Singapore Sans Skivvies

The blog you've all been waiting for has arrived - the first post from our new home in Singapore. One of the two of us has been saying "we live here now" at least once every two hours. It's 11:30am Saturday here (East Coasters, you're probably in your PJ's) and I have much to report back on already.

Anyone who's flown through Heathrow can testify that the airport is a behemoth, asking tired strung-out travellers to journey miles between terminals with a train ride, bus ride, and some security thrown in for good measure. Realistically I think you need a good 2 hours, I think we got about 54 minutes. We made it, however our 1/2 dozen checked bags weren't as quick, not even the little one. Fingers are crossed that they will arrive tonight, and in the meantime, we each got $$ 65 ($$ means Singapore dollars going forward) for things we need for the day today. A super gesture, and great in theory, however finding clothes for someone with my physical construction is easier said than done. We've been invited out tonight with one of Kellie's co-workers, we'll just have to see if we have our underroos by then.

13 hours is a long time. 13 hours on a plane - something entirely different. And this was the 2nd leg. I watched a bunch of movies (Due Date ((due to technical issues, I watched the first 10 minutes 4 times)), Social Network, The Town, Red, Megamind and The American) and listened to some music.

The Pan Pacific Serviced Suites here in S'Pore is very nice, and I'm not just saying that because of the free breakfast offered every day (except Sundays and public holidays of which there are many). Our room is modern, comfortable and properly equipped. However, as an added amenity, there are 16 light switches. Sixteen. There is an amazing pool and gym (which I hope to use), and "The Living Room" is on the 11th floor and has coffee, Wii, and a pool table open 24 hours a day, which will make this feel something like home.

Here's a good one. Kellie and I ventured out this morning to burn through our British Airways dough. Easily done since we're staying on what I can only equate to the Newbury Street of Singapore. Lining both sides of the street, about 50 meters apart, were, we're guessing, the Singapore version of Girl Scouts collecting donations. Singapore Scouts? At about 10 feet out, they get you in their sights and move in blocking your path and presenting the donation bags at eye level. Now, after about the 5th time of saying "no, sorry," we had the brilliant idea of just telling them that we had made a donation to another one of their "associates" up the street. We got some not-so-comfortable looks from the otherwise polite little beggers. Fast forward about an hour and another 40 or so girls and the genius Americans FINALLY figured it out. Stickers. Donate, get a sticker, save yourself the harassment. Smooth move ex-lax.

You know how everyone says Singapore is clean? It's true. It's like you can catch OCD and anal retention from the water. We were sitting outside Watson's (kinda like CVS) so I could get some deoderant and not smell like a foot since it's 93 degrees when this scene unfolded: food court, snacking on some fried dough (it's just like American fried dough except super healthy), when one of the food court cleaning staff began a strongly worded (I would surmise since it was in tongues) tirade at a young lady ordering a snack of her own. You see, the girl's shoes were dirty and leaving a pig-pen type trail behind her. 17 minutes this went on. This poor girl walking around with the angry mop-wielding cleaning lady following and verbally thrashing her. I think the part I struggled with was, who did I feel bad for?

More to come soon, I even bought a little notepad so I don't miss any of this delightful nuggets of entertainment.