Total Solar Eclipse 9 March 2016

Cruise:  Le Soleal (operated by Ponant Yacht Cruises and Expeditions), arranged by TravelQuest International.
  3 March     QF 840 Sydney 09:45 to Darwin 12:45
  4 March     17:00  Join cruise. Depart Darwin
  5 March     At Sea
  6 March     Banda Neira, Indonesia
  7 March     At Sea
  8 March     Ternate, Indonesia
  9 March     Eclipse Day/At Sea
10 March     Pulau Lihaga, Bunaken Marine Park and Tangkoko National Park
11 March     Pulau Saronde
12 March     At Sea
13 March     Sandakan, Malaysia. Kimbatangan River excursion. Overnight in Lodge
14 March     Sandakan, Malaysia
15 March     Kota Kinnabalu, Malaysia. Leave Cruise. MI391 to Singapore.
16 March     Singapore
17 March     Singapore
18 March     SQ211 to Sydney


Time Zones:
Sydney      AEDT GMT  + 11 hours
Brisbane    AEST  GMT  +10 hours
Darwin      ACST  GMT  +  9.30 hours
Malaysia    MYT   GMT  +  8 hours
Singapore  SGT    GMT   +  8 hours

Last day in Singapore

Today was a buffet lunch, where anyone accompanying a senior citizen was able to eat free - a one for one.  We had 6 seniors and 4 young ones, so we were well covered.

KM and I got on the first bus that came along, knowing we would end up at an MRT station.  So we went along for the ride and saw new towns being developed.  New apartment blocks are not just for Sydney.  We got to Serangoon interchange and caught a train to Little India.  We wandered around including looking at the new Indian Heritage Museum.  Saw this HUGE pot of biriyani.

Today must be some special day to lodge lottery tickets. 

Then back to say goodbye to family and now are at our hotel to pack.   All going well, we will be home tomorrow night to begin the year of the monkey.

Kong hee fatt choy to everyone.

LNY Day 2, Indian food and Singapore's National Service

LNY Day 2.  Meeting rellies - again good to catch up.  Then I left them to it and wandered down to the shops.   The only food that was available and looked appealing for dinner was Indian.  The little food stall had a tandoor and the naan was cooked in front of me!  Hotter (ie chilli hot) than in Sydney or in India.

Over two days of rellie-meeting, I got to talk to three young men who were currently doing or recently finished their compulsory (except for one - more about that later) National Service.  All Singapore men have to do this after their HSC.  It was introduced about the time I was in Singapore in the seventies, and then it was none too popular.

So I was surprised to hear the fairly positive things these young men had to say.  All acknowledged that it was reputedly much harder in the past than it is now.  KM remembers Israeli soldiers doing the training when Lee Kuan Yew wanted a full-on citizens force.  Now they all do 6 weeks basic military  training, then get posted to various parts of the Armed Forces.  One had worked as a medic and had learned basic emergency procedures.  One had just finished his first month, and we heard about the haircuts - Number 2 - that they all get for S$2.00.  So any young man with short hair is probably a national serviceman.  They all seemed happy with their trainers/instructors.

One of them was from China and had been to school here on a visitors visa.  It wasn't compulsory for him, but if he completed National Service, he was pretty well  guaranteed Singapore citizenship.  So he probably has a a different perspective on it.

I guess you could think "gap year".  And this isn't the first time society has imposed a period of training/socialisation/initiation on its young people - young men in Thailand do a limited period as a monk.  And the Singapore arrangement now seems to be a well-tuned machine.  One said that if it was too tough, the parents would complain, and the Government wouldn't be too popular.  Who needs a multi-party democracy to get your message across?  All very interesting.

Lunar New Year Day 1

Today is the first day of LNY.  It is like Christmas dinner - all the rellies getting together - but as afternoon tea instead.  It used to be that the younger visited the older, and I used to wonder how anyone ever managed to meet up when all were out on the road.  The only ones who really scored would be the oldest!

But in these modern times, people allocate one place to meet up.  Which happened this afternoon.  It was good to catch up with everyone on KM's mother's side (father's side tomorrow).  We are all a year older, and good to hear the stories of the younger ones - where once it was about what year in school, now it is hearing about travel, study and national service.

Tonight we had "steamboat" back at BL - again organised by BL and prepared by WZ and S.

More on transport...(updated)

Who says the Singapore Government doesn't consult.  Saw this sign today.....

Remember we were offered a vote on the plants we wanted at Cheltenham?  But there were no prizes for voting.

Dog training, weddings and dinner (updated).

You never know what the day brings.  On our way to the MRT, we came across a dog walking training session.  I thought walking a dog was just that, but there are all sorts of ways to do it, and to deal with other dogs.  I wasn't sure just who was being trained - dogs or their walkers - but there were all sorts of shapes, sizes and colours of dogs.

