We have a nice group of friends here. There are 16 guys, including Basil, who all flew for Delta Air Lines together. Several of the guys go all the way back to Academy days and pilot training. There are several wives who live here on a full-time basis and several who come over every few months for a few weeks at a time. It's nice to have a support group. We are close to being the last ones hired here, so it's nice that everyone has already scoped out stores, restauarnts, where to buy different things, etc. Makes it much easier for us. Basil knew many of the guys, but I knew none of the wives previous to coming here. There are three other wives who live here full-time, as I do, right here in my building. We can meet several of the others quite easily as they don't live too far away. It's a great group to be part of.
We are also meeting some other Americans who are living here and working for a variety of companies. There is a very large contingent of people here working for several different banking and financial ventures. We also met a nurse who works with a large cancer center here from Nashville and a couple of people who are professors at one of the local colleges. About 20,000 American here all told, I believe. I have also had the opportunity to make friends with some Indian women, some from Cambodia, VietNam, Hong Kong, several who were born and raised in Singapore, some from Malaysia and Australia. Very global, very fun! Everyone has different customs, cultures, food, different activities - it's a lot of fun to learn and experience it all.
Last night we had a girl's night out. 5 of us went to a local Mexican food restaurant across town. It is excellent Mexican food! Even the hot sauce - which they only call salsa - is pretty good. The Margaritas are excellent! Since we weren't driving, we decided to order Margaritas. Also since there were 5 of us, we decided a pitcher was a good efficient use of our resources. Then our reasoning was if one pitcher was good, two would be even better! Good food, good company, fun conversation, sitting outside, nice breeze blowing - then we got our bill. It was unbelievable! Not looking at the menu and checking the price, we were astounded to find each pitcher was $55. Good thing we'd had two and were mellow enough to deal with this!
Turns out alcohol is incredibly expensive here. A small size bottle - not the "normal" size we buy in the states- of tequila or vodka is around $60 a bottle. A lower-end single malt scotch can go as high as $250 a bottle for something we are accustomed to paying around $50 to $60 for. As a crewmember, Basil is not allowed when clearing customs after a working trip, to bring back or purchase in the duty free shop any alcohol at all. When entering the country just as a tourist you cannot bring any alcohol through customs unless it is purchased at the duty free shop here in Singapore that you see just prior to clearing customs. Then you are allowed to purchase only one bottle of hard liquor and one bottle of wine. Alcohol purchased at any other duty free shop when departing the states or any other country will not be allowed in unless you pay taxes on it that equals to what the bottle would cost here. Beer and wine are also expensive, but not as much so as "hard" alcohol. We thought maybe it's because of all the Muslims in the country, but we were told by a Singaporean man sitting at the next table who overhead us talking that it is because it is all imported - they make Tiger beer here, but that's the only one- and the government likes to keep it controlled and the tax high because they can make money on it. Turns out he's a government employee in one of the Ministry departments. He says it doesn't seem to keep people from drinking, so the government knows people will pay it. We asked about the Muslims not drinking alcohol. He laughed and told us he was Muslim - he was on his third Tiger beer. He said many Muslims in many countries drink alcohol - making no big deal about it. He told us that during holy days he and others he knows abstain from it, but then after the holidays it's life back to normal. He said you can buy and drink alcohol, even when he travels to more "strict, even extremist Muslim countries "- it's just done very quietly and in private homes. Sometimes, he said, it's served in the open - just disguised as tea! There are extremely devout, extremist Muslims who do not drink alcohol, but there are probably more who do tip a few. Very interesting conversation and information. We all decided it seemed a lot like the old days of prohibition in some places.
Many of you have asked about our VoIP phone and when you will be able to call us. My boxes - one of which has the Internet phone in it - have not arrived from the states. Evidently when I sent them through the US Postal system addressed to Singapore, they must have been placed on literally a slow boat to China. I'm hoping it all - including the phone - gets here soon. As soon as it does, I will send out an email letting you know it's all operational, along with the phone number and a schedule of what time it is where you are and what time it is where I am. I can tell you already, it will be a Shreveport (318 area code) phone number. The cost of the call will only be the cost to call Shreveport unless you have a calling plan on your home phone or cell phone that includes free long distance - in which case the call will be free!!! I set up the phone number when my father was still at the nursing home so they would be able to reach me easily and quickly. He has since passed away, but I just left it as the Shreveport number. I'll let you all know as soon as it arrives.
Many of you also have expressed interest in visiting us. Check CheapTickets.com, Orbitz.com, Expedia.com and others like that. Please check where you layover and for how long. If you go through New York, be aware you may have to change airports, in which case you have to land at one, retrieve your luggage, load it on the bus, go across town to JFK and then re-check it. If you go the pacific route then if you book all the way on one airline or an airline that code shares with another that comes here, they usually check your luggage all the way through. Also please note they are extremely strict nowadays on the weight limit. If you non-rev (airline people only note this) Delta does not come to Singapore. Going through Amsterdam or Paris, then use zfare on Air France usually works, the other way is through Narita in Tokyo and then the zfare on Northwest. people tell me most times it's not too bad.
Also those interested in visiting - to answer the question we are being asked most often - when is the cool season? Answer - We don't have one. The temp here is constant = only difference is maybe 5 degrees between night and day. No - you will absolutely NEVER need a sweater. The only difference in our weather is whether it is the rainy season or not. November, December, January are our big monsoon season. It doesn't change the temps at all. The only thing it changes is that instead of just feeling the humidity and it raining a little almost everday; you feel the humidity and it rains a lot everyday. Those are our only weather changes. But we'd love to have you over! Plan on clothes that are 100% cotton, shorts and/or cropped pants and sandals that can get wet and can be walked distances in. Some people do wear athletic shoes;but when wet - and they will get wet, they tend to get heavy and rub blisters. Voice of experience here on that one.
I'm off to pick up my alterations - I've lost 13 lbs and am having to have my pants taken up! I've done it by swimming and sweating. At least when I'm swimming, I don't kow I'm sweating!
Rusty - it was good to talk to you - Mariah sounds so grown up - be sure and let me know when the new one arrives.
Joyce - pat Piper for us
Lynn - I can't wait for you to see all the gorgeous flowers here.
Bill and Betty - how are you? Jot a note
Barb - how are your parents and the cats?
Yes, Heather - still the future. Yes, he's still there!
Beautiful Flowers
Singapore is especially known for their orchids. The island has a multitude of orchid farms as they are one of the world's largest growers and suppliers of orchids.
