8/14/2009

Get to and from Changi airport

Though I stayed in Singapore for one day only, I still managed to spend most of my money before going home. The things is I actually have to open my wallet, carefully count the coins and 2 dollar notes one by one to make sure I have enough money for shuttle bus fare.

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Then I realized that taking MRT is a much sensible choice of traveling. Singapore MRT website is pretty user friendly.  Check out the online calculator for the fare of a ride. Then you can decide which way to go, the $9 shuttle bus? or the $1.9 MRT( from the Matraa to airport)? 

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One thing to keep in mind is that if you intend to book the shuttle bus to pick up from hotel, you need to book the service 2 hours ahead!!

If you are taking MRT, avoid Central station as much as possible. There are just too many people happen to be in the same place!! Check the network map to find an alternative transfer spot. 

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How do you define good service? My stay in the Matraa backpacker hostel, Singapore

I booked the airport shuttle bus service on arrival to Singapore in late hours. It has been 10 years since my last visit to Singapore and I wonder if things have changed a lot. Airport shuttle bus service is in fair price(9 SGD P/P) and easily accessible in the airport lobby. The city-country is still as sparkling as ever in the evening yet I can't help feeling lonely. I think this would be my last solo trip. Traveling without a companion can be a tremendous stress for girls. Here's another example.

I stayed in the Matraa backpackers hostel for 2 nights. The accommodation is cheap but unfortunately it's at the rim of the city, which is a bit far away from everything else. It doesn't even get to show on the Singapore official map! The advantage is its 7-minute walking distance from the nearest MRT station, Farrar Park.

The host of the backpacker hostel welcomed me with bright broad smile. One of the staff showed me the double room I booked. I can see my roommate has taken the lower bunk. I tried to catch up some sleep after finishing my shower (the place is small but clean) and rang W and Dad via Skype. The bed is the most shaky one I have ever slept on, worse than the one I slept in Melbourne. The handrail is shaky and noisy. There's no way you can get up without waking up your roommate.

So I slept on and off until 4am. I heard someone turning the key. Someone came in the room, someone took off the cloth, someone made squeaky noises when climbing up the bed.

I was wondering for the next 10 minutes.....Is my roommate male or female? It supposed to be a she? But I can sense that person sleeping downstairs is not a GIRL! So I climb down the bed and gave a quick glance over the lower bunk. There he is, sleep like a log.

My double room roommate is a guy, a stranger!

I DON'T LIKE THIS SURPRISE!

So 4:30 in the morning I went downstairs to make the complain. The indian boy seemed surprise to learn the news then he tried to comfort me with "No problem!"

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

I have no where else to go but going back to the room and wait for a new day to start.

8:30 am in the morning I packed my stuff and hurry downstairs to ask for a new room, which the Indian boy promised.

Later on the host of the Mitraa explained that the booking info from Hostel. com doesn't specify gender, which inevitably leads to unexpected room arrangement.

He even claimed that Europeans and American girls usually don't mind to share rooms with guys.

Is it true? I think not!

But then again The Matraa does have its  own advantages. Friendly staff, for one thing, is one of them.

On the second day in Singapore, my poor sense of direction put me in almost an hour of search for the Matraa after a day's walkabout. The Matraa is situated on the Race course road and the road is extremely long. By the time I finally find the Matraa, I've got blister on my right foot.

One of the Asian-background Singaporean offered two bandages right after I ask for help. For that, The Matraa is still a nice lovely place for budget traveler. 

It is, however, a no no if you have an issue to share a room with guys. Also, I wouldn't recommend it to someone who care a little more about sleeping quality.

Cute postal service car and tax refund

退稅這件事我一向懶得辦,不過這次在新加坡忍不住手癢意外的買了幾件衫.想想不如去試試退稅一下,退下來的零錢去買些文具也不錯!!

在新加坡只要購買100元新幣就可以請商家開退稅單.然後在離境前於機場辦理退稅.

由於退稅時有可能會被要求出具購買商品,因此在打包行李時要記得把購得的商品放在好取得的地方.我就看到一個大男生手忙腳亂的翻找行李箱內,實在有點窘迫啊!!

整個退稅流程不超過8分鐘,算是很簡便.

你可以選擇將退稅金額退至信用卡或以現金退稅,不過對只退15元的我,還是拿現金好用吧?!拿著15元新幣走到轉角就花掉了,15元剛好可以買一本早就想買的Stieg Larsson小說第二集:-)在新加坡買比澳洲便宜吔? 真奇怪.

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在大廳裏發現這個可愛的郵政車,很有新加坡的感覺,什麼都亮晶晶的!這個郵政車有賣明信片(可惜選擇只有6種),郵票,車頭前還有個郵筒可以直接投入.當然也可以跟可愛的郵政車小姐借膠水哦!

想想什麼時候我們的機場才可以變得更乾淨,更有活力,處處有想讓觀光客拍照的設施呢?

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