Moving to Singapore

[White Nancy]

Diz, as my current taxi fare is less that S$10 to the office, and I expect it to be less when we move, you are probably right. I think that just hiring a car for to odd time we want to get away is probably the answer. More often than not we'd be heading out of Singapore anyway and flying is a more attractive alternative to driving (to KL for example). I'm also aware that some hire companies don't allow you to take vehicles out of the country, so I'd need to check that Malaysia is OK.

I'll have to look into the internet issue and get the agent on the utilities.

Astreal, can you get internet without having to have cable TV? We didn't have a tele in the UK and have sort of got out of the habit of bothering. I'm quite happy to find a bar to watch rugby or F1 - any excuse!

Had another wander round Little India last night. Got 100% lost until we suddenly found ourselves facing Serangoon Plaza. Claiming the credit for a fine piece of navigation, calls for a celebration were answered with a fine curry and ice cold Tiger!

On the likes and dislikes; when I was walking to the MRT this morning, it struck me I haven't yet seen a single dog turd since we got here and there's a high dog ownership in the HDB apartments near us. You don't have to spend all your time looking at the ground when you walk. Very pleasant.

[astreal]

Sure! There are always a few good offers given by starhub even without cable tv. Can check their webbie. Free modems, router or even a laptop.

Singapore dogs prefer to shit in the HDB apartments, they are not used to doing it in the public. Shy maybe?!? Anyway from what i know most dog owners usually pick the turds up even if it does happen outside.

[Simbo]

That indian man is definately at fault but it doesn't justify you stepping his foot and ramming your elbow into his chest. This happens on a daily basis in singapore, most people just shrugged it off. There is no need for searching trouble and antagonizing people. Everybody is brought up differently, some of these indian are probably fresh off the ship from the India where jostling is perfectly normal.

Remember when in Rome, do what the romans do. You are long way from home!

Thank you for the lecture on egg-sucking. I have spent 20 years on and off in the Far East and don't see why I should put up with rudeness there or anywhere else. If encouraging people to be courteous is a sin then I am a sinner. At the end of the day he had assaulted me and I have the right to self defence. What if it had been a person he barged into the gap between the train and the platform- maybe he'll think twice now. Anyway I'm off into the streets of KL now to knock old ladies over.

PS my home is in Thailand and its only about 800km away

[astreal]

Wow! Assaulted?!?! Thats a little too strong of a word eh. Nothing wrong wth encouraging but i don't think elbowing and stepping on someone feet is considered encouraging. 20 years on and off in the Far East probably didn't taught you anything. Where you are staying now might be thailand but it means nothing if you are acting like this. Have fun in KL! Do knock down some old ladies and see what happens.... They might actually think you are teaching people to be courteous.

[White Nancy]

Just to get off the subject of assault for a minute, I've spoken to the agent and she's sorting out the whole utilities bit and internet/phone etc. That's another job saved! She's earned her money this girlie, she really has worked hard for me.

I suppose being the preferred agent for a multi-national consultancy is a position she wants to keep but I can certainly recommend her to anyone else thinking of relocating here.

Now that we're nearly (fingers crossed) done and dusted, I have to admit that the whole move here has been a lot easier than I expected, from the Employment Pass process to new apartment. I have to admit that I have had excellent support from my company which has certainly made things easier. It may have been a different story without. I also have the advantage of not shipping any effects from the UK and have rented fully furnished, so that's undoubtably helped also.

Hope this thread has been useful for anyone else contemplating the move here in the future.

Just need to get the UK driving licence converted now, I better get reading, it's been a while since I touched a highway code.

OK, back to the manners/assault debate!

[astreal]

That is really good service. Kudos to her. Thats really extra effort taken. Anyway i am done with debating. Simbo is entitled to his own opinion while i am entitled to my own. Point taken. At the end of the day we are all trying to lead our own life and be happy.

[astreal]

On the another note to white Nancy

The first F1 night race will be held in Singapore this september and it's a street circuit. Not too sure if all the tickets are sold out but you can try. I think it will be some hell of a event!

[White Nancy]

I'd like F1 tickets, but I've no idea which country I'll be in when the race is on. One of the downsides of a job involving travel I suppose.

[dizbuster]

500 for a modem?!?! Thats really expensive. I got my modem for free when i sign the contract to use their service for 1 year. I got a special discount for using the 3 services of starhub. It's call the hub club. In total my bills for mobile, cable tv and internet rounds up to about $160...