We had set out in search of the Sri Thendayuthapani Temple (also known as the Chettiars Temple), Tank Road.  It was the first temple I had seen many years ago and I remember being very kindly shown around it by some young boys.  It is also where the Thaipusam procession ends.  I had chosen one kavadi carrier to follow and just followed him to see what happened at the end and to watch his "spikes" being removed.  No wonder people choose Christianity - somebody else did all the hard yards.


 
Anyhow we found the Indian temple, which had closed its images at noon, but we did see guests at an Indian wedding.  One guest invited us to go upstairs to see the bride and groom, but apart from not being dressed for such an occasion, I would have felt like an intruder.

But we did spot a good idea for managing the rubbish, using a garbage bag stretched over an upturned plastic chair.

We had dinner for Lunar New Years eve at BL's house.  The tasty food is pictured below, organised by BL and prepared by WZ and her sister, Sandar.  A very good night.

From "Stop at two" to "Keeping Singapore young" - biology on the MRT (updated).

When I lived in Singapore in the seventies, the Government's mantra was "Boy or girl, two is enough"  I remember a student writing in an essay that when she grew up, she was going to have a small family - about 6.  So big families, preferably boys, were the norm.

Then Singapore became first-world.  Lee Kuan Yew expressed concern at the falling birth-rate, especially among more highly educated women, and began to organise dating get-togethers for graduates.

Today, like other developed nations, its birth-rate has fallen and the Government's rhetoric has also changed.  Family planning information is used to a different end. Today Singapore seems to be glad to have any babies to any mothers.  No upper limit anymore.  But lots of advice on planning ahead to have a baby in case it takes longer than you think, a warning that sperm can miss their mark after 28 (presumably the man's age), they are slower to swim after 28, that it takes a while to make a sperm, and not to wait too long before going off for IVF.  All this was graphically illustrated at City Hall MRT Station.  Piccies below - sorry there are so many, just couldn't choose. But I do like the very last one.....nothing to do with family planning but given the surrounding signs, could also be a commentary on parenthood.

And after all that, hold on tight and enjoy the ride...

And a message for Andrew Constance (who took over from Gladys as transport minister).  Don't even think about it - the good burghers of Cheltenham couldn't cope.

MRT idiosyncracies

I got out my old EZLink card (stored value transport card) for Singapore's MRT.   The machine told me it was expired!  Was given a list of stations where it could be exchanged for a current one.

But too easy.  When I got to a ticket office, I was told that it would cost me $S3 to exchange for a new one.  What,  said I, there was a $5 deposit.  Yes, said she, new one $5, renew $3.  I said how come MRT never loses, always me who loses.  She offered to take the $3 off the balance - apparently there was S$11 on my expired card.  I should be grateful they didn't take that I suppose.  Anyhow, I have a brand new MRT card, current for 7 years.  Equivalent to renting the card for about fifty cents a year.  Wonder why Gladys didn't think of that for NSW.

In Singapore, there is no daily cap, no free rides after so many trips.  As I said, MRT never loses.  At least Gladys with her OPAL gave the commuters a sporting chance, even though her successor is moving to plug the loopholes.

Another little MRT snippet.  I had to resort to a standard ticket until my card was brought back from the dead.  I bought a fare to one station, but got off a station earlier, and found that I had insufficient money!! The attendant attempted to explain that fares were calculated by distance not "station distance".   Oh well.  Another 20c bites the dust - MRT never loses!

Flight/food

It is sometimes a bit hard to think of what to say about Singapore, it is so familiar to us.
But we had a very good flight - plenty of spare seats - and I read most of a book by Helen Garner about the Farquharson trial in Victoria.  A bit like the Lin trial here in that there was a retrial with new counsel. And there were insights as to how defence counsel try to baffle/bore jurors with endless tedium.  Now I understand what was being done in the Sydney trial.

BTW, the Rogerson/McNamara trial is now on in the same room as the Lin trial. Reputedly involves corrupt former policeman and drug deals.  I would expect that the scanners will be operational for this one!

Food is always an interesting topic in Singapore.  This is our breakfast for one-quarter the (discounted) price of the hotel buffet.  At least you aren't paying for what you don't get.  But we will have to resort to the hotel buffet for two mornings over Chinese New Year when most of the stalls are either shut or open late.

My kaya toast in the foreground, KM looking forward to his mee rebus.

Good old ice kachang - same stall as on my last visit.

I must say our hotel (Capri by Fraser, Changi City) is one of the most functional in which I have stayed.  A well laid out room, easy to do washing, air-conditioning reliable and steady, and MRT close by.  Price varies according to demand.  No good for tourists though as it is too far from the city.  For us, it is walking distance to BL's place.