcuts to getting a visa and yes, I went through all of those. For government employees, a travel order or travel authority is required upon immigration check and other relevant documents.

Facial and fingerprint scanner in China

Immigration in China

Before passing through Chinese Immigration upon arrival, all foreign visitors are required to pass through facial and fingerprint scanning. It’s easier because there are machines set up that are user-friendly and the printed slip is shown to the Immigration Officer upon arrival. The Immigration booths are modern and are well-manned. With your arrival card, passport and registration slip, you should be alright.

Electronics on Flight

Be warned that electronics checked-in are not allowed. Most of my companions during travel have mastered this, but not me. Oh no. I was able to pull out the Macbook out of my checked-in luggage but wasn’t able to save my powerbank in Guangzhou. Upon arrival in Tianjin, I discovered that my luggage was inspected and my Asus pink powerbank was confiscated. And thus, the lesson is to bring all electronics in the handcarried baggage. Check out what replacement I received here.

Side Street in Yu Yuan Garden, Shanghai

VPN for Social Media in China

One thing to remember about visiting China is that most social media platforms are banned, except for WeChat which has a WePay feature. However, WeChat can be validated by a user in Mainland China who has been using the app for 6 months at least. The next best thing to beat the restriction is by downloading a VPN router, some are paid apps, which can connect you to routers like in Hongkong for you to unblock the restrictions. I was able to discover that my phone has a built in VPN and I accessed and used it easily, so no worries there. Most hotels we stayed in had free wifi to chat with family and friends back home so that eased away the homesickness.

Basic Mandarin

Basic Mandarin is appreciated, so learning to say a few words can help with making new friends. It doesn’t have to be complicated, simply practice the basic like thank you, welcome, good morning and good bye and you can make friends with people who smile and nod at you. Chinese mainlanders are friendly, and you will be surprised at how many locals are actually willing to chat with you.

Chinese Yuan Reminbi

Local Currency

It’s better to have money changed in any accredited money changers before landing in China. We went around the airport to look for money changers inside the terminal but there were none in Guangzhou. In Tianjin we went around banks to change our American Dollars, only one bank was able to facilitate our exchange. Withdrawing from ATMs is no problem, but for Philippine accounts, your local bank might charge a Php 200 withdrawal fee. Credit cards didn’t work in Guangzhou airport in the Starbucks branch, (must be because there’s an activation notice to utilize the card abroad to prevent fraudulent transactions) though debit cards worked just fine.

Guangzhou Airport

Good Walking Shoes, Hat, Camera, Sunblock and a Water Bottle

Finally, these are the basics that I wish I brought along with me so that I didn’t have to buy them anymore. For the second part of our trip, we visited sites that one could cross off the bucket list, and so there’s a good amount of walking around to be done. Luckily I found a pair that I could wear in an outlet store in Beijing. Then I needed a hat, so I bought one in one of the souvenir shops in The Great Wall. As for a camera, I wish that I brought my mirrorless camera with me. Sunblock, whether it’s exploring a beach or going to historical sites, should be a staple in the luggage. And of course, airports and train stations in China have water fountains in every corner, it’s good to be able to bring a water bottle along. Hydrating is important especially when in transit. I know I’ll be bringing mine along the next time I leave the country.

Wearing my shoes in Nanjing Road, Shanghai

China 2018 Series:

Tianjin

Beijing

Shanghai

Note : All input are based on my experience while in China. A schedule was planned for our group beforehand given the limited amount of time.

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