I have the 100Mb line and to get the full benefit (100Mb ?? Nah !!) StarHub say you must buy a special modem and it costs $500. Funnily enough they are the only ones who sell the modem, but i did get it checked out on a local forum and the tekkie fellas there said it was right and that they held all the aces. Either pay up or else go back down to the 8 or 16Mb lines.

My total bill each month is $215, which includes said 100Mb connection, most of the film channels and all the sports channels including the football channel, but not the cricket or horse racing ones.

[dizbuster]

500 for a modem?!?!...

I have just checked and it has now dropped to $300. Modems

[White Nancy]

I've just received a load of stuff from StarHub in an e-mail to decide which package I want.

As usual for Singapore, it's not particularly straightforward and I'm not sure I got long enough to live to plough through it all! I've put the job off till weekend as I'm in KL at the moment and just havn't the time (or the inclination) right now.

The apartment issue has been settled and I'm due to move on the 1st June. Hopefully, I'll have it all in place by then.

[dizbuster]

My total bill is $209 per month for Broadband and Cable TV.

For the internet I chose the 100Mbs line in anticipation of them putting in digital lines over the next few years. At present it's nowhere near as quick as you might expect but still quick enough for surfing and playing online poker etc.That costs around $120 per month and as I said, you need to buy a modem off StarHub for $300. Other speeds are 8Mbs + 16Mbs. I recommend that you do NOT go for the 8Mbs connection - I originally had this and it is very ssssslllllllllooooooowwwwwww. You pay around $40-$60 per month for these 2 and you get the modem for free.

For the Cable TV, they do packages, but as you stated that you don't really watch TV, I won't go into further details.

[White Nancy]

Just out of interest, Is your landline with StarHub (do they do this?) or SingTel?

As usual, the website information is designed to confuse and by God, it works!!

[astreal]

For starhub, it's not exactly land lines. They connect it to the modem if i am not wrong. Singtel's one is landline.

[dizbuster]

I don't have a home phone, but if you are referring to the line used for the internet connection, then it's done over the cable (TV) connection.

To get a SingTel line installed, you need to go to a Post Office and fill out a form. I would imagine that the line is already there in your apartment and that it's just a case of re-connecting it.

[dizbuster]

SingTel - applying for a new line

Applications forms for new customers are found here

[White Nancy]

Thank you gentlemen. I'll do some more reading

[dizbuster]

Thank you gentlemen. I'll do some more reading

No problem

You can reward us for all this info once you have settled in and found the best curry shop in Little India, by forwarding us the name of said restaurant Being an "out of towner" I don't get to frequent the restaurants enough to make comparisons, so have I rely on recommendations.

[White Nancy]

No problem. I intend to carry out deep and intensive research into the matter with the view to founding an annual "Frozen Loo Roll" award to the best curry house.

I'm also looking to start a similar "Gallon of Grease" award to the producer of the dodgiest kebabs on Arab Street.

Unlike all the other common or garden resturant reviewers, I'll make sure that they all know both my face and that I'm completely corruptible!

Now I think, there might need to be one for the best medical facilities in there somewhere too. Shame we haven't got a "sitting on the loo" smiley.

As a complete aside I've just gone for this broadband package with StarHub, mainly 'cos it's got free stuff, not because I know what any of it means:-

MOL Promotion Plan C2: (MaxOnline Ultimate N-Router Bundle Promo plus free Digital Voice Home)
(Promotion name/code: MOL Ult-N Router Bundle –Docsis 3 & VeCM Promo / MOL-0095)
( While stocks last)
- 1X Free 100Mbps Cable Modem + VeCM + 1X wireless D-Link 655 N-Router + 1X wireless USB adapter &
with free Digital Voice Home subscription till 31 Dec 2008.
- 20% off subscription for first 24 months, MaxOnline Ultimate plan @$99.30/month after 20% discounted
- Minimum subscription of 24 continuous months, pre-mature termination charge of $1070 applies
- $32.10 one time activation fee for MaxOnline only customer or $42.80 one time activation fee for customer with
MaxOnline and Digital Voice Home services.
- Installation charge $53.50/PC.

[dizbuster]

...- 1X Free 100Mbps Cable Modem...

I had to pay for mine

Still, looking on the bright it's been well worth the investment and I'm happy with the package. It would appear that you have the same set up as me which is quite fast.

[White Nancy]

Got home Friday night after a whistle stop tour of Oz. Arrived there last Monday night and did Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney before flying back Friday afternoon.

The little chappie from StarHub came round yesterday, bang on time as arranged, so I'm all interneted up now. The main bonus is that I can now work from home a lot more, as I can access the office from here.

So, all in all, we're pretty much done here. A fairly painless process all together and, as everthing's finished, I get to spend the weekends on the beach!

[White Nancy]

And before I forget, A quick thank you to all those who posted hints and tips along the way and probably helped me avoid some grief, especially Diz and Astreal.

Ta ever so much

Now, pass the bloody Tiger will you!

[dizbuster]

No problem, you're welcome.

Come the end of this month it will have been one and a half years here for me and I haven't regretted it once. There have been some lows, but not location related and the highs have far outweighed them anyway

[White Nancy]

Well I've now found something that doesnt work in Singapore. StarHub's "customer service". Little chappie came and fitted everything, as promised, so no complaints there. However it appears I'm signed up for their Safesurf service which I didn't ask for and not only costs an extra S$2/month but blocks the most random of sites. I also can't do IDD from the landline. Tried to speak to the the guy who was all over me like a rash before I signed but just got referred to "customer services" Tried ringing their number, I'll be dead before they answer that phone. Even a call centre in Mumbai would have been an improvement.

Idea!.......sign up for the internet account access thinking I can make the changes through that. Wrong! Got a lovely little message telling me I was all signed up and ready to go, but the site won't allow access and tells me to mail "customer "services". E-mailed them. Got a lovely reply addressed to "Dear Valued Customer" saying they'd received the mail and would be in touch. That was Sunday and not a peep since then.

So, I can't make IDD calls on the phone, I can't access a load of internet sites, sales won't talk to me, "customer services" won't answer the phone and refuse to give me a meaningful response to mails. This has now been going on for nigh on a fortnight and is starting to get just a little bit on my t*ts!

Direct action could be the next step methinks.

[astreal]

If i am not wrong, there is a option when you dial in their hotline number where you can leave your number for them to get back to you. I used that most of the time and they get back to me the next day. The starhub helpline has a reputation for me the poorest in Singapore so ........ Hahhahaha

The other option would be to go to their service center at raffles place OUB center if your office is nearby. There is another service center at Vivocity and Plaza Singapura. This should be a more immediate solution.

[White Nancy]

If i am not wrong, there is a option when you dial in their hotline number where you can leave your number for them to get back to you. I used that most of the time and they get back to me the next day. The starhub helpline has a reputation for me the poorest in Singapore so ........ Hahhahaha

The other option would be to go to their service center at raffles place OUB center if your office is nearby. There is another service center at Vivocity and Plaza Singapura. This should be a more immediate solution.

Thanks for the locations. I've passed the whole problem over to our Molotov Cocktail Department.

[White Nancy]

Right then, thats StarHub sorted out. The internet's now how it should be and I'll have IDD by Friday, which is really handy as the wife flies out from the UK on Saturday. Oh well.

Anyway, on to the next stunning move. On Saturday, I bought myself a car. As said in another thread, the only thing I was missing here was driving, and hiring a motor now and again just didn't cut it. Now my head kept telling me (along with everone else) that I don't need a vehicle here. The place is too small to worry, taxis are cheap, MRT is brilliant, cars are expensive to run etc., etc., etc. As is so often the case with these things, the head was ignored and the heart won which means that I'm now several thousand dollars lighter. Decided not to go for anything new fangled with electronics and so on and a '77 Mini seemed to fit the bill. My son thinks it's a mid-life crisis thing, he's probably right but what the hell? But for me, the most important thing is that I'll never have to use that bl00dy cable car to get to Sentoza ever again. And for that alone, it's worth it.

[Pad Mc]

the wife flies out from the UK on Saturday. Oh well.

You sound overjoyed about that...

Good thread by the way. An interesting read, and best of luck...

[astreal]

'77 mini!! Groovy!!!! Must have cost a bomb!

[White Nancy]

You sound overjoyed about that...

Good thread by the way. An interesting read, and best of luck...

Thanks for the wishes and no, no, I'm really, really looking forward to her return. Honest. No lie. Truly.

Now where's Yellow Pages for a quick apartment clean!!